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wo_fangpi_le's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Light hearted read about food and being a Chinese American girl in China. I liked this perspective as it allowed me to see myself through another character :)
wrentheblurry's review against another edition
2.0
While this was easy to read, I found the main character largely unlikeable. Worse, she was sometimes not true to her spineless, bland and insecure self. It's likely that happened since she was supposed to be learning about herself and 'growing', but instead of growth, it felt more to me like two-facedness. There was also not enough talk about the food for me to compensate for the cast of lame characters. Can't recommend.
pollycharlie's review against another edition
2.0
It's just a romantic comedy in prints. It tried to entice readers with bits of the Beijing expat life, but honestly it can be a cheesy story that happens anywhere. The plot was predictable; the romance stretched out unnecessarily; the bits about Chinese food culture and history shallow.
tinynavajo's review against another edition
4.0
I loved this book. It actually reminded me a little bit of Elizabeth Gilbert's Eat, Pray, Love. Isabelle, the main character, is fired from her job at a magazine. Not knowing what to do next, her friends encourage her to move to Beijing, China to live with her sister and just have a break from life.
When Isabelle gets to China, she sees that living with her sister is about the same as when they were kids. They are still at odds with each other, but they're family. Claire, Isabelle's sister, suggests she gets a job with an expat magazine as a food columnist. As it so happens, Isabelle soons learns to love her job and gets to know China through its food.
When Isabelle gets to China, she sees that living with her sister is about the same as when they were kids. They are still at odds with each other, but they're family. Claire, Isabelle's sister, suggests she gets a job with an expat magazine as a food columnist. As it so happens, Isabelle soons learns to love her job and gets to know China through its food.
filiparferreira's review against another edition
3.0
Fácil de ler, embora embirrasse um pouco com a personagem principal, de um tipo um bocado infeliz que aparece frequentemente e tem fraca auto-estima, que a faz entrar em relações funestas das quais tem dificuldades em sair, ter pouca fé nas suas capacidades, e sobretudo não lhe permite nunca acreditar que o príncipe perfeito possa gostar dela. Fiquei foi cheia de vontade de conhecer melhor a enorme variedade da culinária chinesa.
meggreadsxo's review against another edition
5.0
Reading this will make you feel as if you are traveling right along with the protagonist! Such a lighthearted travel book, packed with incredibly likeable characters and a loveable protagonist. If you are interested in travel, or just enjoy a strong female lead this is a must. An equally paced, highly enjoyable read!
mindfullibrarian's review against another edition
4.0
I bought this book in 2018 after reading and loving Mah’s most recent novel “The Lost Vintage” and I’m so glad I did. While “Kitchen Chinese” seems very 2010 (naturally given that’s when it was published!) now in 2021, and falls prey to several debut novel missteps, I was enthralled with the descriptions of the Chinese cities and food - so much food!
One thing I’m curious about is whether this story, which is very autobiographical, would have read better as a memoir??
One thing I’m curious about is whether this story, which is very autobiographical, would have read better as a memoir??
katiez624's review against another edition
4.0
This debut novel by Ann Mah is well-written, lighthearted, and entertaining. The plot is very predictable, but I really appreciated the way the Chinese food culture and language are interwoven into the plotline and dialogue. Each chapter of the book is titled after a specific region and cuisine of China, which at times is misleading because the food is only briefly mentioned in the context of the plot. I wish there was more of an emphasis on the food and culture aspects of China, but most of the book is devoted to Isabelle’s misadventures in China and her love life.
It is a little unbelievable that such an ill-informed Chinese-American person was hired to be a food writer for an expat magazine in China. Isabelle takes every opportunity to buy processed American food from the grocery store. But the descriptions of the food in the book were detailed and fun to read. It provides a glimpse into the various types of Chinese cuisine in a novel format. For readers looking for a much more in-depth look at Chinese food in the different regions of China, I would highly recommend Fuschia Dunlop’s Shark’s Fin and Sichuan Pepper.
I did really enjoy the references in the novel about the quirks and challenges of growing up in American with Chinese parents. In particular, the part where Isabella’s mom and aunt are constantly pressuring her to get eyelid surgery really resonated with me. Being able to relate to Isabelle made the book much more enjoyable for me, and I think Mah was able to capture that very well.
It is a little unbelievable that such an ill-informed Chinese-American person was hired to be a food writer for an expat magazine in China. Isabelle takes every opportunity to buy processed American food from the grocery store. But the descriptions of the food in the book were detailed and fun to read. It provides a glimpse into the various types of Chinese cuisine in a novel format. For readers looking for a much more in-depth look at Chinese food in the different regions of China, I would highly recommend Fuschia Dunlop’s Shark’s Fin and Sichuan Pepper.
I did really enjoy the references in the novel about the quirks and challenges of growing up in American with Chinese parents. In particular, the part where Isabella’s mom and aunt are constantly pressuring her to get eyelid surgery really resonated with me. Being able to relate to Isabelle made the book much more enjoyable for me, and I think Mah was able to capture that very well.
myeshatiara's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
informative
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Favorite Quote: “I had only been in China for a few months, has my Americanness already been erased? Or is there another reality: that no one has ever considered me American in the first place?”~Isabelle
Isabelle can definitely be stubborn however she is hard working or so she thinks. When she loses her job as a writer for Belle magazine in New York she moves to Beijing to live with her sister and maybe learn more about herself and where her true passion lays.
She is also ashamed in some way of her culture and where she comes from as she battles with if she wants to be seen as an American or Chinese. There are certain decisions she makes that make me want to just give up on her…the romance moments that is but overall the food described gives a lot of character to the book.
I would love another book focused on Claire, Isabelle’s sister.
Isabelle can definitely be stubborn however she is hard working or so she thinks. When she loses her job as a writer for Belle magazine in New York she moves to Beijing to live with her sister and maybe learn more about herself and where her true passion lays.
She is also ashamed in some way of her culture and where she comes from as she battles with if she wants to be seen as an American or Chinese. There are certain decisions she makes that make me want to just give up on her…the romance moments that is but overall the food described gives a lot of character to the book.
I would love another book focused on Claire, Isabelle’s sister.
jerihurd's review against another edition
2.0
Ugh: Can you say predictable? I skip read the whole last half. Chinese chick lit, in all the negative connotations that go with that--and she has the never to mock Amy Tan, who can, at least, write! Stilted dialogue and high melodrama abound!