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A review by lawbooks600
A Pho Love Story by Loan Le
emotional
slow-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
3.0
Representation: Asian characters
Score: Seven points out of ten.
Don't get me wrong: I enjoyed A Phở Love Story but I thought it could use improvements. I wanted to read this for a while and after I got this one alongside other books, I hoped it would be an outstanding read. When I finally picked it up and read A Phở Love Story, it wasn't outstanding, but not disappointing either. It was only okay. Also, I'm glad this novel is authentic and not like Noodle Pie. It starts with the first two characters I see, Bao Nguyễn and Linh Mai working at rival Vietnamese restaurants that despise each other, but it's unclear why. Over time, Bao and Linh start a relationship but for the first 200 pages, it is under closed doors as they only develop it away from their parents' eyes in classrooms and alleys. Those Vietnamese phrases didn't bother me, but I get that someone who doesn't understand the language would find it laborious to read A Phở Love Story at times.
A Phở Love Story's biggest flaws lie in the characters. Sure, Linh and Bao are Vietnamese American and I can relate to that, and I liked the deep cultural exploration, but the chemistry isn't there. I didn't feel like Bao and Linh connected to each other, at least for the initial 200 pages. They grew on me eventually as their relationship couldn't stay hidden forever, leading to a dramatic climax. I like the diversity, but most of the Asian narratives I've read feature Asian Americans, but I would like to see more Asian Australian and British Asian pieces of literature. I struggle to comprehend why Linh had to lie in front of her parents' faces either. Fortunately, the conclusion is a high note, and the side plots, including the one about racism, were intriguing.
Score: Seven points out of ten.
Don't get me wrong: I enjoyed A Phở Love Story but I thought it could use improvements. I wanted to read this for a while and after I got this one alongside other books, I hoped it would be an outstanding read. When I finally picked it up and read A Phở Love Story, it wasn't outstanding, but not disappointing either. It was only okay. Also, I'm glad this novel is authentic and not like Noodle Pie. It starts with the first two characters I see, Bao Nguyễn and Linh Mai working at rival Vietnamese restaurants that despise each other, but it's unclear why. Over time, Bao and Linh start a relationship but for the first 200 pages, it is under closed doors as they only develop it away from their parents' eyes in classrooms and alleys. Those Vietnamese phrases didn't bother me, but I get that someone who doesn't understand the language would find it laborious to read A Phở Love Story at times.
A Phở Love Story's biggest flaws lie in the characters. Sure, Linh and Bao are Vietnamese American and I can relate to that, and I liked the deep cultural exploration, but the chemistry isn't there. I didn't feel like Bao and Linh connected to each other, at least for the initial 200 pages. They grew on me eventually as their relationship couldn't stay hidden forever, leading to a dramatic climax. I like the diversity, but most of the Asian narratives I've read feature Asian Americans, but I would like to see more Asian Australian and British Asian pieces of literature. I struggle to comprehend why Linh had to lie in front of her parents' faces either. Fortunately, the conclusion is a high note, and the side plots, including the one about racism, were intriguing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Racism, Death, and Cultural appropriation
Full trigger warnings: Vietnam War mentioned, racism, death of people in the past, war themes, refugee experiences, cultural appropriation