Irene came to the U.S. chasing the American dream. And she got it: she married the love of her life, Charles, opened a successful business in Los Angeles’ San Gabriel Valley, and gave birth to a son, Joe.
But when cancer claims Charles and threatens to take Irene too, she struggles to hold onto the life they’ve made as Joe’s mental health deteriorates and his obsession with mass shootings grows. On the eve of his eighteenth birthday, Irene must find a way to help Joe before it’s too late for both of them.
Inspired by a Los Angeles Times article, this timely story addresses the stigma of mental illness in the Asian American community, parents being held responsible for their children committing mass shootings, the burgeoning field of threat assessment in preventing these tragedies, the increase in Asian American gun ownership, and how society cares for people with disabilities.
