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3.73 AVERAGE
3.73 AVERAGE
emotional
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
The story felt like a memoir that tackled topics such as racism, immigration, marriage and familial relations. I felt that the characters developments felt believable and well fleshed out. I especially love the complex but intricate dynamic between Joan and her children, Lee and Jamie. The book is a thoughtful exploration about human connection and life’s endless capacity to surprise us.
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
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:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Death of parent
Moderate: Death
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Joan's life takes turns she never would have expected. She ends up immigrating to America from Taiwan. She marries young but quickly divorces when she discovers her husband is not who she expected.
Joan then by chance meets an older wealthy man who she marries and has children with. From there we follow Joan's life as a mother and eventual widow and business own.
This story was well paced and followed Joan throughout her adult life.
Joan then by chance meets an older wealthy man who she marries and has children with. From there we follow Joan's life as a mother and eventual widow and business own.
This story was well paced and followed Joan throughout her adult life.
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
From the first page this book completely drew me in and then I just didn’t want to put it down. I don’t quite know where to start explaining what the story is about; it’s a multilayered exploration of the life of Jean who moves from Taiwan to California to study. We follow her through years of her life and her experiences as an Asian minority in America.
This story is character-driven with sharp observation and excellent writing. I leaves the reader to interpret the bigger meaning of what is happening. Full of human experience and subtly thought provoking. It deals with grief, isolation, loneliness, racism, discrimination, betrayal, greed, trauma, hope, love, contentment, and satisfaction of simply being alive and experiencing life.
A unique, quiet and reflective book with much to unpack. This would make a fantastic book club read!
I absolutely loved this book and would highly recommend!
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Thank you to NetGalley, Abacus Books and Kathy Wang for sending me this ebook ARC - The Satisfaction Cafe is a beautifully written, quietly powerful novel and follows Joan Liang, who immigrates to California from Taiwan and starts her life in America from the attic of a house in Palo Alto, a place she could only afford thanks to doing chores for the widow who owned it. And then, she marries, and just six weeks later, stabs her husband.
That jaw-dropping opening hooked me instantly and sets the tone for a layered, surprising story.
Joan is a character you root for throughout, no matter the choices she makes or the relationships she navigates. The book spans two marriages with the first being dramatic and short-lived, the second longer and much more complex, as well as decades of parenthood, sacrifice, longing, and resilience.
What stood out to me most was how Joan always remained the emotional centre, even as the narrative shifted between the perspectives of those closest to her. I loved watching the dynamics of her family change, fall apart, and reconfigure around her.
Although it’s quite a slow-paced read, I never found it dull. A lot is unpacked without a lot happening in a traditional sense and yet, every chapter felt full. Kathy Wang captures the intricacies of family, the messiness of love, and the often invisible weight of expectations so beautifully. It explores how families come together and how sometimes, they just don’t.
And can we talk about the idea of the Satisfaction Café itself? Every town and city should have one; a place for everyone, no matter who you are, to sit with your doubts, your disappointments, your dreams, and just be.
This one will stay with me.
That jaw-dropping opening hooked me instantly and sets the tone for a layered, surprising story.
Joan is a character you root for throughout, no matter the choices she makes or the relationships she navigates. The book spans two marriages with the first being dramatic and short-lived, the second longer and much more complex, as well as decades of parenthood, sacrifice, longing, and resilience.
What stood out to me most was how Joan always remained the emotional centre, even as the narrative shifted between the perspectives of those closest to her. I loved watching the dynamics of her family change, fall apart, and reconfigure around her.
Although it’s quite a slow-paced read, I never found it dull. A lot is unpacked without a lot happening in a traditional sense and yet, every chapter felt full. Kathy Wang captures the intricacies of family, the messiness of love, and the often invisible weight of expectations so beautifully. It explores how families come together and how sometimes, they just don’t.
And can we talk about the idea of the Satisfaction Café itself? Every town and city should have one; a place for everyone, no matter who you are, to sit with your doubts, your disappointments, your dreams, and just be.
This one will stay with me.
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
A beautiful and profound story that absolutely captivated my attention.
As we follow the life of Joan as she moves from Taiwan to California, were taken on such a journey I think im still in awe. The story has so much to offer readers, self reflection, love, family, friendships, loss, grief and hope. It's also so much more. Im still unpacking it all in my head.
I felt like this was a memoir and Joan was telling us her life story, she comes across as such a kind hearted soul. Id have absolutely loved to have had a cup of tea with her at The Satisfaction Café.
It's a poignant and emotionally relatable read that will stay with me for a long time.
Many thanks to BookRambler and Little Brown Book Group for providing me with a physical copy.
As we follow the life of Joan as she moves from Taiwan to California, were taken on such a journey I think im still in awe. The story has so much to offer readers, self reflection, love, family, friendships, loss, grief and hope. It's also so much more. Im still unpacking it all in my head.
I felt like this was a memoir and Joan was telling us her life story, she comes across as such a kind hearted soul. Id have absolutely loved to have had a cup of tea with her at The Satisfaction Café.
It's a poignant and emotionally relatable read that will stay with me for a long time.
Many thanks to BookRambler and Little Brown Book Group for providing me with a physical copy.
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
I had no idea what to expect with this book but I every time I picked it up I didn’t want to put it down. I got so engrossed in her world. Joan is deeply human and complex. Over decades of her life, we get to know her strengths, fears, regrets, and motivations as she navigates losses and betrayals. She never dwells long or is overly emotional, which reminded me so much of my Asian mother. She has dreams of a cafe where people can just talk things out with a kind stranger. She is fortunate in many ways with material wealth and sweet children, but there’s a sad sense throughout the book that she is always working to be loved and appreciated.
It’s a hard book to describe. So much happens (her entire life) yet there is not a clear climax or big beautiful ending. Some everyday moments are described in great detail while major events are over with in a few sentences. In that way it feels very much like someone telling you their life story. Hers is worth reading!
It’s a hard book to describe. So much happens (her entire life) yet there is not a clear climax or big beautiful ending. Some everyday moments are described in great detail while major events are over with in a few sentences. In that way it feels very much like someone telling you their life story. Hers is worth reading!