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3.21 AVERAGE
3.21 AVERAGE
Took me a long time to get through this book. I resonated with the exploration of Asian American family dynamics and expectations, especially as a second-gen immigrant, and I liked the candidness in the analysis of interracial relationships, both romantic and platonic. So what was it that seemed to drag?? Honestly, I’m not sure yet.
I really liked this one. A Chinese-American family who is driven by money (and success) and failing by their own standards. Patriarch Stanley has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He divorced his first wife Linda after 34 years of marriage and is on his second wife Mary. With Mary in the picture, his ex-wife Linda and his children Fred and Kate are worried how his assets will be transferred upon his death.
Son Fred is a lot like Stanley. He's divorced his first wife and is dating gold digger Hungarian Erika. He wishes he was more successful and wants to get even more ahead in business.
Daughter Kate is obsessed with success and money as well despite her relationship with her husband falling apart.
To me mother (and first wife) Linda is the most interesting character. Matter-of-fact with funny (and accurate) observations, I reveled when her chapters came up. Her "relationship" with Winston made me smile.
If you like dysfunctional family dramas without a lot of plot, this one will be up your alley.
Son Fred is a lot like Stanley. He's divorced his first wife and is dating gold digger Hungarian Erika. He wishes he was more successful and wants to get even more ahead in business.
Daughter Kate is obsessed with success and money as well despite her relationship with her husband falling apart.
To me mother (and first wife) Linda is the most interesting character. Matter-of-fact with funny (and accurate) observations, I reveled when her chapters came up. Her "relationship" with Winston made me smile.
If you like dysfunctional family dramas without a lot of plot, this one will be up your alley.
Didn’t love this book, found myself skimming a lot at the end.
premise:
Stanley Huang is the self-title family patriarch. He's healthier than ever and living quite happily with his second wife; an in denial state kind of constant happiness. His two adult children and ex-wife, are not quite as sold into this state of euphoria. So when it's announced Stanley is ill, this supposed fortune he claims to have is put into question as his days come to the end.
spoilers/personal reaction:
Spoiler, Stanley was not wealthy beyond belief, he's was just moderately well-off. The story was less so about the big reveal as to whether he somehow had this big money than it was just about family dynamics. Stanley had two kids that are well-off but not overtly wealthy. The son dreamed about being wealthy rather than appreciating what he had. The daughter struggles with being expected to be the caretaker of her family when she's actually the breadwinner. The ex-wife tries to rationalize with everybody not to get their hopes up (and ultimately she was right). The new wife is slowly realizing that she didn't quite get the cash cow she thought she did. It was kinda everyday problems for the middle class. If you're part of the working class, I can't imagine their being any sympathy for this family.
Stanley Huang is the self-title family patriarch. He's healthier than ever and living quite happily with his second wife; an in denial state kind of constant happiness. His two adult children and ex-wife, are not quite as sold into this state of euphoria. So when it's announced Stanley is ill, this supposed fortune he claims to have is put into question as his days come to the end.
Spoiler
spoilers/personal reaction:
Spoiler, Stanley was not wealthy beyond belief, he's was just moderately well-off. The story was less so about the big reveal as to whether he somehow had this big money than it was just about family dynamics. Stanley had two kids that are well-off but not overtly wealthy. The son dreamed about being wealthy rather than appreciating what he had. The daughter struggles with being expected to be the caretaker of her family when she's actually the breadwinner. The ex-wife tries to rationalize with everybody not to get their hopes up (and ultimately she was right). The new wife is slowly realizing that she didn't quite get the cash cow she thought she did. It was kinda everyday problems for the middle class. If you're part of the working class, I can't imagine their being any sympathy for this family.
Dnf'ed at 59 pages. I really wanted to like this book however, the characters were really bland and un likeable. The different point of views just werent working for me.
Family drama with some glimpses of Silicone Valley and the world of finance.
Wrote a review on my blog: https://bit.ly/100onBooksBlog2002
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Find my take on books on my blog, YouTube, and on my podcast
Wrote a review on my blog: https://bit.ly/100onBooksBlog2002
*
Find my take on books on my blog, YouTube, and on my podcast
A great debut but slightly off the mark at times. I think Kathy Wang is going to be a great writer over time and I’m keenly going to await her next book. What didn’t sit so well with me were the occasional incredibly racist remarks - if you remove those I think the book immediately becomes better. I found the characters interesting and their views nuanced and varied. Even though the story is about an Asian family, the values, emotions and story is universal across races and to most extents can resonate with any family - don’t we all have exaggerating Stanleys, frugal Lindas, think-I-am-too-good-for-it Freds, I-don’t-value-myself-enough Kate’s, and of course I-never-work-hard Marys?
I do find it a bit ironic that the negative reviews tend to be predominantly from white people.
I do find it a bit ironic that the negative reviews tend to be predominantly from white people.
An entertaining family drama, to say the least. Didn’t take the characters too seriously, but it was an interesting view on an upperclass Asian American family with a lot of baggage.