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A review by jakewritesbooks
This Is a Bust by Ed Lin
4.0
One of the joys of reading is discovering a new author that you like and want to explore more into their catalog. I found that with Ed Lin. Wow what a book.
This is one I’ve had on my shelf for a while that I decided to finally tackle. And I loved it. Yes in some sense it is a mystery but the mystery is only part of the story. The real story is Robert Chow, Chinese-American, Chinatown product, Vietnam washout, tokenized NYPD patrolman. Through his eyes, the reader gets a clear look at Manhattan’s Chinatown via 1976. The characters feel real, their problems real, the dilemma of being an immigrant and having connections to a country in serious change is presented in painful detail. And along the lines, Robert has to navigate the boundaries of policing the old neighborhood, living with his expectations, and trying to escape it while not really escaping it.
Robert is not a likable character; in fact, he’s a bit of a misanthrope. But I think that’s what makes the story compelling. He’s having a hard time putting his life together due to circumstances outside of his control and even when he does something “right,” like getting a good, steady job, he still can’t rise on his merits. He struggles with alcoholism, internalized bigotry, and just general angst but the reader can sympathize to a degree. He’s seen as a pawn both by the people in his neighborhood and the department, making it tough for him to break out and become something new.
His journey is the real story. Yes there’s a mystery but if you’re reading this for the whodunnit, you’ll be disappointed. But if you want to get a good, well-developed picture of a neighborhood in its time, check this out. You’ll be glad you did.
This is one I’ve had on my shelf for a while that I decided to finally tackle. And I loved it. Yes in some sense it is a mystery but the mystery is only part of the story. The real story is Robert Chow, Chinese-American, Chinatown product, Vietnam washout, tokenized NYPD patrolman. Through his eyes, the reader gets a clear look at Manhattan’s Chinatown via 1976. The characters feel real, their problems real, the dilemma of being an immigrant and having connections to a country in serious change is presented in painful detail. And along the lines, Robert has to navigate the boundaries of policing the old neighborhood, living with his expectations, and trying to escape it while not really escaping it.
Robert is not a likable character; in fact, he’s a bit of a misanthrope. But I think that’s what makes the story compelling. He’s having a hard time putting his life together due to circumstances outside of his control and even when he does something “right,” like getting a good, steady job, he still can’t rise on his merits. He struggles with alcoholism, internalized bigotry, and just general angst but the reader can sympathize to a degree. He’s seen as a pawn both by the people in his neighborhood and the department, making it tough for him to break out and become something new.
His journey is the real story. Yes there’s a mystery but if you’re reading this for the whodunnit, you’ll be disappointed. But if you want to get a good, well-developed picture of a neighborhood in its time, check this out. You’ll be glad you did.