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leaflibrary's review against another edition
3.0
I've lived in a New York City Chinatown for nine years, so this collection of short stories about Chinese immigrants in NYC hits close to home. I found most of the stories, although fictional, realistic and even familiar. Reading them consecutively deepened my understanding of Chinese culture and the immigrant experience in the US. Several of the stories make absolute statements about what America is or isn't like, or what one person can or can't achieve here. Occasionally the statements contradict each other, which is especially fascinating. I'm not sure that this collection stands out to me, or that I'd be interested in reading it again, but I appreciate the glimpse into fictionalized versions of my neighbors' lives, and hope that it makes me a better neighbor to them in return.
bearforester's review against another edition
3.0
I liked some of the stories a lot better than others -- "Shame" and "The House Behind a Weeping Cherry" are standouts -- but overall this is a nice collection of stories. Looking forward to exploring some more of his work in the future.
butyougotmysoul's review against another edition
4.0
Very well written. Gives an interesting insight into the struggles of Chinese immigrants.
scotchneat's review against another edition
3.0
There's nothing really profound in Jin's short stories. But they offer little bits of insight into Asian experiences in America - a point-of-view that I don't read from very often.
karencarlson's review against another edition
2.0
I'm afraid this just went by me completely. Detailed comments on all stories (with possible spoilers) at A Just Recompense.
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