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ninetalevixen 's review for:
Natalie Tan's Book of Luck and Fortune
by Roselle Lim
I received an advance review copy through Edelweiss. This does not affect my rating or opinions.
3.5 stars.
It took me a while to acclimate myself to this story, but around halfway or so I started getting pretty into it. Among other things, I hadn't realized this was magic realism so that threw me for a loop at first; however, the cultural beliefs and traditions (such as offering food to the spirits of deceased family members) are comfortingly familiar and the magic feels like a natural extension thereof. I particularly love the motifs of food and music since they figure prominently in my memories with my parents, as they do in Natalie's; this book is a celebration of culture, from recipes for various Asian dishes to descriptions of the erhu. And it's definitely not just performative: there's emphasis on filial piety and community obligations and respect for elders and scenes where characters fight for the check — and their general motives and attitudes definitely reflect Chinese values and upbringing.
Though as much as I enjoyed the details, the big picture doesn't quite work for me. Nothing is wrong with the narrative structure, but the pacing and some of the dialogue felt off: the former too condensed, limiting the emotional impact of each moment, the latter comprehensible but not quite natural. Certain developments also stretched my disbelief pretty far — not to breaking, but there was definite strain. I wasn't quite sold on the romance either; it wasn't really problematic, but honestly I thought it was a little unnecessary. (I know a romance subplot is almost an essential element of commercial fiction in this day and age. Doesn't mean I have to like it.)
All that said, this was a fun read overall. The recipes are intriguing — I just wish they included measurements; I know experienced cooks often don't, my mom eyeballs most of hers, but for a beginning cook like me it would be more accessible and less daunting. Of course, I love that they were included at all, and the sheer variety is mouthwatering.
content warnings:
rep:
3.5 stars.
It took me a while to acclimate myself to this story, but around halfway or so I started getting pretty into it. Among other things, I hadn't realized this was magic realism so that threw me for a loop at first; however, the cultural beliefs and traditions (such as offering food to the spirits of deceased family members) are comfortingly familiar and the magic feels like a natural extension thereof. I particularly love the motifs of food and music since they figure prominently in my memories with my parents, as they do in Natalie's; this book is a celebration of culture, from recipes for various Asian dishes to descriptions of the erhu. And it's definitely not just performative: there's emphasis on filial piety and community obligations and respect for elders and scenes where characters fight for the check — and their general motives and attitudes definitely reflect Chinese values and upbringing.
Though as much as I enjoyed the details, the big picture doesn't quite work for me. Nothing is wrong with the narrative structure, but the pacing and some of the dialogue felt off: the former too condensed, limiting the emotional impact of each moment, the latter comprehensible but not quite natural. Certain developments also stretched my disbelief pretty far — not to breaking, but there was definite strain. I wasn't quite sold on the romance either; it wasn't really problematic, but honestly I thought it was a little unnecessary. (I know a romance subplot is almost an essential element of commercial fiction in this day and age. Doesn't mean I have to like it.)
All that said, this was a fun read overall. The recipes are intriguing — I just wish they included measurements; I know experienced cooks often don't, my mom eyeballs most of hers, but for a beginning cook like me it would be more accessible and less daunting. Of course, I love that they were included at all, and the sheer variety is mouthwatering.
content warnings:
Spoiler
death of parent, depictions of mental illness (agoraphobia and likely depression), cultural insensitivity towards mental illnessrep: