Scan barcode
A review by bookedupandbusy
Sunshine Nails by Mai Nguyen
4.0
This book is about the Tran family, who are Vietnamese and settle in Toronto, Canada where they open a no-frills nail salon. All is going well until a luxury, Instagrammable nail salon opens across the road. The family do whatever it takes to save their salon.
Don’t be fooled by this fun and bright cover, it is a light hearted and very easy read, but it is filled with drama and is a very important story about gentrification in neighbourhoods; larger businesses driving out small businesses and immigrants in search of the American Dream.
The storyline is a fresh premise. I have not read a book that gives voices to Vietnamese nail technicians and the author’s parents actually own a nail salon!
It’s a fun and entertaining read and the plot is very believable and fast paced. There is talk of gel nails, acrylics, nail colours and more and funny customer tales.
The story is told from the viewpoint of multiple family members and the challenges they encounter to find extra cash to keep the salon in business. I loved the parents, Debbie & Phil, they were old school, traditional and cultured and I learnt a lot about Vietnamese traditions from them.
Money is a very important theme. How different family members valued money was interesting and the there was one family member, Dustin, the only son who did not work in the salon who had a salary outside the business and I did wonder why he never financially contributed in helping his parents, he was never asked to. This is a great convo starter for expectations on daughters and sons in the family.
I think this will be a great TV adaptation. It’s a storyline that is new and can be expanded.
Don’t be fooled by this fun and bright cover, it is a light hearted and very easy read, but it is filled with drama and is a very important story about gentrification in neighbourhoods; larger businesses driving out small businesses and immigrants in search of the American Dream.
The storyline is a fresh premise. I have not read a book that gives voices to Vietnamese nail technicians and the author’s parents actually own a nail salon!
It’s a fun and entertaining read and the plot is very believable and fast paced. There is talk of gel nails, acrylics, nail colours and more and funny customer tales.
The story is told from the viewpoint of multiple family members and the challenges they encounter to find extra cash to keep the salon in business. I loved the parents, Debbie & Phil, they were old school, traditional and cultured and I learnt a lot about Vietnamese traditions from them.
Money is a very important theme. How different family members valued money was interesting and the there was one family member, Dustin, the only son who did not work in the salon who had a salary outside the business and I did wonder why he never financially contributed in helping his parents, he was never asked to. This is a great convo starter for expectations on daughters and sons in the family.
I think this will be a great TV adaptation. It’s a storyline that is new and can be expanded.