Scan barcode
essjay1's review against another edition
4.0
A terrific collection of stories, some loosely linked. The main theme here is otherness, the experience of being a stranger in a new land so of course this resonated with me on many levels. The writing is sharp and Bui's use of language really draws you into each story. Whitewashed, Abu Dhabi Gently, A Scholar's Hands, Black Beans & Wine stand outs for me however all were very good.
textpublishing's review against another edition
‘Joey Bui is a masterful storyteller…Each tale is delightfully rich with detail and yet reverberates with a broader truth….These unforgettable characters and stories will keep me company for a gloriously long time.’
Melanie Cheng
‘Filled with distinctive characters and full of surprises, these stories are enlightening and unforgettable.’
Alice Pung
'An exciting, profound and often funny dive into the minor cataclysms of everyday life. Joey Bui is a marvel.’
Bram Presser
‘Wry yet affecting…the scatological nature of the stories and the ways in which they delve into the indignity of poverty call to mind Jenny Zhang, while the astute racial, gender and class commentary would appeal to readers of Julie Koh, Melanie Cheng and Rosanna Gonsalves.’
Books+Publishing
Melanie Cheng
‘Filled with distinctive characters and full of surprises, these stories are enlightening and unforgettable.’
Alice Pung
'An exciting, profound and often funny dive into the minor cataclysms of everyday life. Joey Bui is a marvel.’
Bram Presser
‘Wry yet affecting…the scatological nature of the stories and the ways in which they delve into the indignity of poverty call to mind Jenny Zhang, while the astute racial, gender and class commentary would appeal to readers of Julie Koh, Melanie Cheng and Rosanna Gonsalves.’
Books+Publishing
tessaays's review against another edition
5.0
Joey Bui's writing is beautiful. It doesn't pander or stoop down to the reader, but rather gives you just enough to hold on to, so that glimpsing the characters' worlds becomes a rare, enormous privilege. Her characters are those with historically lesser-heard voices, and they occupy highly localised and (for many readers) physically inaccessible worlds; however, their stories are told completely without hierarchy, pity or judgement, which is a gift for reader and character alike.
The after-effect this collection had on me was that it rendered everyone I met in terms of the story that Joey Bui might write about them. I can't think of a better way to go about the world.
The after-effect this collection had on me was that it rendered everyone I met in terms of the story that Joey Bui might write about them. I can't think of a better way to go about the world.
a8bhatia's review against another edition
4.0
A beautiful collection of short stories that address the struggles of Vietnamese characters with racism, refugees and displacement. The stories are well crafted and really bring to light the struggles so many individauls both of Vietnamese and other racial backgrounds go through.
rosannajhunt's review against another edition
3.0
A good collection! My favourite stories were Lucky Ticket and Mekong Love. I think Bui is particularly good at ending her stories in ways that make you stop and think. Would love to read more of her stuff.
jaclyn_sixminutesforme's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed my time spent in the different character perspectives that Bui has crafted in these stories. They leap between countries and identities so seamlessly, each sharing migrant experiences and relationships between family and friends in really intimate and real situations. They speak of dreams, realized or not, and the way these strain and push connections to self and others. Two stand outs for me were the title story, LUCKY TICKET, and WHITE WASHED (which I think had the strongest final line of any in the collection!). I hope to see more international readers pick up this Australian release as it speaks to such a universal experience while also sharing glimpses into issues like race and racism in Australia.
sean67's review against another edition
3.0
I do like reading books from different cultures and people with different cultural heritages, and this was a fair group of stories, not sure they will stay with me, but a decent read all the same.
kimswhims's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 Stars
Read this collection of short stories as part of reading The 2020 Stella Prize long-list.
My favourite of the 2 short story collections I've read so far on the list. Most of the protagonists in these stories are Vietnamese but it is a diverse collection with stories from character set in different countries and continents, only Europe is left out.
I enjoy reading collections that have a different cultural feel and that have a nod to inter-generational hardship, but like most short story collections not all of these hit the mark for me and the loose thread in my favourite story, Mekong Love, detracted from it overall.
Worth a read if you are looking for something with a multicultural flavour.
Read this collection of short stories as part of reading The 2020 Stella Prize long-list.
My favourite of the 2 short story collections I've read so far on the list. Most of the protagonists in these stories are Vietnamese but it is a diverse collection with stories from character set in different countries and continents, only Europe is left out.
I enjoy reading collections that have a different cultural feel and that have a nod to inter-generational hardship, but like most short story collections not all of these hit the mark for me and the loose thread in my favourite story, Mekong Love, detracted from it overall.
Worth a read if you are looking for something with a multicultural flavour.
tayaa's review against another edition
4.0
Liked it. the characters lingered in my mind for a long time afterwards. It left me feeling sad and hollow, even though the stories weren't always depressing. really vivid portraits in such a short amount of time. The characters had such unique personalities and voices that I initially thought it was written by multiple people.