Read what people think about Sweet Mandarin by Helen Tse, and write your own review.
Sweet Mandarin
The Courageous True Story of Three Generations of Chinese Women and Their Journey from East to West
by
Helen Tse
Published in USA Jul 2008,
288 pages.
Rated of 5
by Christine Sweet Mandarin
I enjoyed the story the Helen Tse tells but I had difficulty getting past her many rambling sentences that were almost as long as a paragraph. She also changes tenses a lot within paragraphs. I think the book could garner some interesting discussions at a book club meeting so for that it might be worth reading.
Rated of 5
by Mary (River Forest, IL) A slow stroll through an interesting story
I just took a look at other First Impression reviews, and was troubled by the 5-star ones. What had I missed? It was with some relief that I reached the 3 star review from Owensboro, KY. My reaction exactly! She couldn't figure out why, but I think I have - at least for myself. Tse's story is fascinating, Tse's writing is pedestrian - in the true sense of the word. While I read of these remarkable women, especially Tse's grandmother's story, I felt like I was plodding along leisurely, the constant meter of the words lulling me into a disinterest that I knew was betraying me. As it happens, my family roots are in Owensboro, KY - so maybe there's something in our genes? If you're looking for a worthwhile story for a summer day in a hammock, "Sweet Mandarin" would be a good choice - but don't be surprised if that tick-tock tap-tap of the pedestrian pace lulls you into an afternoon nap.
Rated of 5
by Liz Family and Food
Helen Tse has written a loving tribute to the women in her family in Sweet Mandarin. The greater part of the book tells her grandmother Lily’s story, and hers is a remarkable one. Beginning with her parent’s move to Hong Kong and her father’s death, Lily experiences both hardship and good fortune, and perseveres through it all.
Sweet Mandarin is a well written, compelling story about family, courage, determination, and making the most out of life. Tse’s fine prose makes the story read like a novel. The book spans over 75 years of family history in less than 300 pages, so there were parts of the story I wish had been covered in more detail. But, given that this is a memoir and not a novel, I felt Tse did an excellent job of remaining true to her family’s story as it was remembered. I only wish I could enjoy a meal of Lily’s signature Chicken Curry! Readers of Amy Tan and Diana Abu-Jaber (The Language of Baklava) will enjoy this book.
Rated of 5
by Catherine Sweet Mandarin
This is a memoir of the lives of the author's grandmother and mother and, to a lesser extent, the author herself. The story of what the grandmother went through pre-World War II and post-World War II in China and Hong Kong is amazing. The choices she had to make are heartbreaking. Parts of the book are like a history lesson but in a good way. The historical details are woven seamlessly into the narration. The author gives a very honest portrayal - the good and the bad, the strengths and the weaknesses - of her family. Would definitely recommend this book for book clubs.
Rated of 5
by Jane Sweet Mandarin by Helen Tse
I was a little ambivalent about this book. On one hand it contained a good amount of interesting, historical information about Hong Kong as well as Chinese culture. On the other hand, it just never grabbed my heart .... and the worst thing is, I'm not sure why.
It was an intensely personal account of a family's struggle to keep their family together through financial hardship, particularly through the strength of the central figure, Lily, the author's grandmother.
I felt the author kept the reader at an arm's distance from the "meat" of the story. It could be that she herself was kept at that distance and that's the only way she could retell the story. I felt it would have been a much more memorable read if the author could have lost herself a little more in the actual action of the book and filled in a little bit more to make the book read more smoothly.
It definitely read like an author's first attempt at commercial writing. I don't think it will make any 'must read' list of 2008 but it was an interesting historical perspective on an immigrant family of that era.
Rated of 5
by Nancy Readable History of China
The characters in this book illustrate in a completely readable fashion the history of China. Each generation of these amazing women has its own happiness and tragedy. Their lives made me appreciate what we as Americans take for granted every day. They were poor beyond imagining, but their faith and their courage unshakable. You don't have to be familiar with Chinese food to realize what it signified and how it brought the women together, but at the end you will be.
This is a highly readable book - you will have a hard time putting it down.
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