Kitchen Chinese
A Novel About Food, Family, and Finding Yourself

This book was written for someone looking for a more chick-lit book who knows less about Chinese food than I do. I quickly became bored with the young protagonist, who seemed to be a sort of Bridget Jones-lite, only Chinese-American. Her job efforts at an expat magazine in China weren't that interes......more

I bought this book in 2018 after reading and loving Mah’s most recent novel “The Lost Vintage” and I’m so glad I did. While “Kitchen Chinese” seems very 2010 (naturally given that’s when it was published!) now in 2021, and falls prey to several debut novel missteps, I was enthralled with the descrip......more

This was an easy and quick read. It was predictable but enjoyable. Extra plus if you enjoy reading about food!......more

How could this book be compared to Like Water For Chocolate? The book wasn't horrible, but it wasn't very good either. The writing style was mediocre, the storyline predictable, and the references to food sparse and not that interesting. I didn't hate the book, but I was disappointed. It's chick lit......more

I found this book to be a light and fun read. The author (Ann Mah) takes the reader on a journey from the U.S. to China to witness the trials and tribulations of a young writer in her search to find her own voice in print. The main character, Isabelle Lee, in the beginning of the book is a "fact find......more