readingspells's review against another edition
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
4.0
Now I really want a Chinese takeaway!
This is a fascinating look at the culture phenomenon that is the British Chinese Takeaway and shines a light on life behind the counter as a Chinese immigrant in the UK and the impact of being bought up in that environment. Angela was 'the kids from the takeaway' She doesn't feel British enough to be a Brit and she also doesn't feel Chinese enough either.
This memoir tells the story of that battle of identity but also her battle as a daughter and a youngest child in her family. The expectations on her from her Chinese parents and the Chinese community and those from her mostly white Welsh friends and the surrounding community.
It is also a bit of a love letter to Chinese food and I loved the recipe's interspersed throughout the book and how they connected to the story of her family.
I listened to the audio which was read by the author but this was one of those rare occasions where I feel like maybe she was not the right person to read it. At times it was a bit stilted and oddly flat, lacking in emotion and her cadence just seemed a bit off at times.
Still highly recommend this one though. It's a really powerful and poignant story of a core part of our food culture in the UK.
This is a fascinating look at the culture phenomenon that is the British Chinese Takeaway and shines a light on life behind the counter as a Chinese immigrant in the UK and the impact of being bought up in that environment. Angela was 'the kids from the takeaway' She doesn't feel British enough to be a Brit and she also doesn't feel Chinese enough either.
This memoir tells the story of that battle of identity but also her battle as a daughter and a youngest child in her family. The expectations on her from her Chinese parents and the Chinese community and those from her mostly white Welsh friends and the surrounding community.
It is also a bit of a love letter to Chinese food and I loved the recipe's interspersed throughout the book and how they connected to the story of her family.
I listened to the audio which was read by the author but this was one of those rare occasions where I feel like maybe she was not the right person to read it. At times it was a bit stilted and oddly flat, lacking in emotion and her cadence just seemed a bit off at times.
Still highly recommend this one though. It's a really powerful and poignant story of a core part of our food culture in the UK.
georgiarose710's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
sabrinakc's review against another edition
5.0
This was a wonderful read and insight into Chinese immigrant life in Britain in the 80s and 90s. The work ethic that immigrants had to maintain is similar to my own experience and childhood and the pressure to live up to your parents’ standards due to the sacrifice they made for your welfare and education. It was a fantastic memoir and simply written from Angela’s point of view. I’d recommend everyone to read this and learn from her experience.
chaoticbibliophile's review against another edition
There is nothing wrong with this book; it's sweet and interesting enough, but it is also lighter than I was expecting and not what I am in the mood for at the moment. If you like memoirs on the more commercial side of writing, then by all means do give this one a shot! It also has recipes that seem delicious c: