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jengiuffre's review against another edition
2.0
Finished this in a few hours. Ok read, characters were shallow and not well developed. Knowing this is a debut novel, I would most likely read the authors next book. It wasn't terrible, it just lacked a connection and certain aspects needed to be explored that weren't.
mbattiest's review against another edition
2.0
Meh. That was all I could think with this book. It started off fairly well and had a lot of potential. But the ending made it a little boring. I felt like only one thing-her choice in a home and a career was all that was complete.
robyncoleman's review against another edition
lighthearted
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
2.5
Fun little read! 2.5 stars
thizlibrarian's review against another edition
5.0
So good! I'm looking forward to reading her next book.
sbaunsgard's review against another edition
4.0
Will Gretchen stay with her family and the family business in Singapore or go back to San Francisco, grad school, and her cheating husband? The book is really more about perspective than character development and plot. (Although there is also a plot.) Enjoyable, and would be interested in reading Chen's future work.
jazzyiz87's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
3.0
nixwolfwood's review against another edition
4.0
http://www.platypire.com/j-hooligan/soy-sauce-for-beginners-by-kirstin-chen
I picked this as one of my monthly choices as a Prime member last December, and I decided to finally give it a go when I saw it was a Whispersync option on KU. (Knowing that I can press play on a book I'm reading when I'm busy cleaning or driving is a fabulous thing, especially because I hate stopping a good book.)
Before I get into the review of the book, I want to say that I felt Nancy Wu did a wonderful job as a narrator, and I plan on listening to more of her work (seriously, I already have the other two of her works available on KU downloaded into my phone).
As someone who has been through divorce, similar to Gretchen's, in that there were no assets or children involved, so I could easily relate to how she was feeling. I do enjoy when I can form an emotional connection to a character. I remember the confusion and how much I struggled during those times.
My favorite part would have to be getting to experience the culture of the privileged of Singapore. I found it fascinating, and the setting was done so vividly that I could easily picture it as I read/listened.
I now have a deeper appreciation for soy sauce after reading this. I was never a big fan of it before, as it is too salty for my taste, but I'd like to experience the flavors talked about in this story. Especially with the Sprite.
The end, although I noticed it bothered many people, didn't upset me. I like open endings. It means I can reflect on the multiple possibilities.
I picked this as one of my monthly choices as a Prime member last December, and I decided to finally give it a go when I saw it was a Whispersync option on KU. (Knowing that I can press play on a book I'm reading when I'm busy cleaning or driving is a fabulous thing, especially because I hate stopping a good book.)
Before I get into the review of the book, I want to say that I felt Nancy Wu did a wonderful job as a narrator, and I plan on listening to more of her work (seriously, I already have the other two of her works available on KU downloaded into my phone).
As someone who has been through divorce, similar to Gretchen's, in that there were no assets or children involved, so I could easily relate to how she was feeling. I do enjoy when I can form an emotional connection to a character. I remember the confusion and how much I struggled during those times.
My favorite part would have to be getting to experience the culture of the privileged of Singapore. I found it fascinating, and the setting was done so vividly that I could easily picture it as I read/listened.
I now have a deeper appreciation for soy sauce after reading this. I was never a big fan of it before, as it is too salty for my taste, but I'd like to experience the flavors talked about in this story. Especially with the Sprite.
The end, although I noticed it bothered many people, didn't upset me. I like open endings. It means I can reflect on the multiple possibilities.
shammons's review against another edition
4.0
A freebie I got from Amazon for being a Prime member (my first foray into this portion of our newly acquired Prime membership), something called their First program. This is a debut novel by the author, and I wasn't expecting to like it, since I mostly read Christian fiction. But it was surprisingly good, and very clean (I only remember 2 curse words in the entire book). Nice plot, likeable characters, it kept me turning the Kindle pages :)
darcy_clark's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I think I would have loved this book if it had been twice as long, but it wasn't fleshed out enough to make me feel connected to or invested in any of the characters. Also harps on a character's weight loss which may be triggering to some readers.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body shaming, Fatphobia, and Alcoholism
karak's review against another edition
3.0
A really fast, interesting read. Gretchen isn't really well fleshed out as a character, but the overall story is good.