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amyho's review against another edition
4.0
I liked it. Very timely for me. The only thing I didn't like was the drama-ness of the romance. Everything else felt very familiar.
Also I would have preferred there to be less white people present in this novel.
Also I would have preferred there to be less white people present in this novel.
rlbasley's review against another edition
4.0
I like books like this and authors like this. That tell a story within a story in the outline of a theme. I equate this with a book I read last year called Sidonas thread where a daughter described her mother, a seamstress with the chapter headings being the headings of her mothers sewing book.
This book uses the character's job as a Chinese food critic to create the chapters of the book by describing differing cuisine and telling the story of the authors experience relocating to China as well as telling the story of her sister and herself moving slowly to a closer relationship in a continent away from their parents. It is very well written and certainly worth the read,
This book uses the character's job as a Chinese food critic to create the chapters of the book by describing differing cuisine and telling the story of the authors experience relocating to China as well as telling the story of her sister and herself moving slowly to a closer relationship in a continent away from their parents. It is very well written and certainly worth the read,
the_local_dialect's review against another edition
3.0
First thing I have to get off my chest -- I live in Beijing and I found the constant insider references a bit irritating. Yes, there really is a Jenny Lou's and a Babyface and all those streets like Guanghua Lu and Dongdaqiao really do exist, but it seemed very in-your-face to me, especially considering she went out of her way to change the names of some places and things (Beijing NOW is obviously supposed to be That's Beijing or The Beijinger), but not others. Maybe the aggressive name-dropping is sort of an expatty thing to do but it struck me as very "I've lived there, I'm not just a regular tourist." This is a kind of smugness that expats get when they show their friends around their new city for the first time. I'm sure I've done a real life version of this myself but I hope that if I ever write a fictionalized book about my life in China I'd avoid falling into that trap. I feel like what the author really wanted to do was write a memoir -- she should have just done that.
Aside from that, yes, this is chick-lit in China. I don't mind chick-lit so much, but there's nothing particularly memorable about this chick lit. This was a nice, fast read and I didn't dislike it, but that's about it.
Aside from that, yes, this is chick-lit in China. I don't mind chick-lit so much, but there's nothing particularly memorable about this chick lit. This was a nice, fast read and I didn't dislike it, but that's about it.
maylingkuo's review against another edition
3.0
reads more like a memoir, so it's almost strange that this is a work of fiction. i enjoyed it as a light read, although there could be more about the food and the protagonist is pretty clueless. i prefer stronger female characters, and found myself wincing through the judgment calls she makes during her time in beijing.
rbkegley's review against another edition
3.0
A light read, pleasant enough to be entertaining, with just enough Chinese food information sprinkled throughout to be interesting. Overall, it would make a good Hallmark romantic TV movie, complete with completely predictable plot twists, a nascent romance that keeps getting thwarted by misdirection and misunderstanding, and a happy ending.
tara3117's review against another edition
3.0
I liked this book just fine. I did expect more cooking, but I'm okay that it didn't get as involved as I'd expected. I haven't read Bridget Jones' Diary so I can't make the connection like the other reviewers. I like how Isabelle took a gamble, found success, got to know her sister and, shockingly liked it. I felt that the romance aspect was downplayed but it felt right.
maddiewagner's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
It's a fun premise and if you suspend disbelief about all of the happy circumstances the protagonist finds herself in then you can enjoy the descriptions of food and her travels. But it all was a little too much to swallow - especially the rushed ending.
abookishaffair's review against another edition
4.0
I really loved this book. It tells the story of Isabel, a journalist in NYC who is fired from her job. She takes her sister up on an offer to work in Beijing at an ex-pat magazine. Isabel is Chinese American and only speaks the tiniest bit of Chinese yet she thrusts herself into life in the Chinese capital.
alicamj's review against another edition
5.0
Lovely
This is such a wonderful story of self discovery and a food tour of China. Of course now I am starving!
This is such a wonderful story of self discovery and a food tour of China. Of course now I am starving!
mikolee's review against another edition
2.0
Hmmmm. At the beginning as the struggling new york writer is fired and makes her way to Beijing to live with her sister I was interested. As she learns about her sister and finds a job as afoot critic there were a few snappy moments. Then it just turns into a typical trite live story with a sinophile angle. Sort of Bridget Jones Diary done up Chinese American style.