Reviews with content warning for Xenophobia - Dial A for Aunties

Ok this book is out there and over the top. Most of the time I don’t like books where it seems soooo unrealistic and unrelatable . When I think, no way in hell would this happen in real life that’s usually the mark of a book I wouldn’t like (I mean unless I am specific reading a genre like fantasy or sci-fi where it is supposed to be unrealistic) . HOWEVER, this book is sooo outlandish that it works.

I read this really quick because I didn’t want to leave the family and I am excited to see that there will be a sequel. I really loved seeing the family dynamics and that the author comes from a big family with similar dynamics. I liked learning about the Chinese-Indo culture and I loved how the language was woven throughout.

The characters were lovable and the plot moves along very nicely. Most of the time you’re rolling your eyes at the antics they get themselves in and you’re laughing at what the aunties find important in a situation. This is a great quick read.

Content Warnings

iviarelle's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional funny lighthearted tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

This is a very strange little book. It's vastly over the top and downright silly at times in the way things keep getting more and more complicated until they resolve... but I find it incredibly charming at the same time? It's probably a perfect read if you need something fluffy and feel-good (despite the murder) that will absolutely demand your attention for the duration. I had trouble putting it down once I started, because every time I felt like a stopping point approached, something else came up that I needed to find out how it resolved.

My only real down side is the naming of Big Aunt could get a little... frustrating-hurtful for fat readers who are sensitive to that kind of thing. Her name for the whole book is just Big Aunt, because she's a little bigger in size than her sisters. She's never put down for it that I noticed, and in fact Meddy says in chapter 1 that Big Aunt is the one who meets with clients and everything because her size just makes her more majestic and convincing and confident. But, the other aunts are just Second Aunt and Fourth Aunt, and so Big Aunt being the only one with a distinguishing characteristic and that being her name might not land well for some readers.

That being said, I'm not sure it's exactly what I expected, and yet, it's pretty much everything I could have asked for from the premise. This is a definite recommend.

Content Warnings

More...