This linguistic adeptness causes tension for both authors, who resent that their American upbringings confined them to English — what Ng calls the “barbarian’s language” and Wong “the language of the colonizer.”

When he swerves to put mortality front and center again at the end, however, it’s a frank reminder that narrative adeptness and sentimentality aren’t strong suits, either.

In addition to their pointed ears, long, ringed tails, and faces with so-called teardrop streaks, striped faces and ringed tails, one trait that characterizes red pandas is their reported adeptness at escape.

According to the show, the only real achievement of the political energy around police in the past few years might be their newfound adeptness at parroting the talking points the public wants to hear.

Wagner joins receiver Allen Robinson as the most prominent offseason additions to the Rams, who have once again proven their adeptness at fitting stars under the salary cap.