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Laura Doe (1350 KP) rated Crazy Rich Asians in Books

May 10, 2022  
Crazy Rich Asians
Crazy Rich Asians
Kevin Kwan | 2014 | Fiction & Poetry, Romance
8
8.4 (7 Ratings)
Book Rating
Such an interesting read. I have never really known how rich the people in Singapore really are until I read this book.
I have always thought that Singapore was beautiful and had amazing things, their airport is legendary as is the park in the sky.
It was a great introduction into how some Chinese families work, and how they are obsessed with finding the right match for their children, which doesn’t just mean a nice person, they have to come from a good family with money or they are looked down upon.
I also liked how Kevin Kwan used a lot of the phrases and words that would be used in real conversations and explained them in the footnotes so that it still seemed authentic while reading.
I would definitely love to carry on this series!
  
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ClareR (5874 KP) rated The Good Women of China in Books

Nov 4, 2017  
The Good Women of China
The Good Women of China
Xinran | 2017 | Biography, History & Politics
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
An unflinching view of the lives of Chinese women in communist China. (0 more)
Eye opening
Xinran was a radio journalist in China who collected the stories of women who had stories to tell. This is a side of China that we don't really hear of: women who had lived through the cultural revolution and the damage it had inflicted on their lives. How women were still pretty much regarded as chattel, homosexuality was a criminal offence, women were sexually coerced, raped and unwillingly married off to high standing officials. This is just a small selection of the lives of women in these stories. You can hear the voices of these women as though they're in the room with you. The stories are often heartbreaking. I'm so glad I picked this book up - and all because the authors name began with an X (for an alphabet reading challenge!!).
  
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Awix (3310 KP) rated The Meg (2018) in Movies

Apr 2, 2019  
The Meg (2018)
The Meg (2018)
2018 | Action, Horror, Sci-Fi
8
6.6 (128 Ratings)
Movie Rating Watch
Jurassic Shark
Megashark vs Jason Statham movie has its moments but suffers a bit from lacking a clear sense of what it actually wants to be: family-oriented disaster movie, cheesy B-movie fun, or special effects blockbuster. Some people get stuck at the bottom of the sea, top diver (Statham) is recruited to get them out; in the process an enormous prehistoric shark is unleashed.

Actually feels a bit like one of those ultra-calculated Chinese blockbusters we are beginning to see (cf. Skyscraper); perhaps this explains why it is always just a bit too bland and clean to really succeed. You can easily imagine Dwayne Johnson starring in this instead. Statham manages to bring his own brand of nuttiness to the affair, far outshining the rest of a pretty nondescript cast. Script is predictable, special effects are okay, ending is unexpectedly inventive. More fun than it sounds.
  
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Suswatibasu (1703 KP) rated Everything Here Is Beautiful in Books

Mar 2, 2018  
Everything Here Is Beautiful
Everything Here Is Beautiful
Mira T. Lee | 2018 | Fiction & Poetry
9
7.5 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
A wonderful and tragic exploration of mental health
This is a beautifully written, tragic tale of love, loss and mental health.

Following the story of sisters Miranda and Lucia, born to Chinese parents and living in America, the elder of the two siblings attempts to shelter her sister Lucia as she is seen to suffer from a form of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Miranda is responsible and organised, while her sister is a free spirit, but she seems to have no control over her fate and protecting her from her demons.

It is a wonderful exploration into mental health, and how it affects all communities, and the effect it has on the people around them. It's sometimes heartbreaking knowing what could end up happening to Lucia when there is no safety net or support network to help her through her episodes. An unexpected gem.
  
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Sarah (7800 KP) rated Number One Chinese Restaurant in Books

Jan 28, 2020  
Number One Chinese Restaurant
Number One Chinese Restaurant
Lillian Li | 2019 | Fiction & Poetry
5
5.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Average and lacklustre
This is a rather strange book. Not because of the subject matter, but because it's well written yet with a strangely average and lacklustre plot.

I'm not entirely sure if this book is meant to be a commentary on Chinese culture or immigrants, but for me it didnt come across that way. The majority of the characters aren't particularly likeable in many different ways, and the whole story seemed a little pointless as the characters didn't appear to have developed much after all of the events that had occurred. The plot itself could have been interesting but it was spoilt a lot by the constant bickering and toing and froing between the families.

Overall it's written well enough to keep my attention for the entire book, but sadly this is ultimately forgettable and not one that moved me in any way.