I agree with you about its taking some time to get into this book, but it was worth the effort, as you stated. I really enjoyed the part where Mebel and Gemma come up with their dish for the competition. It sounded like a dish that I would enjoy trying. But cooking it would be a whole other story. So complicated!
Yes! I wish there was a recipe but itâs likely above my cooking ability. And of course Iâd have to see if our local butcher has duck!
I love this book! I wasnât sure in the beginning. Mebel was very stuck in her way of life and I enjoyed âwatchingâ her evolve.
Iâm not exactly sure how to rate this book overall. I almost gave up on it early onâI really didnât like Mebel for much of the first part. At the same time, I understood that I wasnât necessarily supposed to like her, so I kept reading to see how Jesse Q. Sutanto might redeem her character.
In the end, she did redeem Mebel in the way I expected. I appreciated that Mabel was able to stand up for herself and for the other women. Still, I wouldnât call this a standout read for me. While it was a quick read with an underlying message, I found it difficult to truly enjoy.
This was a quick, fun read. Mebelâs journey makes her a much more likable character and I enjoyed her growth.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Ms. Mebel, a 63-year-old wealthy Chinese-Indonesian living in Jakarta, decides to attend culinary school in France to win back her husband (who left her for a younger chef). Ms. Mebel is a delightful character, and the story is messy, funny, light-hearted, and empowering. Her classmates are hysterical, and I especially enjoyed her friendship with Gemma.
I read the Vera Wong books by this author and thoroughly enjoyed them. I struggled with this book for a while because the main character was not very likable. She was privileged and couldnât think for herself and all she wanted was to be a trophy wife. I almost gave up on the book. However, the last 2/3rds of the book were much better. Mebel grew and stood up for herself and began to care about others. It was a quick read and some of it was funny. The story dealt with some more serious topics, so all in all the author redeemed herself. It was a solid 3 1/2 stars for me.
I enjoyed this book. Itâs fun to get another perspective of cooking school, in fact several. I see that several readers didnât like the character of Mebel very much; thatâs understandable, but from the perspective of a first generation Asian, I had a lot of empathy for her. I was rooting for her, sometimes cringing at her speech and actions, but sympathetic, as I remember seeing women like her as I grew up.
Honestly I really liked it. It was not really what I was expecting, but I loved the character growth Mebel experienced throughout the story. Especially her interactions with the younger generations and how she truly started to understand that things have changed so maybe she should consider changing as well.
I did think the book tried to be too many things at times, and worried it was going to get too cliched, but I honestly think it pulled things together very well so the overall effect was definitely a good one.
I truly enjoyed this book and I always find it fascinating to read about other cultures. it was surprising to see the differences in cultures between Asia and Western civilization.
I enjoyed the book but not quite as much as some of Sutantoâs other books. I agree with others that Mebel could be maddening at times. The humor of these books always keeps me going!
This was a quick and fun read that contained some serious issues but the story moved quickly and the characters handled the pressures they faced.
I thought she was delightful. Iâve had several eccentric aunts and uncles in my past and they gave me the gift if loving eccentric characters with all their faults and delights. They bring the unexpected to the world.
I really enjoyed this book. Mebel was a quirky character. In the beginning, she was clueless about life outside of Indonesia, but she quickly learned to adapt to the ways and demands of cooking school and the young students who befriended her. I think I would enjoy reading about more of her future exploits!
Absolutely delightful from the first paragraph. I lived in Asia for o er five years and knew many women similar to Mebel, known in Hong Kong as Tai Tai.