A review by florapants84
Good Chinese Wife: A Love Affair with China Gone Wrong by Susan Blumberg-Kason

5.0

As a lover of Asian culture, I especially loved this memoir! Kason returns to Hong Kong for her post-graduate studies in the early 90s after a high school trip. An aficionado of Chinese culture, language and customs, she plans on relocating permanently after finishing school.

Things change when she meets her Chinese Prince Charming, Cai, a Taoist Musical Studies graduate student from Mainland China. After a whirlwind “Chinese courtship,” Kason finds herself married to Cai, his extended family, and comes face-to-face with a different aspect of the culture. Overnight, Cai shows his true colors; he’s condescending, sexist, and mentally abusive.

Despite the rollercoaster ride within her marriage, Kason’s love of China is evident. It’s fair to say that this is a travelogue and foodie read as well. I love her style of writing, and I didn’t feel like she wasted one sentence on frivolous details. It was perfect. Highly recommended. Also, I appreciated that her memoir is personal. It’s not an affront on Chinese men, and it hasn’t robbed of her love of its culture.

While posting the picture above on Instagram, I came across her account. She is so down to earth and I just adore her! Since following her, I’ve already come away with so many Asian themed memoirs that I wouldn’t have otherwise found. I hope many more people read and love this book as much as I did.