Natalie Tan's Book of Luck & Fortune by Roselle Lim

In these relationships we see the tension between desire and expectation, and the loss experienced because of it. Mother-daughter relationships are such an integral part of the book.

“As strange as my mother had been with her quirks and superstitions, my memories of her and our time together were stitched into the thickest of blankets, ready whenever I needed comfort. The way to a man’s heart is truly through his belly. I never particularly believed food and eating to be an erotic experience, but my-oh-my it was certainly hot under my collar watching Natalie watch Daniel eat. As steam emanates from the food, it similarly ripples off their skins – it’s crazy hot stuff. I don’t think I have ever read of a meet-cute unfurling because a man followed the tantalising smell of dumplings, yet it works in the world Lim created. She strings words to create beautiful pictures for us to keep in our heads, leaving us gawking in wonder at the sights, smells and gustatory experiences of Chinatown.įood is also tied to romance in Lim’s novel, and it is oh-so-sweet to see Natalie literally combusting as the man she fancies eats her food. The magic at the heart of the book flows bewitchingly through her writing. I found myself looking forward to the descriptions of the food, and felt compelled to seek some out in the real world because of how wonderfully immersing Lim’s writing is. “Food comforts, heals, and is the only lover I will ever take.”Īs she begins to cook for the people around her, the food from her laolao’s recipes begin to heal and restore. Now Natalie faces her biggest test yet as she learns to cook the way her laolao (grandmother) did. Natalie Tan’s mother wanted a life for her outside the confines of the kitchen, a life her grandmother had thrived in. Her path hasn’t been an easy path, paved with disappointment and estrangement. In fact, this element is heightened because of her protagonist’s desire to open her own restaurant. Think The Joy Luck Club, Crazy Rich Asians, or the award winning short film “Bao” – there it is, plain as day.

You can read any book or watch any film, and majority of the time, food is a central focus.

There is no heart a good meal cannot cheer – that is the Asian mantra.

“The recipe is for the crestfallen, the unsmiling, and the ones who need sunshine in their souls.”

Natalie Tan's Book of Luck & Fortune by Roselle Lim