Reviews with content warning for Racism - A Pho Love Story

Reviews tagging 'Racism'

A Pho Love Story by Loan Le

99 reviews

chloejadereads's review against another edition

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emotional funny inspiring reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

After this novel, I'd really love to read the backstory of Chef Lê and Saffron. They were so cute!

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girlonbooks's review against another edition

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funny hopeful lighthearted reflective fast-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

5.0

🖌️🖌️🖌️🖌️🖌️ (five stars as rated in Linh Mai’s paintbrushes)

Bảo Nguyen has known about Linh Mai for years. He knows she’s an artist, he knows she’s his same age, he knows she’s really pretty and he knows that, as the daughter of the family that opened a rival phở restaurant across the street from his family’s own phở restaurant, she is completely off limits. When a school project throws Linh and Bảo together the chemistry between them is undeniable. The couple starts to wonder if perhaps there isn’t more to their two families’ ongoing feud. And, if there is, what does it mean for Linh and Bảo’s budding romance?

"When I paint, there’s always a moment where I just know that I’m finally finished. The colors and textures come together to depict a feeling of rightness. Us here is that rightness.”

Reading this book was one of the most heart-fluttering, giggle-inducing, tear-jerking book experiences I’ve had yet in 2021. This story has everything I am looking for in a YA love story. The relationships are dynamic, the characters are compelling and an author that can make you laugh in the midst of palpable heartbreak is probably the definition of literary excellence. The characters are as fun as they are strong while also being beautifully vulnerable and complicated. Even at the most difficult moments, the parent-child relationships are written with compassion and empathy which really is so important. In the words of my friend Amanda (with whom I buddy read this book and who is half Vietnamese herself), “I wish more books like this existed so Asian kids can maybe resent their parents less if we speak about it and read about it in a loving way.” In A Phở Love Story Loan Le has managed to illustrate the immigrant experience – as well as that of second generation Asian American teenagers – sincerely and respectfully while still keeping the overall tone of the book lighthearted and profoundly hopeful. If that doesn’t deserve five stars then I honestly don’t know what does.

✨ Rep in this book: Vietnamese and Vietnamese-American MC’s and supporting characters

✨ Content warnings for this book: racism, generational trauma, death of a loved one, refugee experience, grief, drowning, mentions of war

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studiolindsay's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

The romance and meet-cute was sweet, and the food descriptions were delicious. But the two main characters read a bit too fictional to me because we only knew one of their interests/hobbies each.

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storiesandsidequests's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

If you’re looking for a cute romance with two Asian protagonists, A Pho Love Story is a great one to pick up. The story is told with alternating perspectives of the two main characters, Bao Nguyen and Linh Mai whose parents own competing pho restaurants and have a long-standing rivalry.

The writing was easy to connect with and I loved the descriptions of food, especially when they start going to other restaurants Seriously, this book will make you want to eat!

The romance was cute, but kind of boring if I’m being completely honest. For me, there wasn’t enough build up to the romantic relationship and I was more interested in the backstory behind the ongoing feud between their families, which went much deeper than the competing restaurants. I enjoyed watching the story unfolding as Linh and Bao uncovered their families’ history, but the reveal felt a bit too rushed despite the book being pretty long. The family relationships were the most compelling thing about this book and I appreciated that the author chose to include the storyline of the older generations’ escape from Vietnam after the war and the immigrant experience.

I enjoyed getting to know Linh and Bao as individual characters. Although they fall for each other so quickly, they each have their own individual personalities and motivations throughout the story. I appreciated Linh as a character because as tired as I am of seeing the overachiever Asian protagonist who secretly wants a career in the arts but feels pressure from her parents to pursue something more prestigious, I can personally relate to many of the things she felt growing up. Like many Asian kids, straight A’s were expected and I dismissed many of my creative pursuits as just hobbies instead of embracing them as viable career options.

Bao was such a sweet character and he’s basically the perfect no-drama boyfriend (minus the whole family rivalry thing). What I liked most about him in the beginning is that he was so kind, but also so average – average grades, neither popular nor unpopular, unremarkable to the point that his parents don’t put pressure on him to be perfect. They don’t want him to be top of his class or a doctor; they just want him to find something he can succeed at. I have mixed feelings about his character arc though. On one hand I liked that he found something he was passionate about that helped fight back against the racism leveled against his community, but I’m not sure how I feel about how easily he excels and how everything just falls into place so quickly. I think this simplification can be pretty discouraging to readers who have to struggle to be good enough at something they’ve been working toward for a long time.

Also, can we please dispel the harmful model minority myth and the stereotype that Asian kids are perfect and can immediately succeed at everything? Let Asian kids be ordinary. Let them struggle and be uncertain about their future.

I actually think Linh’s aunt was a good example of this. Linh looks up to her because she’s an artist and lives life on her own terms but has to deal with her sister’s (Linh’s mother) patronizing remarks about her being a starving artist despite the fact that she is now quite successful. Actually, I’d be really interested to read her point of view of their immigration, how she struggled before she succeeded and how she maintained her relationship with her family despite their comments and disappointment.

In conclusion, I loved the characters as individuals, the family dynamics, and the historical fiction aspect. The romance wasn’t anything extraordinary but it was pretty cute and I enjoyed it overall.

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rorikae's review against another edition

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funny lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

'A Pho Love Story' by Loan Le is a contemporary romance set in high school that follows two Vietnamese-American students navigating growing feelings and their family's decades long feud.
The story centers on Bao and Linh, two high school students whose parents run warring Vietnamese restaurants. Due to their parent's feud, Bao and Linh have largely avoided one another but then they share a moment and begin to feel drawn to one another. Working together on a restaurant review for the school newspaper, they grow closer and start to develop feelings for one another. But how can they balance their budding relationship with their family's drama, especially when it turns out their feud may have a much deeper reason than they both suspected.
Le has written a story that both has so much heart and is filled with incredibly lovable characters. We get to experience Bao and Linh not only exploring their feelings for one another but also their family's history and where they want to go in the future. Le's writing is quick but fun and she easily makes you care for her characters. Linh is passionate about art but unsure how to bring this up to her parents while Bao has been uncertain about his future until he discovers a new love for writing. The deeper story at the heart of their family's feud is heartbreaking and Le carefully peels back bits and pieces of the story so that the reader discovers what really happened at the same time as the main characters. This would make a perfect teen romcom movie and I hope we will get to see it adapted. I highly recommend the audiobook, which has two narrators, one for each of the character's points of view. If you're looking for a fun high school romcom with so much heart and a deeper center, 'A Pho Love Story' is a wonderful choice.

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