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4.01 AVERAGE
4.01 AVERAGE
challenging
emotional
hopeful
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
I wasn't sure what to expect from the Surprising Power of a Good Dumpling because I haven't read YA in quite a few years, but I was excited to read it because I liked Wai on Australian Survivor. I decided to listen to Wai's reading of the audiobook and was thoroughly impressed by her ability to convey the vulnerabilities of each character, though I sensed that she was rushing through the first couple of chapters out of nervousness. I loved how this book authentically explored how Chinese Australians experience cultural and linguistic barriers in everyday society, especially in regards to work, family and mental health. My favourite part of this book is probably that Wai made many Aussie references and even set this story in Gosford and Ashfield. It was so refreshing to read something that was based so close to home, instead of some indistinguishable American state, because I felt an instant connection to Anna. The Surprising Power of a Good Dumpling is a bit of an atypical read for me, but I still had a good time listening.
Anna Chu has her hands full at all times. When she's not looking after her little brother and younger sister she's helping at the family restaurant or doing school work or taking care of her mother won't get out of bed. Sometimes she's trying to do all these things at once. The time she spends with the restaurants new delivery boy Rory is reprieve from her life. But when her mother finally does get out of bed things go from bad to worse causing Anna and her family to bring to light things they'd prefer to keep hidden.
This cover is slightly deceiving it makes you think it's going to be a cute fun story and that more of the plot will revolve around the romance in the story than family dynamic. But the romance is a side-story to the struggle of Anna having a mentally ill parent. It was extremely well done and I enjoyed reading it though it was heavier than I was expecting. A good recommendation for those who like books about mental health or family dynamics.
This cover is slightly deceiving it makes you think it's going to be a cute fun story and that more of the plot will revolve around the romance in the story than family dynamic. But the romance is a side-story to the struggle of Anna having a mentally ill parent. It was extremely well done and I enjoyed reading it though it was heavier than I was expecting. A good recommendation for those who like books about mental health or family dynamics.
I really enjoyed this book. Anna is a teenage first generation Chinese Australian navigating all the challenges that encompass. On top of that her mother also suffers with mental illness.
Anna shows true grit and perseverance despite what is thrown at her. Trying to be a teenager and having to live an adult life is extremely difficult and portrayed so well in this book. I really felt what she was going through her struggle her sadness. It was written in such a way that you really felt all that from her.
I thought it was a great book and would absolutely recommend I gave it 4⭐️
Anna shows true grit and perseverance despite what is thrown at her. Trying to be a teenager and having to live an adult life is extremely difficult and portrayed so well in this book. I really felt what she was going through her struggle her sadness. It was written in such a way that you really felt all that from her.
I thought it was a great book and would absolutely recommend I gave it 4⭐️
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 for this look at the impact of a parent’s mental health on her family. Anna, a high school junior in Australia, finds herself the de-facto adult at home when her mother’s mental illness sends her to bed. With their father working late and even sleeping at the family’s restaurant an hour and a half away, the kids are on their own to take care of things. It gets worse when their mother finally gets out of bed, but Anna finds solace in working at the family’s restaurant, even as tensions mount. Recommended for grades 7+. Thanks for the advance listening copy, Libro.fm!
adventurous
challenging
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
This was really nice. The tone of the whole book was hopeful but still realistic. I loved that it didn't have a fairytale ending and that it emphasized daily struggles as the norm of family life. It also wasn't too heavy.
It did make me order Chinese food.
It did make me order Chinese food.
I know what this book was trying to do but I don’t think it did it that well. Though I do applaud the representation of mental illness- it was done wonderfully but parts of the story felt so forced and unnatural.
This book had themes of helping a loved one through tackling their mental illness. It also provided me a different look into the cultural impact of Chinese families and the shame that comes with that.
This beautiful book discusses how mental illness is still very much a taboo in Asian communities. It weaves a very realistic story around culture, family, and first love. It’s an emotionally heavy read but it’s also uplifting, I swear.
The only thing a little
The only thing a little