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3.73 AVERAGE
3.73 AVERAGE
In a way, I found this book a bit anticlimactic. Nevertheless, It was a pleasant read and I do enjoy most of the characters and the plots. It’s read like life.
hopeful
inspiring
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Joan found purpose after she raised her children that helped many people and gave her great contentment. That gives me a sense of hope and relief as I enter my late 50s.
Joan Liang moves from Taiwan to California as a young woman to study at Stanford University and, after one brief first marriage to another Asian student, she becomes the fourth wife of Bill Lauder, a wealthy white American man who is much older. She raises their children and eventually realizes her long-held dream to operate a café where lonely people can come to enjoy conversation and to be heard and understood - the Satisfaction Café.
This is a quiet, slow-paced, character-driven story about a woman's life and her legacy. Joan is a sympathetic character and I enjoyed reading about the events of her life, the challenges she faced and her pursuit of a satisfying life. It's a thoughtful, reflective book - not for readers who are looking for an action-filled plot.
This is a quiet, slow-paced, character-driven story about a woman's life and her legacy. Joan is a sympathetic character and I enjoyed reading about the events of her life, the challenges she faced and her pursuit of a satisfying life. It's a thoughtful, reflective book - not for readers who are looking for an action-filled plot.
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
i thought this was an interesting read and i enjoyed it, i really liked Joan and I loved hearing her perspective
reflective
sad
slow-paced
medium-paced
I was so excited for this one. A character driven family saga with themes of identity, motherhood, immigration... all things I love. And this stunning cover 😍
What was a captivating beginning fizzled out to a slow middle that turned into an ending with a café. The café wasn't so much as mentioned until the last third of the book.
The Satisfaction Cafe is a place people can go to connect. Employees, "hosts", sit with guests to chat over a slice of cake. The concept is lovely in theory, or my customer service experience has me jaded, but not practical as a business model in my opinion.
🎧 The audio was narrated by Katharine Chin, who kept an even tone throughout the book. For me, it read more monotone and I found my thoughts drifting. It could absolutely be a me problem and just be bad timing for me, or the writing style would've been better read with my eyes, who's really to say.
Alas, perhaps my expectations were too high, or the writing style paired with the audio narration lulled me into a trance, but sadly, little of the story left an impression.
Thanks Scribner for my gifted copy, and Simon Audio for the ALC!
What was a captivating beginning fizzled out to a slow middle that turned into an ending with a café. The café wasn't so much as mentioned until the last third of the book.
The Satisfaction Cafe is a place people can go to connect. Employees, "hosts", sit with guests to chat over a slice of cake. The concept is lovely in theory, or my customer service experience has me jaded, but not practical as a business model in my opinion.
🎧 The audio was narrated by Katharine Chin, who kept an even tone throughout the book. For me, it read more monotone and I found my thoughts drifting. It could absolutely be a me problem and just be bad timing for me, or the writing style would've been better read with my eyes, who's really to say.
Alas, perhaps my expectations were too high, or the writing style paired with the audio narration lulled me into a trance, but sadly, little of the story left an impression.
Thanks Scribner for my gifted copy, and Simon Audio for the ALC!
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Joan is a woman from Taiwan who moved to America to attend college. After a disastrous first marriage, she marries an American man. They have child(ren), raise a family, and stay together through many ups and downs. Throughout her life, Joan is searching for contentment and an answer to loneliness. She opens a café which seems to provide just that to some people.
The Satisfaction Café is a book about loneliness and one woman’s search for an answer. It’s a fascinating read, following Joan’s life and her children’s lives as they all search for meaning. It’s a deep look at life as it is for so many people today. It asks questions and looks at life scenarios that affect all of us.
The Satisfaction Café is a deep, meaningful read which I highly recommend. Read it and let me know what you think - I’d love to discuss.
emotional
reflective
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character