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norygraph's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
justjacq's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
Oof... I really loved the premise of this book, but just never connected with it. I almost didn't finish it! I would definitely recommend reading the physical book if you give it a go, because the narrator for the audio book was painfully slow. Sometimes the gaps between sentences were so long I thought something happened to my audio - I ended up listening to it at 1.5x the speed, which is wayyy faster than my norm. The writing felt cliché and dramatic. I also felt like the first and second halves were completely different stories - the love story of the main character kind of takes away from the rest of the book, and it was a love a first sight kind of thing, which I never like. Plussss, a random ghost storyline in the last quarter of the story!? Oy. I just never got into it. I'm sure it didn't help that I've read some other similar stories that I really liked, so this one went through a more rigorous comparison in my mind.
1yourmom1's review
3.0
The book shows a real storytelling potential in the author. As this was their first book, some of the edges are a little rough and the moods and actions of the characters shift as a dizzying speed that was difficult to follow sometimes. But the underlying world building that was done is beautiful and I hope the following books keep the beautiful, quiet magic as their foundation.
specificity's review
5.0
This was so beautiful and heartrending and such a nuanced depiction of mother-daughter relationships and mental illness and family history/trauma it's just. this whole story is so close to my heart already :')
laura_cs's review
5.0
I received an ARC of this title from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
"You must cook three recipes from the book to help three of your neighbors, as your laolao did in the past. Your success is tied to them, their businesses, and the community. You are one of them. If they fail, you will fail. If you save them, the restaurant will once again be the jewel of Chinatown, and the vitality will return to the neighborhood."
Brilliant and magical, "Natalie Tan's Book of Luck and Fortune" is a delightful cacophony of food, faith, and family both lost and found.
Natalie Tan hasn't stepped foot in her deteriorating Chinatown neighborhood for seven years, not after she left on bad terms with her mother for not supporting her culinary dreams. Now, she is returning after her mother's sudden and strange passing, asking herself this question: Why did her agoraphobic, depressed mother decide that day--of all days--to finally take a step outside of the apartment? Natalie finds a sliver of hope in the ruins of her relationship with her mother and her grief: a written blessing to re-open the downstairs restaurant that belonged to Natalie's formidable Laolao, Qiao, whose book of recipes she has also unexpectedly inherited. But before she can open the restaurant, she must fulfill a task given to her by the neighborhood physic: she must use food to solve the problems of three people in the neighborhood. Natalie eagerly goes to work, cooking up a storm to bring luck, courage, and love to the neighborhood. But when everything goes up in flames--almost quite literally--can Natalie and her food still save the day--and her neighborhood?
Lim's writing is breathtaking and astounding; her characters are so alive, and her descriptions so vivid and magical, such as the "dragon hiss of a tour bus's air brakes" and a sigh that transforms into "a thick, glowing strand of yarn". And then there is the food. Oh, the food! Do not read on an empty stomach! (Recipes are--to the reader's "fortune"--included!) Step into Chinatown and smell the magic, mystery, and dumplings in the air as Natalie sets out to change her luck, make her fortune, and realize that everything she's been searching for was right where she least expected it.
Also, Hallmark Channel? This would make an amazing movie...
"You must cook three recipes from the book to help three of your neighbors, as your laolao did in the past. Your success is tied to them, their businesses, and the community. You are one of them. If they fail, you will fail. If you save them, the restaurant will once again be the jewel of Chinatown, and the vitality will return to the neighborhood."
Brilliant and magical, "Natalie Tan's Book of Luck and Fortune" is a delightful cacophony of food, faith, and family both lost and found.
Natalie Tan hasn't stepped foot in her deteriorating Chinatown neighborhood for seven years, not after she left on bad terms with her mother for not supporting her culinary dreams. Now, she is returning after her mother's sudden and strange passing, asking herself this question: Why did her agoraphobic, depressed mother decide that day--of all days--to finally take a step outside of the apartment? Natalie finds a sliver of hope in the ruins of her relationship with her mother and her grief: a written blessing to re-open the downstairs restaurant that belonged to Natalie's formidable Laolao, Qiao, whose book of recipes she has also unexpectedly inherited. But before she can open the restaurant, she must fulfill a task given to her by the neighborhood physic: she must use food to solve the problems of three people in the neighborhood. Natalie eagerly goes to work, cooking up a storm to bring luck, courage, and love to the neighborhood. But when everything goes up in flames--almost quite literally--can Natalie and her food still save the day--and her neighborhood?
Lim's writing is breathtaking and astounding; her characters are so alive, and her descriptions so vivid and magical, such as the "dragon hiss of a tour bus's air brakes" and a sigh that transforms into "a thick, glowing strand of yarn". And then there is the food. Oh, the food! Do not read on an empty stomach! (Recipes are--to the reader's "fortune"--included!) Step into Chinatown and smell the magic, mystery, and dumplings in the air as Natalie sets out to change her luck, make her fortune, and realize that everything she's been searching for was right where she least expected it.
Also, Hallmark Channel? This would make an amazing movie...
arainey116's review
4.0
I picked this up on a whim at the library and am so glad I did. What a delight. A joyful mix of comfort, culture, food, emotion, and found family.
kitfitreads's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
thelaurajay's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75