A review by dannysolow
Activities of Daily Living by Lisa Hsiao Chen

4.0

An beautiful debut novel that is occasionally over ambitious in scope. Venturing across themes of death, time, art, internationalism, projects, and immigration, Chen wraps big ideas in her prose with millennial irony juxtaposed with intense emotion. Not afraid of an allusion, Chen rewards the reader with references to Watership Down and The Great Gatsby. But amidst entertaining stretches, Chen ventures into art and life philosophy that slow even the most literary snobs down.

I enjoyed the book and it’s reflections on death and aging. I would recommend it to anyone with the caveat that some sections are a bit much.