amandalywarren's review against another edition
4.0
I truly expected this book to break my heart, but instead I find myself so warmed and so full.
It is normal for me to revel in the intricacies of my own heritage—even the hard parts—but as I moved through these pages, I found a new sense of home in my heritage. The concept of the groove is fascinating. I’d never heard it in that way, and it helped me understand my own cultural and family dynamics in a refreshing way.
This book at its core is a story about growth and love. It moved me to tears, and I feel like I know myself a little better after reading it.
It is normal for me to revel in the intricacies of my own heritage—even the hard parts—but as I moved through these pages, I found a new sense of home in my heritage. The concept of the groove is fascinating. I’d never heard it in that way, and it helped me understand my own cultural and family dynamics in a refreshing way.
This book at its core is a story about growth and love. It moved me to tears, and I feel like I know myself a little better after reading it.
rachel_from_avid_bookshop's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
You'll come to love Kathryn Ma's protagonist Shelley, the unabashed star of The Chinese Groove. Having suffered the profound loss of his mother during childhood, Shelley is his father's last hope and is sent to San Francisco to live with a relative and achieve the American Dream. Nothing in America is as he thought, however, and Shelley experiences homelessness and hunger before finally finding a family and a true home. This is a funny, sweet, delightful book.
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