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There are currently 28 member reviews
for Next Time Will Be Our Turn
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Louise E. (Ocean View, DE)
a great easy, breezing story
I really enjoyed this story, Next Time Will Be Our Turn. It was fast paced and easy to read. The story seemed real. I think teenagers would love it. I think all the women are 'bad-asses' - Magnolia for never giving up on what she wanted in life nad Iris for living her best life despite her circumstances. It seems like a YA book to me, which I enjoyed reading at 70 years old. It would make a good book club read - you can talk about family & friend relationships, multi-generational gatherings, and college/first job/first love.
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Cresta F. (Pocatello, ID)
Well worth a read
I initially thought I wouldn't like this book but it turned out I loved it. It was interesting to learn more about Chindo (Chinese-Indonesian) women and how oppressed they are, despite the very high expectations of them. Aside from that, I really enjoyed the storyline of the matriarch of a powerful family telling her granddaughter of her history and offering sound advice (no spoilers here!). It made me laugh and made me cry but mostly it made me reflect on what is really important in life.
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Catherine O. (Altavista, VA)
Love is Love
I confess I may not have read the description for this novel very carefully before requesting it. As a senior straight grandma I may not have been the intended audience for this LGBQT novel, but a good story is a good story. This novel is told almost entirely as a conversation between a grandmother and her teenage granddaughter. It was a quick read and very interesting as it told the story of a young Indonesian girl coming to the USA for college and growing into herself in the process.
The sacrifices Magnolia makes to hide her true self and the freedom she feels when she can finally shine are wonderful. I hope other readers will have an open mind and try this life affirming novel.
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Robin S. (Tall Timbers, MD)
Next Time Will Be Our Turn
I just finished reading Next Time Will Be Our Turn by Jesse Q. Sutanto. I definitely give it 4/5 stars. This was a touching story of a grandmother sharing her past with her awkward granddaughter. Through the telling of her past, the grandmother was trying to let it be known that everyone struggles with the choices we have to make to grow and find happiness.
The characters and plot were well developed. I was pulled in immediately & held fast to the end. While this novel might be considered a LGBTQ read, I found it simply a story of family love.
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WDH - Kentucky
Easy Read With Some Anomalies
Overall, I enjoyed the story and the writing. Easy to read, kept me mostly interested in the storyline, characters, culture, etc. However, there were a few things that bugged me. First, the timeline seems off related to the ages of the grandmother / granddaughter. Second, the details shared by Magnolia with her granddaughter, seemed very intimate for a single conversation. I would have found it more credible if the conversations had happened over a period of time. It was easy to forget it was a single conversation during reading though. Her story/details weren't offensive, just seemed odd to divulge everything at once. I will look for other books by this author.
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Lynne B. (Somersworth, NH)
Next Time Will Be Our Turn
If you love a character driven story written in the style of a very real and honest memoir then this book is highly recommended. I was immediately drawn in to the story of Magnolia Chen as she tells her granddaughter Izzy about how she developed her self-confidence and independence through life's ups and downs. Izzy is struggling to find herself in the world of her wealthy Indo-Chinese family. Her grandmother sees that it is time to give her some guidance in making life decisions by telling her own story. She was sent to California to be educated in colleges there along with her older sister, Iris.
The two sisters were total opposites and though Magnolia was tempted to rebel and become more like the American students, she returns to Indonesia and tries to lead the expected life of her culture. Meanwhile her sister Iris does everything to become a different kind of woman. There are struggles to determine what love is and who it is that Magnolia really loves. This is an excellent story that brings to life the immigrant student who struggles with the American culture and the imbedded cultural beliefs they have. Magnolia's life story will resonate with many immigrants but it is also a story of longing and love.
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Margaret S. (Lincoln, NE)
Cross-culture and cross-sexuality masterpiece
Jesse Santano masterfully writes about the Indonesian-Chinese culture through generations of women in Indonesia and the US. She deals with issues of homosexuality and mental health. Her characters are vividly themselves with hereditary traits showing through. This book speaks to the stark differences between the two cultures over the past few generations. The confidence and wisdom to be ourselves rang out loudly to me.
