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novelvisits's review against another edition
3.0
My Thoughts: In a summer of terrific debuts, Vanessa Hua holds her own and is an author I will definitely be looking for more from. In A River of Stars she tells the story of Scarlett Chen, Chinese, pregnant, alone in the U.S., scared, and driven. Scarlett had been sent to Los Angeles by the father of her baby in order to secure U.S. citizenship for the son she carried. Things quickly went awry and Scarlett fled in a stolen van, taking a 17-year old pregnant stow-away, Daisy, along with her. The two reluctantly agreed to work together, winding up in San Francisco’s Chinatown where they hoped to become anonymous. I loved the touching story of Scarlett and Daisy struggling to make lives for themselves and their babies. Unfortunately, I liked much less the parts of Hua’s story that focused on secondary characters such as Boss Yeung, the father of Scarlett’s baby and Mama Fang, who ran the home Scarlett fled from. I just wasn’t invested in these characters and found myself skimming their parts. In the end, A River of Stars was a book that really made me think about immigrants and what it must be like for those families where a child born here is welcome, but his or her parents are not.
Note: I received a copy of this book from Ballentine Books (via NetGalley) in exchange for my honest review. Many thanks!
Original Source: https://novelvisits.com/summer-mini-reviews-clock-dance-lululemons-bankers-wife/
Note: I received a copy of this book from Ballentine Books (via NetGalley) in exchange for my honest review. Many thanks!
Original Source: https://novelvisits.com/summer-mini-reviews-clock-dance-lululemons-bankers-wife/
cami19's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
b00kluver's review
5.0
A heartwarming story about mother’s love, perseverance, and doing what it takes to survive while pursuing dreams. This story featured interesting, unique characters and Chinese cultural traditions (both in China and in the US).
gabizago's review against another edition
4.0
This is one of those books that I enjoyed more the idea than the execution. I can totally relate to a story about immigrant women going to America. However, I struggled to finish reading, though I liked the story and the characters. I liked the way Daisy and Scarlett managed to solve their issues, and how things turned out, even though I didn’t like the path that much.
lisawreading's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 stars
A River of Stars was my book group's pick this month, and I ended up listening to the audiobook. So, some pluses and minuses: The narrator was pretty good, doing (I'm assuming) a good job with the Chinese phrases, which gave the story a nice, rich feel as a "listened-to" book. While the initial set-up -- an off-the-books maternity home for Chinese women of wealth, to ensure that their children would have the advantage of US citizenship -- is interesting, the story really picks up once Scarlett and Daisy flee and have to fend for themselves, using their wits and friendship to survive on the run.
When Scarlett and Daisy finally arrive in San Francisco's Chinatown, the heart of the story really develops. There, they rely on community bonds to make a home for themselves, deliver their babies, and figure out a way to start a life in America while cut off from family, financial stability, and legal status. Scarlett is determined, protective, and entrepreneurial, all traits that can be seen in memories of her earlier years, when she fled her peasant village to seek the opportunities of factory work in a city. Scarlett is inventive and daring, never accepting no for an answer when there's a way she might better the lives of the people she considers family.
On the negative side, the ending is increasingly implausible. Also, I did feel that the book spends too much time on chapters from Boss Yeung and others' perspectives, rather than keeping a tighter focus on Scarlett and Daisy.
As a resident of San Francisco, I enjoyed the peek behind the scenes of life in Chinatown, with its rich community and traditions that casual visitors and tourists aren't privy to. And as a reader who appreciates strong women as main characters, I was fascinated by Scarlett's determination and ambition, and how these brought her from her poor village to her brand new life in America.
A River of Stars is an engrossing read about unusual characters, and I ended up really liking the story of their search for a good life for their babies. Well worth checking out!
A River of Stars was my book group's pick this month, and I ended up listening to the audiobook. So, some pluses and minuses: The narrator was pretty good, doing (I'm assuming) a good job with the Chinese phrases, which gave the story a nice, rich feel as a "listened-to" book. While the initial set-up -- an off-the-books maternity home for Chinese women of wealth, to ensure that their children would have the advantage of US citizenship -- is interesting, the story really picks up once Scarlett and Daisy flee and have to fend for themselves, using their wits and friendship to survive on the run.
When Scarlett and Daisy finally arrive in San Francisco's Chinatown, the heart of the story really develops. There, they rely on community bonds to make a home for themselves, deliver their babies, and figure out a way to start a life in America while cut off from family, financial stability, and legal status. Scarlett is determined, protective, and entrepreneurial, all traits that can be seen in memories of her earlier years, when she fled her peasant village to seek the opportunities of factory work in a city. Scarlett is inventive and daring, never accepting no for an answer when there's a way she might better the lives of the people she considers family.
On the negative side, the ending is increasingly implausible.
Spoiler
It's clever for Scarlett to come up with the idea of a fake green card marriage to Daisy, a US citizen, but I didn't buy that this ploy would work, especially when the women get a HEA with their respective men after all. And pretending to be lesbians seems borderline insensitive in this context, although I understand Scarlett's desperation to find a way to get papers to keep herself safely in the country.As a resident of San Francisco, I enjoyed the peek behind the scenes of life in Chinatown, with its rich community and traditions that casual visitors and tourists aren't privy to. And as a reader who appreciates strong women as main characters, I was fascinated by Scarlett's determination and ambition, and how these brought her from her poor village to her brand new life in America.
A River of Stars is an engrossing read about unusual characters, and I ended up really liking the story of their search for a good life for their babies. Well worth checking out!
sakeriver's review against another edition
It took me a little while to get into this book but when I was in I was all the way in. I think the depiction of the anxieties and fears of an undocumented immigrant was important, not least because it’s part of a conversation of immigrant stories that are and ought to be diverse. But I think what I liked most as a reader was just that none of the characters turned out to be who I thought at first, and in the best way.
lilcoop71's review against another edition
3.0
I liked the basic story but the writing was a bit unwieldy and rambling, the plot slow at times--right up until the end which was just so neatly wrapped up with a bow--just not my thing.
sofiamarielg's review against another edition
4.0
A River of Stars was wonderful. It had been a while since I read a novel that was so gripping and had so much heart. In a sense, it was a weird sort of light-hearted mystery novel. There were plenty of reveals and twists, and you really can't guess at what's going to happen until the very end, yet it's also feel-good in the sense that you root so much for the protagonist to make it and for everything to be alright. I can't wait to see what Hua delivers next.
zellm's review against another edition
4.0
This was a really interesting book. I liked the characters, the premise, and a lot of the execution. Some of the characters were truly unlikable, and I would have liked to see either redemption or punishment for them, especially Mama Fang. Overall though, a solid story about immigration and the challenges of life in China and America, as well as an empowering story about a woman trying to make a good life for her daughter.