Very enjoyable YA read about a Chinese-Australian family and how they deal with a family member's mental illness. ( )

Anna's father is often away, working long hours at his restaurant, and her mother sometimes stays in bed for weeks on end. Anna just wants normalcy -- she doesn't see herself excelling as a student, despite her teachers' exhortations to push herself and the guidance counselor's focus on adding extracurriculars and personal development. She'd love to be able to help out more at the restaurant, but with her mother's fragile mental health, she often ends up caring for her younger siblings. A sweet romance blossoms with her father's new delivery boy, but in the meantime, her mother's grip on reality is growing more and more shaky.

This is a good exploration of what it's like to deal with a parent who is struggling with mental illness. I had expected the romance to be more of a focus, but it's really mostly about Anna's family relationships. I don't feel like the characters are all fully developed, and certain elements are very predictable. I think a teen experiencing similar issues might find it a comforting read, but I probably wouldn't recommend it to adults in general. ( )

#3 in the Goodreads NZ Readathon

CW: Suicidal thoughts, mental health issues resulting in child neglect and institutionalisation (possibly bipolar), racial stereotyping, animal cruelty.

Warning: This book will bring on an intense desire to eat dumplings and other delicious Chinese food.

What a gem of a book. I loved the dynamics between the different family members and reading about the customary deferential treatment of parents in Chinese culture. The way the tension built up slowly was quite masterful. As the mother started becoming more erratic I could feel my own anxiety rising as an inevitable breaking point drew closer. I thought the portrayal of the stigma around mental illness was good, and having the Chinese cultural views carefully and respectfully added in brought another layer of depth. The heart-breaking moments were balanced nicely with the warmth I felt at the loving moments between the siblings. I think this is also quite an important book in terms of understanding the pressures faced by young people who have family responsibilities and obligations. These responsibilities are juggled with school, following their own interests/hobbies, building relationships and developing their own sense of identity. Anna is navigating all of this as a Chinese-Australian. This adds a further layer of complexity as her parents maintain that their Chinese values need to be upheld by the family. Anna was an endearing character and I really enjoyed her journey.

A book with incredible heart and depth. I thoroughly recommend it. ( )

This book contains content related to mental health and illness.
This review refers to it too.

This book is truly a wonderful read which messes with your emotions.
Its heart wrenching and focuses on mental illness.
It's an own voices story focusing on Anna, a young Chinese girl who struggles with diaspora at times and wants to be a correct Chinese girl, even knowing there is no such thing. She speaks very basic Cantonese and fears she is a terrible Chinese daughter. We see her life at school and I loved how the book told us that it's ok to want to go work after you graduate before going to Uni, or even never go at all. Anna's sister relationship with Lily was full of snark and was relatable to all the siblings out there I'm sure (I have no siblings) Anna truly went through a lot, working, school, trying to keep the family afloat. Anna's development and the arc were written really well. Her Mother is in this depressive spiral so Anna steps up, trying to take over from her Mum.
Its a great story that is set in Australia.
I found out that the Author currently lives in Australia!
Great book!
( )

I was walking through the YA/Teen section of my public library, searching for a contemporary fiction book. The library had a big display of "New" titles, and this one caught my eye. It has a young, Asian girl walking on a pair of chopsticks, which are holding a dumpling, hence the title The Surprising Power of a Good Dumpling. The title and illustration alone were enough to make me pick up this book and read the inside cover. I knew this was a book I needed to read. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I loved this book. Readers follow Anna as she watches her mother experience emotional highs and lows, before the ultimate, disturbing low sends her into the mental hospital. Anna must take on the roll as both mother and daughter, while her father hides away at the family restaurant, unable to accept what is happening with his wife. Eventually, Anna meets Rory, who her father hires to be a delivery driver for the restaurant, and the two hit it off over Macbeth. Rory suffers from his own mental illness, and attempted suicide. He is understanding of what Anna and her family are going through.

I felt such emotional highs and lows reading this book and learned so much about what goes on behind closed doors that people are unwilling to acknowledge or accept. Anna's family does not accept mental illness culturally, hence why Anna's mother goes untreated for so long. Anna struggles with being the perfect Chinese daughter, and I find this is a commonality in a lot of what I have observed with my own Chinese American friends. They get so much pressure to have perfect grades and perfect appearance (dressing well, to their parent’s standards) while observing piety to their parents. I think this book is an important one to read in understanding mental illness and how it affects not just the individual, but the family as well. This book ends with the hope that although life is not perfect, knowing that family always has each other’s back is what counts, and is what helps make life worth living.

Wai Chim was born in NYC to immigrant parents. She had to learn English. Her experience of being an immigrant child helped mold Anna's character and experiences in this story. I enjoy reading works from authors of the same ethnicity of their characters, especially when its a new to me author.

Genre: Contemporary Realistic Fiction