A review by olivialandryxo
Natalie Tan's Book of Luck and Fortune by Roselle Lim

hopeful reflective sad slow-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

3.0

I picked this up thinking it was a romance, and that mistake is entirely my fault. I decided to stick with the book because the premise intrigued me. Unfortunately, only a couple of elements of the story were actually appealing to me: the side characters, the protagonist’s cat, and the cooking. As a vegetarian, most of the dishes weren’t any I’d personally want to eat, but I enjoyed reading about a protagonist interested and experienced in culinary arts. The story’s rather slow pace and Lim’s purple prose seriously hindered my enjoyment of the novel. While it was an interesting magical realism I think some people will enjoy, it wasn’t my cup of tea, and I’m not sure I’ll pick up anything else by this author.

Representation

• Chinese protagonist and side characters

CW: death, grief, mentions of mental illness (agoraphobia, depression)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Grief, and Death of parent

Moderate: Mental illness

The protagonist’s late mother had agoraphobia and depression. These are discussed in the book, but not in excessive detail.