Member Reviews

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  • Rated 0 stars

  “Your own understanding of english is heightened during this read. As her syntax and grammar improve, you find yourself questioning if our language affects our emotions or the other way around. ”

  Joy B wrote this review 3 weeks ago. ( reply | permalink )
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  • Rated 3 stars

  “A fast read for a cross-country airplane ride. Good if you can be distracted by turbulence, loud babies, and $5 cocktails.
  
  The young Chinese narrator's romance with an aging, disenchanted British vegan would be tedious if Guo hadn't written the story in Chinglish. As her English develops and becomes more fluent and nuanced, the narrator becomes more aware of some of the problems of her beau. Her growing fluency also allows her to become more knowable to readers, through the words/concepts that flummox her, and the people that attract her.
  
  I think this is a good book about cultural negotiations, especially by immigrants. I recently read a short story in _Foreign Brides_ by Elena Lappin, called "Noa and Noah," which explores similar issues -- an Israeli woman marries a British man, moves to England, slowly learns the language and culture, and discovers that the man that was so attractive, or at least "different" and mysterious, when she knew little English, becomes tedious and silly when she finally understands him.”

  Alison L wrote this review Friday, June 20 2008. ( reply | permalink )
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  • Rated 4 stars

  “What a delightful, fun novel, starts of with the lead character speaking broken English and as her linguistic skills improve so does the diction and dialogue. The story line winds around her love affair with an Englishman as she comes into her own.”

  Sheila M wrote this review Monday, June 16 2008. ( reply | permalink )
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  • Rated 5 stars

  “If you have to choose one book to take on holiday THIS IS THE ONE! Absolutely hilarious and worth every laugh.”

  Chin wrote this review Friday, May 30 2008. ( reply | permalink )
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  • Rated 5 stars

  “"A Concise Chinese English dictionary for lovers" is a story about love between two cultures.
  
  A Chinese girl, "Z". She studied English in London and fell in love with an English man. Their love wasn't perfect and life was full of conflict. Misunderstanding constantly happen among languages, but the needs, the emptiness, all of these made their love more emotional and locked two of them even tighter.
  
  Who says love has to be beautiful and pure?
  
  I was a foreigner in a strange land. I have fallen in love with the white men. I have been there. When I read this book. I had to stop myself few times. The story struck me so hard. I could see myself hurting my love and he and I grew in pain.
  
  At the end of the story, "Z" felt like she has left part of herself in London. Even through I am living in western land now. I still feel that I have left part of myself in the past with my love and the sadness is always in my heart.
  
  I recommend this book to all the people who have been in an interracial relationship before. Maybe you will also find that missing piece of yourself from the book.”

  TC W wrote this review Tuesday, May 20 2008. ( reply | permalink )
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  • Rated 0 stars

  “an interesting book, it reminds me the time when i studied in UJ”

  angentjas wrote this review Thursday, May 1 2008. ( reply | permalink )
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  • Rated 0 stars

  “Poignant, revelatory, sensual. Z, a new immigrant from China to London keeps a language journal as she acquires English words. The story reveals itself through the journal. Yes, parts of it are slow. I think that Guo deliberately altered the pace to reflect the frustrating process of learning about a completely alien culture. The hopeless relationship, based on lust and "otherness" was an eye opener. It explained some relationships I have observed in the past that left me asking "WTF?" Ultimately, Z. emerges, resilient and ready to function as an individual, knowing that the most painful lessons teach us the most about life and ourselves.
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  Miss Ann Thropic wrote this review Sunday, March 9 2008. ( reply | permalink )
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  • Rated 3 stars

  “a fun light and easy read cleverly written in highly idiosyncratic Chinese. I really enjoyed the way the writer uses small details to characterise the girl and her lover - they really are brought to life. Guo is clearly a talented and unusual writer with an unusual perspective on life. I enjoyed the way the universal dilemma of men and women was played out in a fresh way in the pages - the woman's longing for security vs the self centred man's fear of commitment and obsession with living in the moment.”

  chickenlips wrote this review Sunday, January 20 2008. ( reply | permalink )
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  • Rated 2 stars

  “some how this book and the nrration reminded me of the book by james frey, million little peices and my friend leonard. the narrative is broken at first, but soon takes over a full fledged narrative. very romantic read.”

  Tathagat wrote this review Saturday, January 19 2008. ( reply | permalink )
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  • Rated 4 stars

  “Reads like a spirited, beautiful memoir of a young and innocent immigrant to England. She really comes into her own with lots of humor and soul searching along the way. ”

  Christine W wrote this review Friday, January 4 2008. ( reply | permalink )