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The Family Chao is a layered, complicated book. It is a considered look into personal identity vs filial piety and Asian family expectations. The thought that the Chaos are chaos tickled me. But it was a struggle to read, as the characters were unappealing. I appreciated this look into Chinese-American family life. The trial especially brings to light the prejudices that immigrant families face in small town America.

I'm really glad that I finally picked this up. I'd let my hold lapse again and again. Finally got it and read it as a print copy. It's really unique and I love the different voices that all have their individual character. It's confusing and figurative at times and fantastical and imaginative at others. I enjoyed it!

I‘m going to have to sit with this one for a while before determining whether I really liked it. I think I did, but it‘s definitely intense. I‘m going to have to follow it up with something much lighter.

2-6 Oct 22 (audiobook)
Once finished, I read this is a reworking of a Dostoevsky novel. I have not read the original but can see his style in this. Well-written and seemingly authentic tale of the immigrant experience in small town USA, which is probably not so different from small town Australia. Racism and stereotypical tropes boil close to the surface, surfacing as soon as there is a hint of something amiss.
Another Obama recommendation.

Family saga with multiple points of view. Each character was definitely flawed, but I was intrigued with the family drama. It‘s a murder mystery and there‘s enough plausible solutions that it kept me guessing until the end!

Was this a family drama? A literary mystery? A legal thriller? I‘m still not sure. Whatever way you slice the scallion, this was #GoodNotGreat.

Leo Chao owns a small-town Chinese restaurant. His oldest son wants to take over, but Leo thinks he‘s not up to par. His wife has become a religious zealot. Youngest son James ends up with a suitcase full of cash (don‘t ask). When that goes missing and Leo turns up dead, fingers are pointed at the family.

My daughter is graduating from high school today (and WOW where did the time go) and the family is gathering. Bonus for my mom who is a big reader—I‘m sending her home with a stack of books! The tagged one is one of my favorites in this stack. Also The Undocumented Americans, The Poison Thread, What Strange Paradise…ok, who am I kidding, I liked all of them! 😬

#Booked2022 “Make Your Own Prompt”

My prompt is “Modern takes on Classics”. The tagged is a reworking of The Brothers Karamazov (which I‘ve never read) set in the present day with three second generation American-Chinese brothers and their domineering father and long-suffering mother. It took a while to orient myself, but once I did, I was hooked. Family ties, secrets, lies, plus a murder! I‘m quite keen now to read the Dostoevsky original too!

This was riveting and totally brilliant! It‘s a modern take on the Brothers Karamazov (which I didn‘t realize until it was referenced halfway through and then I had the hugest no duh moment - I‘ve read The Brothers Karamazov twice 😳) and it was just flawlessly executed. I can‘t praise it highly enough. So solid. I hope Lan Samantha Chang writes many many more books!

This book started slow but I enjoyed the family/community dynamics, and then bam! A dramatic punch to the face! And the rest played out slow again. I did like it, but I would have preferred slightly different pacing.

There was a great depth to how each member of the family perceived what it meant to be Chinese in America, and how their personalities shaped their choices to create this intriguing family history.

It pains me to say it but I am not enjoying this. Back to the library it goes.

This book looks closely at a family of two Chinese immigrant parents and their 3 adult Chinese-American sons as they gather at the family restaurant for Christmas. We start to see the cracks in the family and the complexity of the relationships as events unfold. I just loved this! I really look forward to reading more from this author.

I am a little late with this review. This book started off slow and I wasn‘t sure how to feel about it. I will say the Father was one of the best characters. I think he gave an insight to life, immigration, assimilation, parenthood, and marriage. He was not suppose to be likeable but he stayed with me from his introduction till the end. I give the book 7.5/10. I should have done the audiobook version. #poc #family #traditions #food

Warning, this is going to be a bit vague and scattered!

I really liked this book, but for the life of me I can't figure out why. It was slow and a bit all over the place in both story and style. But I still just enjoyed meandering through it.

@Blerdgal_Fenix I'll try to put some more cohesive thoughts together for my next letter!

Current audiobook for family book club. Not enjoying it much yet but I‘m pushing through.

Leo bellows back. “You‘re younger—you don‘t know about that time of life. It starts in her fifties, when a woman dries up. She does and says whatever she wants.” James almost smiles. Menopause doesn‘t sound too bad, to hear his father tell it. “She drops womanhood like an old sock. There‘s no reason to please anybody anymore!”

I am 50, so I guess officially I'm offended but also: truth.

Update: still recovering and have about another 10 more weeks to go. I am always tired. My legs are starting to look a little normal. I have been a bit of a hermit lately but I am@coming out of it. Here is Mortimer aka Alfredo - he says hi & drink water. 🐠

Okay — this book is a little slow. I am enjoying it. I think we could have sped up the timeline a little to get to the meat of the story. I think since the ground work is done maybe the fireworks will happen. Interesting take on immigrant parents vs first generation American children. #bipoc #familydysfunction #alf #brothers #food

@Blerdgal_Fenix - I've got a weakness for food magazines. I picked up March's Food and Wine yesterday, and there's a feature written by Lan Samanrha Chang!

March buddy read! My #litsylove letters are going to be late. I was hit than pinned to a car on 2/27. So my letters are a little behind. Pain meds are good lol. I will be starting my buddy read with @TheKidUpstairs next week! Love & prayers needed. No broken bones but I am banged up pretty good.

Set in a small Wisconsin town, the three Chao brothers are home for the holidays. Their long-suffering mother has left to live in the spiritual house, escaping the larger-than-life (and often lewd) husband, Leo. He constantly berates & belittles his sons- but after a fateful Christmas party, secrets start to spill out. While none of the characters are always likable, it‘s an engaging and quite well-performed #audiobook. A real discussion-starter!

And that‘s a wrap…Finished All the Water I‘ve Seen is Running for book #28 in January. A good month of reading highlights of which include the return of Saga—I LOVE THIS COMIC SO MUCH—the tagged book, Lore Olympus (a Litsy Award Winner & deservedly so), Elder Race (an excellent, thought-provoking SF novella) and last but definitely not least, Three Girls from Bronzeville, a fascinating memoir about growing up on Chicago‘s South Side.

So good! 💯 worth staying up late to finish this glorious, delectable family drama/comedy about a Chinese American family, their restaurant, the mysterious death of the family patriarch & the subsequent fallout for the three sons. Billed as a modern day Brothers Karamazov, this story is darkly comedic & shines a bright light on the undercurrents of life in a small town. Great characters (to love & hate), excellent story. Highly recommended.

Am I going to stay up past my bedtime to finish this book because it‘s almost impossible to put down? Yes, yes I am.

#WeekendReading

I have the house to myself—this never happens—and there is only one thing to do…chores!!! 😂 While reading some good books of course! I‘m currently reading the tagged book, and loving it so far, and hope to get to the other two in no particular order.

📖 The Family Chao
📖 Ballad & Dagger
📖 The Book Eaters

@Andrew65

Went to visit my former co-workers at the bookstore and came home with a lot of new reading—ARCs on the left and in the middle, books they recommended on the right. Book people are awesome people!