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Mambo in Chinatown
From the bestselling author of Girl in Translation, a novel about a young woman torn between her family duties in Chinatown and her escape into the world of ballroom dancing.
Twenty-two-year-old Charlie Wong grew up in New York’s Chinatown, the older daughter of a Beijing ballerina and a noodle maker. Though an ABC (America-born Chinese), Charlie’s entire world has been limited to this small area. Now grown, she lives in the same tiny apartment with her widower father and her eleven-year-old sister, and works—miserably—as a dishwasher.
But when she lands a job as a receptionist at a ballroom dance studio, Charlie gains access to a world she hardly knew existed, and everything she once took to be certain turns upside down. Gradually, at the dance studio, awkward Charlie’s natural talents begin to emerge. With them, her perspective, expectations, and sense of self are transformed—something she must take great pains to hide from her father and his suspicion of all things Western. As Charlie blossoms, though, her sister becomes chronically ill. As Pa insists on treating his ailing child exclusively with Eastern practices to no avail, Charlie is forced to try to reconcile her two selves and her two worlds—Eastern and Western, old world and new—to rescue her little sister without sacrificing her newfound confidence and identity.
Twenty-two-year-old Charlie Wong grew up in New York’s Chinatown, the older daughter of a Beijing ballerina and a noodle maker. Though an ABC (America-born Chinese), Charlie’s entire world has been limited to this small area. Now grown, she lives in the same tiny apartment with her widower father and her eleven-year-old sister, and works—miserably—as a dishwasher.
But when she lands a job as a receptionist at a ballroom dance studio, Charlie gains access to a world she hardly knew existed, and everything she once took to be certain turns upside down. Gradually, at the dance studio, awkward Charlie’s natural talents begin to emerge. With them, her perspective, expectations, and sense of self are transformed—something she must take great pains to hide from her father and his suspicion of all things Western. As Charlie blossoms, though, her sister becomes chronically ill. As Pa insists on treating his ailing child exclusively with Eastern practices to no avail, Charlie is forced to try to reconcile her two selves and her two worlds—Eastern and Western, old world and new—to rescue her little sister without sacrificing her newfound confidence and identity.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published June 1, 2014
About the author
Jean Kwok
12 books2,177 followersJean Kwok is the award-winning, New York Times and international bestselling author of The Leftover Woman (coming 10/10/23), Girl in Translation, Mambo in Chinatown, and Searching for Sylvie Lee, which was a Read with Jenna Today Show Pick. Her work has been published in twenty countries and is taught in schools across the world.
She has been selected for numerous honors, including the American Library Association Alex Award, a Goodreads Choice Awards Semi-Finalist for Mystery & Thriller, the Chinese American Librarians Association Best Book Award, an Orange New Writers title, and the Sunday Times Short Story Award international shortlist. She was one of twelve authors asked by the Agatha Christie estate to write an original, authorized Miss Marple story for the collection Marple: Twelve New Mysteries.
She immigrated from Hong Kong to Brooklyn when she was five and worked in a Chinatown clothing factory for much of her childhood. She received her bachelor's degree from Harvard University and earned an MFA from Columbia University. She divides her time between the Netherlands and New York City.
Learn more about Jean here:
www.jeankwok.com
https://www.facebook.com/JeanKwokAuthor
She has been selected for numerous honors, including the American Library Association Alex Award, a Goodreads Choice Awards Semi-Finalist for Mystery & Thriller, the Chinese American Librarians Association Best Book Award, an Orange New Writers title, and the Sunday Times Short Story Award international shortlist. She was one of twelve authors asked by the Agatha Christie estate to write an original, authorized Miss Marple story for the collection Marple: Twelve New Mysteries.
She immigrated from Hong Kong to Brooklyn when she was five and worked in a Chinatown clothing factory for much of her childhood. She received her bachelor's degree from Harvard University and earned an MFA from Columbia University. She divides her time between the Netherlands and New York City.
Learn more about Jean here:
www.jeankwok.com
https://www.facebook.com/JeanKwokAuthor
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 805 reviews
March 13, 2014
Since I'm the author, I obviously need to give this book five stars. Whatever your rating or review, thank you so much for reading and I really appreciate it. If you'd like to leave a comment for me by replying to this review, I'd love to hear from you! Sometimes the Goodreads notifications get lost in my inbox, so it might take me a little bit to respond. Thanks again! :-)
February 1, 2018
I have to say that while I found parts of the story interesting, other parts left me completely underwhelmed.
I really wanted to like this one. Initially it grabbed me, and I found myself quickly turning pages. I liked the Chinese culture and I really thought that Charlie was a character that I could root for. Unfortunately, all of the Chinese medical treatment descriptions and her sister Lisa's "mysterious" health condition (which I had figured out way before the author finally decided to reveal it) really bogged the story down. It grew to be quite repetitive. Charlie's father was definitely a character that could use a good slap too, with his constant refusal to get his daughter the true help that she needed.
The actual dancing part of the story was what originally drew me to the book. I really felt like the author dropped the ball here. It seemed to me like someone who really doesn't know a lot about dancing decided to write a book about dancing. She left large gaps in between each of Charlie's developmental stages, and left the reader to somehow believe that Charlie, who starts out the book as a dishwasher, can just magically become a competition level dancer who is good enough to give dancing lessons. Sorry, but I couldn't buy that. The author did a lot more telling than showing.
The other part of the story that was a let-down for me was in the relationship between Charlie and Ryan. We are led to believe that there is a great chemistry between them that also shows up in their dancing. Nope. It just didn't come across for me.
The ending of the book was also a bit odd. Suddenly Charlie's father does a 180 turn-around, and then everything gets tied up into a pretty little predictable bow. Then the author chooses a very odd place to just stop writing. I kept trying to turn the page to see if there was any more, but alas... no.
So, unfortunately, for me this book was just a slightly below-average read.
(I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.)
I really wanted to like this one. Initially it grabbed me, and I found myself quickly turning pages. I liked the Chinese culture and I really thought that Charlie was a character that I could root for. Unfortunately, all of the Chinese medical treatment descriptions and her sister Lisa's "mysterious" health condition (which I had figured out way before the author finally decided to reveal it) really bogged the story down. It grew to be quite repetitive. Charlie's father was definitely a character that could use a good slap too, with his constant refusal to get his daughter the true help that she needed.
The actual dancing part of the story was what originally drew me to the book. I really felt like the author dropped the ball here. It seemed to me like someone who really doesn't know a lot about dancing decided to write a book about dancing. She left large gaps in between each of Charlie's developmental stages, and left the reader to somehow believe that Charlie, who starts out the book as a dishwasher, can just magically become a competition level dancer who is good enough to give dancing lessons. Sorry, but I couldn't buy that. The author did a lot more telling than showing.
The other part of the story that was a let-down for me was in the relationship between Charlie and Ryan. We are led to believe that there is a great chemistry between them that also shows up in their dancing. Nope. It just didn't come across for me.
The ending of the book was also a bit odd. Suddenly Charlie's father does a 180 turn-around, and then everything gets tied up into a pretty little predictable bow. Then the author chooses a very odd place to just stop writing. I kept trying to turn the page to see if there was any more, but alas... no.
So, unfortunately, for me this book was just a slightly below-average read.
(I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.)
August 13, 2019
[2.8] I like the premise of this fairytale set in Chinatown and an upper east side dance studio. I didn't mind its predictability but was distracted by the wooden writing and disappointed by the flat characters. I recall enjoying "Girl in Translation" more. Perhaps a sophomore slump for Kwok? Still...the story kept me reading to the end.
May 25, 2014
It’s been many years since I was twenty-two, and I’m not ABC (American-born Chinese), and I’ve never had to choke down a traditional medicine brewed from the intimate body parts of strange animals to please a parent, but Charlie Wong is the kind of character it’s easy to relate to. Clumsy, imperfect, and devoted to her father and brilliant but troubled younger sister Lisa, Charlie has been working long hours as a dishwasher when Mambo in Chinatown opens, hoping for a chance at a better life.
That opportunity comes when Lisa shows Charlie a want ad posted by a dance studio looking for a receptionist. It’s the kind of job Charlie has failed at before, organization and reading are big challenges for her, but she is determined to try even harder to succeed this time. Her mother, who died several years before, had been a star soloist with the Beijing Ballet back in China and Charlie is hoping that being around dancers will ease the pain of missing her.
Charlie has to hide most details about her new job from her gentle, protective father, a man not comfortable with American ways, and things don’t exactly go as planned at the studio, but just as Charlie starts spreading her wings her sister Lisa begins having some frightening and confusing health problems. Charlie struggles to balance respect for her father’s Chinese values with her rapidly changing life and perspectives, and Lisa’s illness brings that conflict out in the open.
The pleasures of this novel include a little romance, a lot of dance--the author knows her way around a dance floor and that adds fun to the story--and the dual Chinatown and dance studio settings, with richly detailed cultures and a full range of characters for both worlds. Even secondary characters are given motivations, back stories, and personalities that tug at the heart.
That opportunity comes when Lisa shows Charlie a want ad posted by a dance studio looking for a receptionist. It’s the kind of job Charlie has failed at before, organization and reading are big challenges for her, but she is determined to try even harder to succeed this time. Her mother, who died several years before, had been a star soloist with the Beijing Ballet back in China and Charlie is hoping that being around dancers will ease the pain of missing her.
Charlie has to hide most details about her new job from her gentle, protective father, a man not comfortable with American ways, and things don’t exactly go as planned at the studio, but just as Charlie starts spreading her wings her sister Lisa begins having some frightening and confusing health problems. Charlie struggles to balance respect for her father’s Chinese values with her rapidly changing life and perspectives, and Lisa’s illness brings that conflict out in the open.
The pleasures of this novel include a little romance, a lot of dance--the author knows her way around a dance floor and that adds fun to the story--and the dual Chinatown and dance studio settings, with richly detailed cultures and a full range of characters for both worlds. Even secondary characters are given motivations, back stories, and personalities that tug at the heart.
August 16, 2014
*I received this book as part of the First-reads giveaways*
My mother-in-law and I had a conversation not too long ago about what constitutes a 5-star rating for a book. Is it a good story? Is it fabulous writing? Is it the perfect mixture of both? Is it something else? Up until this reading this book, I was a 'perfect mixture' kind of girl. This story, however, was so entertaining and sentimental that I just couldn't stop reading! The writing was relatively straightforward, not a whole lot of symbolism going on, but I felt deeply connected to Charlie, and thought that she was a very well developed, thought out character. Both of her worlds (her home life and the dancing studio) brought out different parts of her personality, and I thought Kwon did an excellent job portraying the struggle Charlie felt in being accepted for who she was in general. I will say, however, that some of the phrases used were a little corny, and somewhat out of place. Like a professional dance teacher telling her students that there is a strict 'no hanky-panky' policy. Seriously, who says hanky-panky anymore? All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I have a feeling this copy will be one that is passed around and greatly loved by all. Oh, and has this been optioned for a movie yet? Because it would be a great one. :)
My mother-in-law and I had a conversation not too long ago about what constitutes a 5-star rating for a book. Is it a good story? Is it fabulous writing? Is it the perfect mixture of both? Is it something else? Up until this reading this book, I was a 'perfect mixture' kind of girl. This story, however, was so entertaining and sentimental that I just couldn't stop reading! The writing was relatively straightforward, not a whole lot of symbolism going on, but I felt deeply connected to Charlie, and thought that she was a very well developed, thought out character. Both of her worlds (her home life and the dancing studio) brought out different parts of her personality, and I thought Kwon did an excellent job portraying the struggle Charlie felt in being accepted for who she was in general. I will say, however, that some of the phrases used were a little corny, and somewhat out of place. Like a professional dance teacher telling her students that there is a strict 'no hanky-panky' policy. Seriously, who says hanky-panky anymore? All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I have a feeling this copy will be one that is passed around and greatly loved by all. Oh, and has this been optioned for a movie yet? Because it would be a great one. :)
August 14, 2016
SWEDISH REVIEW
Mambo i Chinartown var en härlig överraskning! Jag hade hoppas på en småtrevlig bok, men jag räknade inte alls med att boken skulle vara så fängslade och förtjusande att det var svårt att lägga ifrån sig den. Boken lyckas med att både vara rolig och allvarlig och Charlies förvandling som sker gradvis genom bokens handling är underbar att följa.
Men det är kulturkrocken mellan öst och väst som ger boken en special känsla. Jean Kwok har verkligen lyckats med att beskriva problem för en ung kvinna född i Amerika med kinesiska föräldrar. Charlies pappa är t.ex. emot västerländsk medicin och vägrar låta Charlies lillasyster Lisa få läkarhjälp när hon blir sjuk. han förlitar sig istället på österländska traditioner för att finna vad som är fel på henne. Han är förövrigt inte världens bästa stöd för systrarna (trots att han älskar dem) och mycket av den yttervärldens kontakt som t.ex. skola får Charlie ta hand om när det gäller Lisa.
Det enda jag kan säga om boken som jag inte gillade var slutet. Eller rättare sagt att boken tog slut. Jag skulle ha velat läsa mer om Charlie, hennes familj och hennes vänner och fått reda på vad som händer härnäst.
Tack till Bazar Förlag för recensionexemplaret!
ENGLISH REVIEW
Mambo in Chinatown was a delightful surprise! I had hoped that the book would be pleasant to read, but I never thought that it would be both engrossing and charming. And, hard to put down. The book manages to be both funny and serious and Charlie's transformation that occurs gradually throughout the books is wonderful to follow.
However, it's the culture clash between east and west that gives the books a special atmosphere. Jean Kwok has really managed to describe the problems a young girl faces in America with parents from China. Charlie's father is for instance against western medicine and refuses to let Charlie's little sister Lisa have medical aid when she gets sick. Instead, he relies on eastern traditions to try to find out what's wrong with her. He is, to be honest not the always the best support for the sisters (despite that he loves them) and much of the outside world contact like school is Charlie the one that has to deal with when it comes to Lisa.
The only thing I didn't like about the book was the ending. Or rather that the book ended. I would have loved to read more about Charlie, her family and friends and what will happen next to them all.
thanks to Bazar Förlag for the review copy!
Mambo i Chinartown var en härlig överraskning! Jag hade hoppas på en småtrevlig bok, men jag räknade inte alls med att boken skulle vara så fängslade och förtjusande att det var svårt att lägga ifrån sig den. Boken lyckas med att både vara rolig och allvarlig och Charlies förvandling som sker gradvis genom bokens handling är underbar att följa.
Men det är kulturkrocken mellan öst och väst som ger boken en special känsla. Jean Kwok har verkligen lyckats med att beskriva problem för en ung kvinna född i Amerika med kinesiska föräldrar. Charlies pappa är t.ex. emot västerländsk medicin och vägrar låta Charlies lillasyster Lisa få läkarhjälp när hon blir sjuk. han förlitar sig istället på österländska traditioner för att finna vad som är fel på henne. Han är förövrigt inte världens bästa stöd för systrarna (trots att han älskar dem) och mycket av den yttervärldens kontakt som t.ex. skola får Charlie ta hand om när det gäller Lisa.
Det enda jag kan säga om boken som jag inte gillade var slutet. Eller rättare sagt att boken tog slut. Jag skulle ha velat läsa mer om Charlie, hennes familj och hennes vänner och fått reda på vad som händer härnäst.
Tack till Bazar Förlag för recensionexemplaret!
ENGLISH REVIEW
Mambo in Chinatown was a delightful surprise! I had hoped that the book would be pleasant to read, but I never thought that it would be both engrossing and charming. And, hard to put down. The book manages to be both funny and serious and Charlie's transformation that occurs gradually throughout the books is wonderful to follow.
However, it's the culture clash between east and west that gives the books a special atmosphere. Jean Kwok has really managed to describe the problems a young girl faces in America with parents from China. Charlie's father is for instance against western medicine and refuses to let Charlie's little sister Lisa have medical aid when she gets sick. Instead, he relies on eastern traditions to try to find out what's wrong with her. He is, to be honest not the always the best support for the sisters (despite that he loves them) and much of the outside world contact like school is Charlie the one that has to deal with when it comes to Lisa.
The only thing I didn't like about the book was the ending. Or rather that the book ended. I would have loved to read more about Charlie, her family and friends and what will happen next to them all.
thanks to Bazar Förlag for the review copy!
June 24, 2014
Manhattan's Chinatown and two girls, now motherless but living with their father in a very limited area. For me, the most interesting part of this book was the adjustment that the girls had to make in staying true to their culture while harboring dreams that would take them out of it. This happens with the oldest girl, when she gets a job as a receptionist at a ballroom dance studio. Her deceased mother had been a ballerina in Beijing and this job makes her fell closer to her mother. Her father, though, is suspicious of anything considered Western.
I enjoyed reading about their traditional medicine at odds with the Western view and ways of the same. Their uncle is a highly thought of doctor of the traditional or Eastern medicine and the younger sister, who is only eleven, works in his shop. I don't think I will ever forget the part of
I enjoyed reading about their traditional medicine at odds with the Western view and ways of the same. Their uncle is a highly thought of doctor of the traditional or Eastern medicine and the younger sister, who is only eleven, works in his shop. I don't think I will ever forget the part of
May 22, 2016
Fab-u-lous! This is a triumphant story. The proverbial ugly duckling transforms herself with a lot of assistance from new and old friends. Charlie, a motherless child, must help her family with virtually no one to help her through adolescence and into adulthood. She lives the immigrant experience trying to assimilate from traditional Chinese culture into the American way of life. She must work long hours at a menial job and help support her family and raise her gifted younger sister. Suddenly opportunity presents itself and not only will Charlie be able to change her life, she will have the chance to be happy and at peace...
December 17, 2022
Fun to read but that’s about all.
March 22, 2014
Kwok is back with her second book and it is as good as her first one. Dealing with the issues of family and change against the backdrop of being an American Born Chinese, our heroine, Charlie, must balance what she is able to do, what is expected of her, and how to be both mother and sister to her middle school aged younger sister with a father who has checked out of life following the death of her mother. Charlie is an untreated dyslexic who finds life is not so bad once she learns that she takes after her late mother with a particular talent. Her talent flies in the face of all her family and cultural expectations for her, and yet she succeeds.
This is set against the backdrop of Chinese culture, but it resonates with all backgrounds. It is about how we change to become ourselves, and how those around us deal or do not deal with the change.
This is set against the backdrop of Chinese culture, but it resonates with all backgrounds. It is about how we change to become ourselves, and how those around us deal or do not deal with the change.
June 4, 2015
Second book I've read in the past month about Chinese Americans. This was extremely good! Listened to it as an audio in the car and definitely wanted to keep driving some trips instead of get out of the car!
What I especially appreciated was the lesson I received in the Chinese culture (how to/not to use chop sticks, the medicinal beliefs, the holiday customs, for instance).
The family unit of Pa, Charlie and Lisa was well developed and strongly knit. The extended family, uncle & aunt, were a little harder to see; however, the love between brothers was very evident.
I thought I understood where the book was going and knew what the outcome was going to be. I was left guessing and surprised at one outcome. For this surprise, I had to pull the disk out of my car and bring it into the house to listen to this afternoon. Good read!!
What I especially appreciated was the lesson I received in the Chinese culture (how to/not to use chop sticks, the medicinal beliefs, the holiday customs, for instance).
The family unit of Pa, Charlie and Lisa was well developed and strongly knit. The extended family, uncle & aunt, were a little harder to see; however, the love between brothers was very evident.
I thought I understood where the book was going and knew what the outcome was going to be. I was left guessing and surprised at one outcome. For this surprise, I had to pull the disk out of my car and bring it into the house to listen to this afternoon. Good read!!
August 5, 2014
3.5 Stars - This was an enjoyable book for the most part. I enjoyed learning about the world of ballroom dancing and Jean Kwok brings that world, as well as the world in New York Chinatown to life. Taking the journey as Charlie grows from an awkward and shy woman into a beautiful and confident swan made the book, well worth the read. However, I found the story predictable, the younger sister extremely whiney and the struggle of the family far too ordinary. I fell in love with her debut book Girl in Translation, but this one fell a little flat for me. However, this was an admirable sophomore effort.
April 10, 2019
I began to see beauty as something that could be unleashed from within a person rather than a set of physical features like a perfect nose or big eyes.
Mambo in Chinatown by Jean Kwok is a lighthearted and warm feel-good where we get to follow Charlie, a 22 year old girl with big dreams. Through the book Charlie really evolves and blooms as a person, it's captivating to follow her changes.
Charlie is without a doubt my favorite characters but I also really liked Lisa, Nina, Ryan, Zan, Mo Li and of course everyone at the dance studio.
I picked this book up on a book sale so I didn't know what to expect, but I gotta say that this was a really fun and interesting read. I'm Swedish so I know near to nothing about the Chinese traditions and culture so reading this book thought me quite a lot about their culture, which I really enjoyed.
Kwok's way of writing makes every chapter captivating and as a reader I want to find out if certain things happens so much that it's tempting to go to the last chapters. This is the first book I've read by the author but I will definitely read more of her work in the future.
⭐️ Mambo in Chinatown by Jean Kwok gets a strong 3/5 stars from me!
Mambo in Chinatown by Jean Kwok is a lighthearted and warm feel-good where we get to follow Charlie, a 22 year old girl with big dreams. Through the book Charlie really evolves and blooms as a person, it's captivating to follow her changes.
Charlie is without a doubt my favorite characters but I also really liked Lisa, Nina, Ryan, Zan, Mo Li and of course everyone at the dance studio.
I picked this book up on a book sale so I didn't know what to expect, but I gotta say that this was a really fun and interesting read. I'm Swedish so I know near to nothing about the Chinese traditions and culture so reading this book thought me quite a lot about their culture, which I really enjoyed.
Kwok's way of writing makes every chapter captivating and as a reader I want to find out if certain things happens so much that it's tempting to go to the last chapters. This is the first book I've read by the author but I will definitely read more of her work in the future.
⭐️ Mambo in Chinatown by Jean Kwok gets a strong 3/5 stars from me!
September 6, 2014
Rating: 3/5 stars
Recommended? Yes
Let me start off by stating that I have already read Jean Kwok's first novel, Girl in Translation. I enjoyed this debut novel, but I feel Mambo in Chinatown falls short of the magic Kwok captured in Girl in Translation.
Kwok's writing is still concise, straightforward, and, overall, very easy and pleasant to read. There are times where details border on excessive, but it's easily overlooked when you understand they are mostly necessary. Mambo in Chinatown involves many aspects of Chinese culture that are most likely too foreign for Western audiences to understand without thorough explanations. When it came to the dances, however, I felt the descriptions started to feel repetitious as the story progressed. I don't know much about ballroom dancing, and perhaps you need to have ballroom experience to fully understand the dynamic emotions each dancing style evokes, but Kwok's descriptions of the different styles left my imagination unsatisfied. In short, there was a lot of "telling" and not enough "showing."
The main character, Charlie Wong, is a twenty-two-year-old ABC (American-born Chinese) currently working as a dishwasher while still holding onto her dreams for a different and better life. Though complex and caring, I felt ambivalent towards Charlie. In the beginning, I really sympathized with her and her situation, but her transformation from "plain Jane" to a beautiful woman with a number of men vying for her attentions felt somewhat awkward to me. As for the supporting characters, they were all fairly interesting and enjoyable. Charlie's two best friends, Mo Li and Zan, complemented her well. Kwok did a great job giving the two women their own independent goals and storylines rather than functioning as near useless background players to the main character.
The story itself felt fresh and passionate. It's obvious Kwok has a lot of interest in and love for ballroom dancing. When I browsed her personal website, sure enough, I learned about her experience as a professional ballroom dancer. While reading, I was invested in Charlie's progression and success as a professional ballroom dancer/instructor but less so with some of the other subplots. I had trouble fully accepting the 'forbidden love' storyline for reasons I will not disclose lest it spoil a part of the story for interested readers, and the father's character shift was unbelievably sudden. Despite an appropriate and fitting conclusion for Charlie's story, everything seemed to wrap up too conveniently at the end.
Final Verdict: Although I feel this second novel is a step-down from her debut novel, Kwok's Mambo in Chinatown definitely deserves an attentive read. It's filled with rich knowledge of Chinese culture in an American setting and brings some much needed diversity to the fiction scene. Jean Kwok is an author worth watching!
Recommended? Yes
Let me start off by stating that I have already read Jean Kwok's first novel, Girl in Translation. I enjoyed this debut novel, but I feel Mambo in Chinatown falls short of the magic Kwok captured in Girl in Translation.
Kwok's writing is still concise, straightforward, and, overall, very easy and pleasant to read. There are times where details border on excessive, but it's easily overlooked when you understand they are mostly necessary. Mambo in Chinatown involves many aspects of Chinese culture that are most likely too foreign for Western audiences to understand without thorough explanations. When it came to the dances, however, I felt the descriptions started to feel repetitious as the story progressed. I don't know much about ballroom dancing, and perhaps you need to have ballroom experience to fully understand the dynamic emotions each dancing style evokes, but Kwok's descriptions of the different styles left my imagination unsatisfied. In short, there was a lot of "telling" and not enough "showing."
The main character, Charlie Wong, is a twenty-two-year-old ABC (American-born Chinese) currently working as a dishwasher while still holding onto her dreams for a different and better life. Though complex and caring, I felt ambivalent towards Charlie. In the beginning, I really sympathized with her and her situation, but her transformation from "plain Jane" to a beautiful woman with a number of men vying for her attentions felt somewhat awkward to me. As for the supporting characters, they were all fairly interesting and enjoyable. Charlie's two best friends, Mo Li and Zan, complemented her well. Kwok did a great job giving the two women their own independent goals and storylines rather than functioning as near useless background players to the main character.
The story itself felt fresh and passionate. It's obvious Kwok has a lot of interest in and love for ballroom dancing. When I browsed her personal website, sure enough, I learned about her experience as a professional ballroom dancer. While reading, I was invested in Charlie's progression and success as a professional ballroom dancer/instructor but less so with some of the other subplots. I had trouble fully accepting the 'forbidden love' storyline for reasons I will not disclose lest it spoil a part of the story for interested readers, and the father's character shift was unbelievably sudden. Despite an appropriate and fitting conclusion for Charlie's story, everything seemed to wrap up too conveniently at the end.
Final Verdict: Although I feel this second novel is a step-down from her debut novel, Kwok's Mambo in Chinatown definitely deserves an attentive read. It's filled with rich knowledge of Chinese culture in an American setting and brings some much needed diversity to the fiction scene. Jean Kwok is an author worth watching!
December 31, 2014
Wonderful story of a first-generation ABC, with a bit of a Cinderella twist. It was beyond painful reading about poor Charlie's struggles when she'd been in school, as she didn't get help for her dyslexia because her father was too embarrassed to go into the school to talk to her teachers or counselors. The grinding poverty and fear of even going near Western doctors to get help for her little sister were well depicted for the most part. (It was also a nice counterpart to S. J. Rozan's A Bitter Feast, as Charlie's father was a noodle-maker in a Chinatown restaurant, and Lydia's father had also been a cook in Chinatown.) I was very afraid of what might turn out to be wrong with Charlie's sister, but it wasn't as bad as I'd feared.
The romance was fine, for the most part (though they were beyond stupid to do *anything* in the hotel pool at the dance competition!), but the best thing for me was the way Charlie finally managed to come into her own and choose her own life while being able to help her father step up to take care of her sister, in ways he'd failed Charlie.
The romance was fine, for the most part (though they were beyond stupid to do *anything* in the hotel pool at the dance competition!), but the best thing for me was the way Charlie finally managed to come into her own and choose her own life while being able to help her father step up to take care of her sister, in ways he'd failed Charlie.
June 6, 2014
I requested and received this book as a Goodreads Giveaway in exchange for a review, which I am very happy to provide. This is such a wonderful book, with a protagonist that will steal your heart with her hard work, devotion and unfailing ability to strive towards her own, and her younger sister's, opportunities wherever she finds them. Our heroine, Charlie, lives in Chinatown, caught between her father' s old world sensibilities, his fears of Communist bureaucracy laid upon American "paperwork" that he does not understand, and her own desire to fully enter into the larger American culture in which she has been born and currently lives. Add into this that her mother died when she was quite young, her father has raised her while still grieving, and she has been mostly raising her much younger sister. Chinatown is a community where everyone knows your business and is certain they can run your affairs much better than you. The book is delightful as Charlie begins to find her true self in her mother's former profession. The book is a coming of age story told in a charming and joyful manner. It is a delight to read.
May 17, 2016
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway!
I loved this book. Loved it. This is personal more than anything, but being an ABC myself (American-born Chinese) I was able to connect with Charlie. The pressures she goes to to please her father and to fulfill her own dreams are just so...phew. I loved the whole plot of this novel: brilliant, original, and at the same time exposing issues that many are unaware of. It's already hard enough to please strict parents-- but for that parent to be hell-bent on something you don't agree on? That's the worst.
Jean Kwok's writing is wonderful! The way she describes Charlie's struggles isn't bland and repetitive. Instead, she makes it passionate and she describes Charlie in such a way that it allows us, as the readers, to sympathize with her.
And the dance scenes. My lord. Beautifully descriptive and magical. It's like I knew exactly how Charlie was moving; like I could just picture her graceful body doing twirls and whatnot on a stage in front of a grand audience.
The love triangle (I guess you could say) that Kwok added in was a great twist to her plot. I didn't originally think that there would be romance in a novel like this, but it fits in nicely. I think the romance also assisted in Charlie's slow progression into a more mature, independent woman. She comes to realize the difference between love and want, respect and forever, and it's great. Her slow but steady transition really shows that dancing is her dream and she will fight for what she wants; it allows her to slowly make important decisions for herself instead of worrying about what her father might say, and overall it helped blossom her into a successful, beautiful and most of all happy woman.
I love it. Jean Kwok, you're wonderful. And a big thank you to Penguin Books for this generous giveaway, too. You guys are all fab.
March 29, 2014
In her debut novel, GIRL IN TRANSLATION, Jean Kwok introduced the world to Kimberly Chang, a young immigrant from Hong Kong who settled in New York with her widowed mother. Kwok builds on the immigrant experience in her new book, MAMBO IN CHINATOWN.
Charlie and Lisa are sisters eleven years apart, but as close as any sisters can be. Their mother passed away years ago and they live with their noodle-maker father. Pa is traditional and rarely leaves the confines of Chinatown. The same could be said for Charlie, the older daughter, until she leaves her dishwashing job at the noodle shop and finds work as a receptionist at a ballroom dance studio far from Chinatown. Charlie is afraid to tell her father the truth about her job, especially when she starts teaching ballroom dance at the studio.
Around this time, Lisa comes down with a mysterious ailment that baffles Charlie and Pa. Although Charlie has western medicine contacts through her dance studio, Pa insists on keeping Lisa's treatment in the realms of Chinese medicine. Pa's brother works in Chinese medicine and is a sought-after practitioner in Chinatown.
This book is different from GIRL IN TRANSLATION in that it addresses adult issues in an immigrant community like Chinatown. Work, marriage, and big decisions like medical treatment are all central to this story. I enjoyed learning about the world of ballroom dancing. I knew a little about Chinese medicine before I read this book, but learned much more by the time I finished. And I loved the characters of Charlie, Lisa, Pa, and the other personalities in Chinatown, as well as those in the dance studio.
Sophomore novels often don't live up to the expectations set by debut novels, but that is never an issue with MAMBO IN CHINATOWN. I loved this book just as much as Jean Kwok's first, if not more!
Charlie and Lisa are sisters eleven years apart, but as close as any sisters can be. Their mother passed away years ago and they live with their noodle-maker father. Pa is traditional and rarely leaves the confines of Chinatown. The same could be said for Charlie, the older daughter, until she leaves her dishwashing job at the noodle shop and finds work as a receptionist at a ballroom dance studio far from Chinatown. Charlie is afraid to tell her father the truth about her job, especially when she starts teaching ballroom dance at the studio.
Around this time, Lisa comes down with a mysterious ailment that baffles Charlie and Pa. Although Charlie has western medicine contacts through her dance studio, Pa insists on keeping Lisa's treatment in the realms of Chinese medicine. Pa's brother works in Chinese medicine and is a sought-after practitioner in Chinatown.
This book is different from GIRL IN TRANSLATION in that it addresses adult issues in an immigrant community like Chinatown. Work, marriage, and big decisions like medical treatment are all central to this story. I enjoyed learning about the world of ballroom dancing. I knew a little about Chinese medicine before I read this book, but learned much more by the time I finished. And I loved the characters of Charlie, Lisa, Pa, and the other personalities in Chinatown, as well as those in the dance studio.
Sophomore novels often don't live up to the expectations set by debut novels, but that is never an issue with MAMBO IN CHINATOWN. I loved this book just as much as Jean Kwok's first, if not more!
September 16, 2014
Stereotypes galore. Chinese eating caterpillars, Russian dancers, gay dancers, Chinese arranged marriages... Aside from the sterotypes, I was bothered by the set up of the story. At first I thought the book was set in the 70s or 80s. The main character finds a receptionist job through a newspaper ad. Who reads newspapers anymore? And certainly not for jobs. Later, the protagonist wants to contact her friend in college but explains she only has a prepaid cell phone and had limited access to computers. A receptionist who schedules dance classes doesn't have access to a computer? Besides, public libraries in Chinatown are filled with computers. Another disconnect:the 22 year old main character only speaks perfect English and Mandarin. With that skill set and a motherly instinct from raising her sister, she can make triple a dishwasher's salary ( her job at the beginning of the book) as a nanny in the UES. Lastly, the protagonist's sister has a mysterious illness but they have no money to send her to see a doctor. Instead, they rely on Eastern medicine provided by a highly an uncle and seers. NYC provides heavily subsidized healthcare to the poor in addition to Medicaid. These programs specifically target communities such as Chinatown. It makes no sense! They can also send her to the ER! Chinese people believe in medical science. That's why there are so many Chinese doctors. Even if I can get past all the disconnects, it's a trite ugly duckling turns into a swan story. Overall, I was offended as a Chinese American from NYC and as a swan.
June 3, 2014
This is a quick, easy read - perfect for times when you just don't feel like reading anything too taxing. Charlie and her sister, Lisa, are the American-born daughters of Chinese immigrants. They live in the insular world of Chinatown in NYC, trying to make their way with their widowed father. Charlie is in her 20's and stuck in a dishwashing job, going nowhere fast. She tries to help her father raise Lisa, who is 11, while trying to find her way out of Chinatown. She lands a job in a dance studio and her world changes. From there, the story gets pretty predictable and ends the way you expect this type of story to end, but it is an enjoyable read.
The only bothersome detail (to me at least) is that Charlie's father does not speak much English and Charlie doesn't speak a lot of Chinese, yet they manage to have some deep conversations. I can't help but wonder how they communicate. I also find it hard to believe that she speaks as little Chinese as she does growing up with immigrant parents who don't speak a lot of English. That didn't ring true for me.
The only bothersome detail (to me at least) is that Charlie's father does not speak much English and Charlie doesn't speak a lot of Chinese, yet they manage to have some deep conversations. I can't help but wonder how they communicate. I also find it hard to believe that she speaks as little Chinese as she does growing up with immigrant parents who don't speak a lot of English. That didn't ring true for me.
March 14, 2016
As in her first novel, Girl in Translation, Jean Kwok shares her knowledge of Chinese culture and brings it to life. She weaves another intriguing tale of daughters and their struggle to maintain traditions while trying to find their place in the western world. Charlie takes us deep into the world of ballroom dancing, discovering a talent that connects her to her mother in a way that she never felt as a clumsy, underappreciated dish washer. Her love and concern for her sister play a main part in this web of relationships with all the ups and downs of siblings who are so different and yet the same. Kwok actually worked as a professional ballroom dancer. Her writing introduces us to the beauty and complexity that accompany this glamorous life, all the while allowing the reader to become a part of Charlie's journey to love through dance, family, and age old customs. I highly recommend reading this book. Kwok has become one of my favorite authors of Chinese culture. I rank her right along side Amy Tan and Lisa See.
April 27, 2014
I am always a little tiny bit hesitant when it comes to reading GROWN UP books, maybe because most of my reading time is spent whipping my way through young adult and middle grade books. Yet, when Mambo In Chinatown by Jean Kwok came across my threshold, I could not ignore it. I could not hesitate. You see, one of the first few review books that I ever received was Kwok’s Girl In Translation and spoiler alert: I loved it. Now, its been awhile since Girl In Translation was published, about four years actually. Friends, I am happy to say that Kwok has still got it and that while Mambo In Chinatown is certainly lighter than Girl In Translation, I think that it actually surpasses Girl in how much I enjoyed reading it, and that’s really saying something given how much I loved Kwok’s debut.
Read the rest of my review here
Note: Review and link go live June 10, 2014
Read the rest of my review here
Note: Review and link go live June 10, 2014
June 4, 2014
What an excellent book about growing up between cultures. Charlie navigates the space between what she desires -- a career and future in dance and pursuing the freedoms she has as an American born Chinese -- and what her cultural heritage and traditions say she should/should want to do. The modern vs. traditional thread pulls through every aspect of this book and it's done with reverence toward both.
This is a book about dance and passion, about finding yourself and cultivating relationships with others. What I love most, maybe, is that this is about the lives of people who aren't told in every story or on every television show. This isn't sexy, smart, intelligent New York. This is a labor class story and it's not a rags to riches one.
Definitely has teen appeal, though Charlie's just beyond her teen years and her sister is not quite a teen yet.
Longer review to come.
This is a book about dance and passion, about finding yourself and cultivating relationships with others. What I love most, maybe, is that this is about the lives of people who aren't told in every story or on every television show. This isn't sexy, smart, intelligent New York. This is a labor class story and it's not a rags to riches one.
Definitely has teen appeal, though Charlie's just beyond her teen years and her sister is not quite a teen yet.
Longer review to come.
July 23, 2016
Redan när jag såg denna första gången så blev jag lite sugen, den verkade vara något för mig, men jag stod emot. Ända tills den faktiskt släpptes och mitt behov av feelgood var monumentalt. Då kände jag att jag bara måste läsa. What's not to like, liksom. Läs mer på min blogg
February 16, 2023
Charlie lives in Chinatown in New York City with her father and sister, Lisa. Her mother (formerly a dancer) died when Charlie was younger. Charlie is 22-years old and Lisa is much younger (middle school/junior high?).
Charlie hates her job dishwashing, and has never been good as a receptionist, but she is able to get a new job as a receptionist at a ballroom dance studio. She is still not good at it, but when the studio is very short of teachers, she steps in to find herself a really good teacher (though she is barely a step ahead of the students when it comes to the dancing!).
Meanwhile, Lisa’s health is taking a turn for the worse. They aren’t sure what’s wrong, but their father refuses to have anything to do with Western medicine and will only have Lisa treated by their uncle, who practices Chinese medicine.
I really enjoyed this! I listened to the audio and it (fairly easily) held my interest. I definitely got frustrated with Charlie’s dad. I really liked Ryan, one of Charlie’s students, and Nina, another dance teacher at the studio, who became friends with Charlie. I thought the author did a good job with the ballroom stuff (turns out she has done ballroom professionally), as (though it’s been a number of years), I took lessons off and on for 15 years myself.
Charlie hates her job dishwashing, and has never been good as a receptionist, but she is able to get a new job as a receptionist at a ballroom dance studio. She is still not good at it, but when the studio is very short of teachers, she steps in to find herself a really good teacher (though she is barely a step ahead of the students when it comes to the dancing!).
Meanwhile, Lisa’s health is taking a turn for the worse. They aren’t sure what’s wrong, but their father refuses to have anything to do with Western medicine and will only have Lisa treated by their uncle, who practices Chinese medicine.
I really enjoyed this! I listened to the audio and it (fairly easily) held my interest. I definitely got frustrated with Charlie’s dad. I really liked Ryan, one of Charlie’s students, and Nina, another dance teacher at the studio, who became friends with Charlie. I thought the author did a good job with the ballroom stuff (turns out she has done ballroom professionally), as (though it’s been a number of years), I took lessons off and on for 15 years myself.
January 28, 2020
Ik ben door het boek gevlogen. Vondt het een aardig boek, maar er gebeurde naar mijn mening te weinig, ik had iets meer diepgang verwacht meer sensatie en meer drama. Nu leek het naar mijn idee van de hak op de tak te gaan en dat is jammer.
February 17, 2020
I picked up this novel because I was looking for a read that was fun, lighthearted, and engaging. It started off as all three but I eventually grew weary of the predictable and cliché storylines: forbidden romance, meek and invisible girl turned unstoppable star, stubborn and traditional patriarch afraid to change his ways, familial secrets that burden etc. A bit disappointing for these reasons.
October 4, 2015
Ich gebe zu, diesen Roman von Jean Kwok wollte ich schon alleine wegen dem wunderbaren Titel lesen: “Wenn die Liebe tanzen lernt” oder – im Original – “Mambo in Chinatown”.
Kwok erzählt hier die Geschichte von Charlie Wong, welche gemeinsam mit ihrem Vater – einem Nudelmacher – und ihrer kleinen Schwester Lisa in Chinatown lebt. Den Großteil ihres Tages verbringt Charlie mit dem Tellerwaschen im Restaurant, in dem auch ihr Vater arbeitet. Das Geld ist in der Familie immer knapp, deswegen besteht Charlies Leben hauptsächlich aus dieser körperlich sehr anstrengenden Arbeit. Doch eines Tages bewirbt sie sich auf eine Stelle als Empfangsdame in einem der renommiertesten Tanzstudios in New York und entfacht damit ihren Traum, einmal so tanzen zu können, wie einst ihre Mutter. Sie bekommt tatsächlich die Stelle, macht ihre Arbeit jedoch mehr schlecht als recht – und muss sie zudem noch vor ihrem sehr traditionellen Vater geheim halten…
Auch wenn der Anfang ein wenig langatmig erscheint, hat mir diese langsame Einführung in Charlies Geschichte im Nachhinein doch sehr gut gefallen. Denn die Autorin lässt ihre Geschichte sich Seite für Seite entfalten. Während der gesamten Geschichte gibt es keine überstürzte Handlung, vielmehr hat man den Eindruck, dass sich alles nach und nach, vollkommen logisch und authentisch entwickelt. In anderen Romanen würde mich diese Erzählweise vielleicht schnell langweilen, hier passt es jedoch unheimlich gut. Kwoks Schreibstil ist eben wie ein langsamer Walzer und kein schneller Cha-Cha-Cha.
Entgegen meiner ersten Vermutung, dass sich dieser Roman hauptsächlich um die Liebe drehen wird, steht in “Wenn die Liebe tanzen lernt” die Geschichte einer chinesischen Familie in den USA im Vordergrund sowie der Umgang mit der eigenen, ursprünglichen, sehr traditionellen Kultur und Lebensweise in einer der modernsten, westlichen Städte überhaupt. So ist Charlie in den USA geboren und aufgewachsen, möchte genauso modern und selbstbewusst leben, wie der Großteil der Frauen in New York. Ihr Vater jedoch traut beispielsweise der modernen Medizin nicht und ist der Ansicht, dass lediglich ein chinesischer Mann für Charlie in Frage kommt. Sein gesamtes Leben beschränkt sich auf sein Viertel in Chinatown – dieses zu verlassen, stellt ihn schon vor eine sehr große Herausforderung. Hier prallen zwei grundsätzlich verschiedene Welten aufeinander und ich fand es sehr spannend und interessant, zu erfahren, wie beide Welten damit umgehen. Auch der Einblick in die chinesischen Traditionen, gerade im Hinblick auf die Medizin, fand ich sehr bereichernd.
“Ich hatte das Gefühl, dass der Rest der Welt ein Geheimnis kannte, das mir verborgen blieb, dass sich alle Menschen synchron im Tangorhythmus bewegten, während ich Freestyle tanzte und allein mit den Armen in der Luft herumfuchtelte.” – Seite 118
Dann lebt die Charlies Geschichte natürlich vom Tanz. Im Laufe der Handlung fängt Charlie mit dem Tanzen an – hauptsächlich Standard- und Lateintänze – und spätestens an dieser Stelle hätte ich mich in das Buch verliebt, da ich selbst jahrelang diese Tänze getanzt habe. Die Autorin erzählt sehr detailliert, genau und voller Leidenschaft vom Tanzen, den verschiedenen Bewegungen sowie der Leidenschaft dahinter. Da sie selbst einst Turniertänzerin war, sind ihre Eindrücke absolut authentisch und das merkt man ihnen auch an. Die mit dem Tanzen einhergehende Entwicklung von Charlie fand ich ganz wunderbar – man merkt förmlich selbst, wie sie an ihren neu erworbenen Fähigkeiten wächst und sich daran neu entdeckt und an Selbstbewusstsein gewinnt.
“Wenn die Liebe tanzen lernt” ist keine allzu romantische Liebesgeschichte, vielmehr ist es ein sehr interessanter Roman, welcher von dem Kampf zwischen Tradition und Moderne erzählt und zeigt, wie ein eigentlich hoffnungsloses Mädchen im Tanz zu sich selbst findet. Klare Leseempfehlung.
Kwok erzählt hier die Geschichte von Charlie Wong, welche gemeinsam mit ihrem Vater – einem Nudelmacher – und ihrer kleinen Schwester Lisa in Chinatown lebt. Den Großteil ihres Tages verbringt Charlie mit dem Tellerwaschen im Restaurant, in dem auch ihr Vater arbeitet. Das Geld ist in der Familie immer knapp, deswegen besteht Charlies Leben hauptsächlich aus dieser körperlich sehr anstrengenden Arbeit. Doch eines Tages bewirbt sie sich auf eine Stelle als Empfangsdame in einem der renommiertesten Tanzstudios in New York und entfacht damit ihren Traum, einmal so tanzen zu können, wie einst ihre Mutter. Sie bekommt tatsächlich die Stelle, macht ihre Arbeit jedoch mehr schlecht als recht – und muss sie zudem noch vor ihrem sehr traditionellen Vater geheim halten…
Auch wenn der Anfang ein wenig langatmig erscheint, hat mir diese langsame Einführung in Charlies Geschichte im Nachhinein doch sehr gut gefallen. Denn die Autorin lässt ihre Geschichte sich Seite für Seite entfalten. Während der gesamten Geschichte gibt es keine überstürzte Handlung, vielmehr hat man den Eindruck, dass sich alles nach und nach, vollkommen logisch und authentisch entwickelt. In anderen Romanen würde mich diese Erzählweise vielleicht schnell langweilen, hier passt es jedoch unheimlich gut. Kwoks Schreibstil ist eben wie ein langsamer Walzer und kein schneller Cha-Cha-Cha.
Entgegen meiner ersten Vermutung, dass sich dieser Roman hauptsächlich um die Liebe drehen wird, steht in “Wenn die Liebe tanzen lernt” die Geschichte einer chinesischen Familie in den USA im Vordergrund sowie der Umgang mit der eigenen, ursprünglichen, sehr traditionellen Kultur und Lebensweise in einer der modernsten, westlichen Städte überhaupt. So ist Charlie in den USA geboren und aufgewachsen, möchte genauso modern und selbstbewusst leben, wie der Großteil der Frauen in New York. Ihr Vater jedoch traut beispielsweise der modernen Medizin nicht und ist der Ansicht, dass lediglich ein chinesischer Mann für Charlie in Frage kommt. Sein gesamtes Leben beschränkt sich auf sein Viertel in Chinatown – dieses zu verlassen, stellt ihn schon vor eine sehr große Herausforderung. Hier prallen zwei grundsätzlich verschiedene Welten aufeinander und ich fand es sehr spannend und interessant, zu erfahren, wie beide Welten damit umgehen. Auch der Einblick in die chinesischen Traditionen, gerade im Hinblick auf die Medizin, fand ich sehr bereichernd.
“Ich hatte das Gefühl, dass der Rest der Welt ein Geheimnis kannte, das mir verborgen blieb, dass sich alle Menschen synchron im Tangorhythmus bewegten, während ich Freestyle tanzte und allein mit den Armen in der Luft herumfuchtelte.” – Seite 118
Dann lebt die Charlies Geschichte natürlich vom Tanz. Im Laufe der Handlung fängt Charlie mit dem Tanzen an – hauptsächlich Standard- und Lateintänze – und spätestens an dieser Stelle hätte ich mich in das Buch verliebt, da ich selbst jahrelang diese Tänze getanzt habe. Die Autorin erzählt sehr detailliert, genau und voller Leidenschaft vom Tanzen, den verschiedenen Bewegungen sowie der Leidenschaft dahinter. Da sie selbst einst Turniertänzerin war, sind ihre Eindrücke absolut authentisch und das merkt man ihnen auch an. Die mit dem Tanzen einhergehende Entwicklung von Charlie fand ich ganz wunderbar – man merkt förmlich selbst, wie sie an ihren neu erworbenen Fähigkeiten wächst und sich daran neu entdeckt und an Selbstbewusstsein gewinnt.
“Wenn die Liebe tanzen lernt” ist keine allzu romantische Liebesgeschichte, vielmehr ist es ein sehr interessanter Roman, welcher von dem Kampf zwischen Tradition und Moderne erzählt und zeigt, wie ein eigentlich hoffnungsloses Mädchen im Tanz zu sich selbst findet. Klare Leseempfehlung.
June 8, 2017
Mambo in Chinatown is a charming Cinderella-like story about an American born Chinese who is lucky enough to find her way out of the confines of Chinatown and the old-world traditions imposed upon her by her father and others in the community.
Charlie Wong is 22 years old and is a dishwasher in Chinatown. She has tried other jobs like receptionist, but always gets fired because she can’t handle the tasks. She never excelled academically and sees herself as inept all around. Charlie’s younger 11-year-old sister Lisa is just the opposite and does well both academically and socially. Their mother, a former ballerina in Beijing is dead, and their father is a noodle maker in Chinatown. The family struggles to stay afloat.
Miraculously, Charlie gets a receptionist job in a dance studio and though she is incompetent as a receptionist, the owner of the studio sees her dormant talent as a dancer and with a crash course she is able to teach a beginner’s class at the studio. She continues her dance instructions, becomes a teacher at the studio, enters a dance contest and falls in love. In the meantime, her sister Lisa suffers from an illness that has the whole family in turmoil. Eastern medicine versus Western medicine, old world ways versus new world, and Charlie’s transformation all play a part in this charming story.
The plot is predictable, although Kwok’s writing style kept me engaged—it’s simple and affectionate. Her descriptions of dance routines were fascinating, and it was obvious that she herself was a dancer. Her descriptions of the life of a professional ballroom dancer were very real and earthy—not the glamorous life people sometimes imagine. In the end, she tied things up just a little too quickly, but it was still a refreshing read and offered some thoughts about how we perceive people and how we often misjudge those we meet daily—the waitress, the clerk, the dishwasher, etc. From what I have read about the author, much of what she wrote about was inspired by her own life.
Charlie Wong is 22 years old and is a dishwasher in Chinatown. She has tried other jobs like receptionist, but always gets fired because she can’t handle the tasks. She never excelled academically and sees herself as inept all around. Charlie’s younger 11-year-old sister Lisa is just the opposite and does well both academically and socially. Their mother, a former ballerina in Beijing is dead, and their father is a noodle maker in Chinatown. The family struggles to stay afloat.
Miraculously, Charlie gets a receptionist job in a dance studio and though she is incompetent as a receptionist, the owner of the studio sees her dormant talent as a dancer and with a crash course she is able to teach a beginner’s class at the studio. She continues her dance instructions, becomes a teacher at the studio, enters a dance contest and falls in love. In the meantime, her sister Lisa suffers from an illness that has the whole family in turmoil. Eastern medicine versus Western medicine, old world ways versus new world, and Charlie’s transformation all play a part in this charming story.
The plot is predictable, although Kwok’s writing style kept me engaged—it’s simple and affectionate. Her descriptions of dance routines were fascinating, and it was obvious that she herself was a dancer. Her descriptions of the life of a professional ballroom dancer were very real and earthy—not the glamorous life people sometimes imagine. In the end, she tied things up just a little too quickly, but it was still a refreshing read and offered some thoughts about how we perceive people and how we often misjudge those we meet daily—the waitress, the clerk, the dishwasher, etc. From what I have read about the author, much of what she wrote about was inspired by her own life.
September 8, 2018
I still can't quite put words to this book. It is a fun and easy read, but also very problematic and trite.
I just read some of the reviews here and am overwhelmed with the number of times people have mentioned enjoying learning about "authentic Chinese culture". Maybe that could be further caveated with, one person's depiction of (still quite extremely traditional) Chinese culture (not observed across all of China, by all of its citizens) as practiced in New York's Chinatown, by one family. Part of the problem with so few authors who are people of colour is whatever gets written is assumed to be gospel.
I found myself rolling my eyes through huge parts of the book. From some of the lacklustre translations and depictions of characters, dialogue, ballroom dance, Chinese things. There was a lot of telling in this story, and not as much showing. In any book, that's bad enough, but in one where a lot of what was being told was subjective... Well, painful.
I could go on, but I'll end with, have you ever read a book where almost all of the characters were portrayed in such a belittling way?
I just read some of the reviews here and am overwhelmed with the number of times people have mentioned enjoying learning about "authentic Chinese culture". Maybe that could be further caveated with, one person's depiction of (still quite extremely traditional) Chinese culture (not observed across all of China, by all of its citizens) as practiced in New York's Chinatown, by one family. Part of the problem with so few authors who are people of colour is whatever gets written is assumed to be gospel.
I found myself rolling my eyes through huge parts of the book. From some of the lacklustre translations and depictions of characters, dialogue, ballroom dance, Chinese things. There was a lot of telling in this story, and not as much showing. In any book, that's bad enough, but in one where a lot of what was being told was subjective... Well, painful.
I could go on, but I'll end with, have you ever read a book where almost all of the characters were portrayed in such a belittling way?
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