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reading_rebellion's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I was pleasantly surprised at home much I enjoyed this book after picking it up on a whim.
It follows a Vietnamese immigrant family, two second generation children, a family member, and their family nail salon in Toronto. The neighborhood they've lived in for over two decades is being rapidly gentrified and pushing out the local businesses.
There's the first gen parents, Phil and Debbie, who've worked at the salon for over 20 years.
You have the second gen children who have been assimilated into Westernized culture, privilege and have a complicated connection to their family's customs, heritage and neigborhood.
There's Justin, the youngest, who's been working at a swanky tech wellness company for many years and Jessica, the eldest, who is returning to Toronto reluctantly after leaving for Los Angeles 8 years ago.
There's also Twi, Justin and Jessica's cousin, who just arrived in Toronto from Vietnam to work in the salon to help support her family in Vietnam.
This book follows each character's POV over the course of a year at the salon, their neighborhood and life changes. Excellent book on the immigrant experience and generational differences.
It follows a Vietnamese immigrant family, two second generation children, a family member, and their family nail salon in Toronto. The neighborhood they've lived in for over two decades is being rapidly gentrified and pushing out the local businesses.
There's the first gen parents, Phil and Debbie, who've worked at the salon for over 20 years.
You have the second gen children who have been assimilated into Westernized culture, privilege and have a complicated connection to their family's customs, heritage and neigborhood.
There's Justin, the youngest, who's been working at a swanky tech wellness company for many years and Jessica, the eldest, who is returning to Toronto reluctantly after leaving for Los Angeles 8 years ago.
There's also Twi, Justin and Jessica's cousin, who just arrived in Toronto from Vietnam to work in the salon to help support her family in Vietnam.
This book follows each character's POV over the course of a year at the salon, their neighborhood and life changes. Excellent book on the immigrant experience and generational differences.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, Genocide, Infidelity, Racism, Violence, Gaslighting, and Alcohol
Moderate: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Grief, War, and Classism
Minor: Sexual content
carlyjoann's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism
Moderate: Death, Infidelity, and Gaslighting
pm_me_book_recs's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
tense
medium-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
4.0
The cover is so deceiving! I downloaded the audiobook, thinking I was branching out into romance, but this is far from it. A family drama of fighting gentrification and expectations of assimilation.
If you love the show Kim's Convenience, you will love this.
The amount of shenanigans this family gets into is hilarious, and sometimes heartbreaking, but always drawing them closer to each other. The perspective switches between each family member, offering a multifaceted take on the ever changing dynamics of the neighborhood and inner circle.
This was still a bit out of my typical reading zone (sci-fi, fantasy, horror), and I did have some issues staying interested because of my initial incorrect assumption that this was romance. That was absolutely my bad!
The audiobook has a complete cast for each family member and was really fun to listen to. The mom is so sassy, I absolutely imagine my feisty Viet Auntie when her parts come up.
If you love the show Kim's Convenience, you will love this.
The amount of shenanigans this family gets into is hilarious, and sometimes heartbreaking, but always drawing them closer to each other. The perspective switches between each family member, offering a multifaceted take on the ever changing dynamics of the neighborhood and inner circle.
This was still a bit out of my typical reading zone (sci-fi, fantasy, horror), and I did have some issues staying interested because of my initial incorrect assumption that this was romance. That was absolutely my bad!
The audiobook has a complete cast for each family member and was really fun to listen to. The mom is so sassy, I absolutely imagine my feisty Viet Auntie when her parts come up.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Hate crime, Racism, Grief, Gaslighting, and Classism