mandkips's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content
Moderate: Racism, Xenophobia, Death of parent, and Racial slurs
thespinystacks's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
This was such an interesting read! I’m thankful to NetGalley and random house for the advance copy of this powerful read.
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Joan is a thirty-something ICU doctor at a busy New York City hospital. The daughter of Chinese parents who came to the United States to secure the American dream for their children, Joan is intensely devoted to her work, happily solitary, successful.
Once Joan and her brother, Fang, were established in their careers, her parents moved back to China, hoping to spend the rest of their lives in their homeland. But when Joan’s father suddenly dies and her mother returns to America to reconnect with her children, a series of events sends Joan spiraling out of her comfort zone just as her hospital, her city, and the world are forced to reckon with a health crisis more devastating than anyone could have imagined.
———————————————————
Given that we’re still stuck in Covid times, the “Chinese flu”,as the ex-American President titled it, discrimination and hate is still very much floating around.
The story doesn’t focus on Covid so don’t let that turn you off, but it’s a perspective I was thankful to read. Joan is a powerful character - she doesn’t take up much space, she’s quiet and a hard worker but what’s wrong with that? There are many passages in this book that have stuck in my mind after reading about two months ago.
I highly recommend reading this book. It reads like a memoir, while being literary fiction.
——————————————————
Joan is a thirty-something ICU doctor at a busy New York City hospital. The daughter of Chinese parents who came to the United States to secure the American dream for their children, Joan is intensely devoted to her work, happily solitary, successful.
Once Joan and her brother, Fang, were established in their careers, her parents moved back to China, hoping to spend the rest of their lives in their homeland. But when Joan’s father suddenly dies and her mother returns to America to reconnect with her children, a series of events sends Joan spiraling out of her comfort zone just as her hospital, her city, and the world are forced to reckon with a health crisis more devastating than anyone could have imagined.
———————————————————
Given that we’re still stuck in Covid times, the “Chinese flu”,as the ex-American President titled it, discrimination and hate is still very much floating around.
The story doesn’t focus on Covid so don’t let that turn you off, but it’s a perspective I was thankful to read. Joan is a powerful character - she doesn’t take up much space, she’s quiet and a hard worker but what’s wrong with that? There are many passages in this book that have stuck in my mind after reading about two months ago.
I highly recommend reading this book. It reads like a memoir, while being literary fiction.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism, Racial slurs, Medical content, and Death of parent
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