KATHRYN MA is the author of the widely praised novel The Year She Left Us, which was named a New York Times Editors’ Choice and an NPR “Great Read” of the year. Her short story collection, All That Work and Still No Boys, won the Iowa Short Fiction Award and was named a San Francisco Chronicle Notable Book and a Los Angeles Times Discoveries Book. She is also a recipient of the David Nathan Meyerson Prize for Fiction and has twice been named a San Francisco Public Library Laureate.
Winner of the Silver Medal for the California Book Award for
Fiction
Longlisted for the Dublin Literary Prize
Longlisted for the Joyce Carol Oates Prize
Chinese American Librarians Association (CALA) Honor Book
A New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice
The Washington Post, A Best Book of the Year
An Amazon Editors' Pick
People, A Best Book of the Year
"Ma’s iteration of the young migrant story is imbued with inherent
optimism. Shelley’s buoyancy is frustratingly naïve, and often
completely foolish if you have any understanding of how brutal
living in America actually is, but you root for Shelley in part
because Shelley is rooting for Shelley. Ma finds wry humor in
Shelley getting to know the mores of his new country (Ted biking to
work seemed to be particularly surprising to him), but his belief
in his own success is unwavering . . . By the end, he does indeed
come out on top, even if it’s in ways neither he nor the reader
could have predicted." —Scaachi Koul, The New York Times Book
Review
"Ma’s uplifting tale of the good-hearted dreamer will appeal to
those wanting to boost their spirits." —Becky Meloan, The
Washington Post
"Ma brings compassion and humor to her latest novel as she paints
an immersive story about a Chinese immigrant named Shelley who
comes to America with very high hopes for a new life." —Jordan
Snowden, The Seattle Times
"The Chinese Groove by Kathryn Ma is a funny and insightful novel,
a satisfying immigration story told by an 18-year-old narrator,
Zheng Xue Li, from Yunnan province, China. We can’t help but love
the determined and steadfast young man even as we laugh and wince
and worry about him . . . Shelley’s relentlessly optimistic voice
and his impressions of the United States bump up against what we
readers 'know' and create a wonderful tension that keeps us turning
the pages. Especially when he first arrives in the U.S., his
observations are so fresh and funny, they set a humorously poignant
tone and suggest that our hero will survive even the most harrowing
aspects of his experience . . . Ma plays brilliantly with
stereotypes without stereotyping. She deftly handles a multitude of
plot threads and conflicts among Shelley’s web of connections in
the U.S. and China as he carries on, almost in spite of himself.
She is a master of voice . . . The Chinese Groove is certainly a
contender for the funniest book about survival that you’ll ever
read." —Connie Biewald, San Francisco Chronicle
"The Chinese Groove is satisfyingly Dickensian in its plot twists
and intriguing characters . . . [A] thoughtfully crafted
bildungsroman full of twists and turns . . . Readers will root for
[Shelley] as he finds his own version of the American Dream—even if
it looks different than expected." —Serena Puang, The Boston
Globe
"The struggles between belonging and liminality, and between
delusion and hope, are the beating heart of Ma’s softly satirical
new novel . . . But through the hardships and hustle, Shelley gets
to know his adopted city while discovering the inner resources he
needs to fight for himself and others—and to finally find his
people. His optimism and savvy are contagious." —Carole V. Bell,
The Atlantic
"A buoyant social satire." —Emma Alpern, New York magazine
"This modern coming-of-age tale brims with heart, ambition, drama,
and a protagonist whose naïveté makes him splendidly endearing. Ma
thoughtfully navigates family dynamics and first love. It's
guaranteed to have you and the aunties laughing and crying along."
—People
"Ma’s novel is uplifting and moving as it follows Shelley on his
American dream." —Alta
"Through witty satire and sweet storytelling, Kathryn Ma offers
readers a fresh perspective on immigration, family, expectations
and idealism." —Karla Strand, Ms.
"A literary novel with a subtly satirical and critical edge."
—Oprah Daily, A Most Anticipated Title
"At once a harrowing immigrant tale and a humorous romp through
cultural misunderstandings, The Chinese Groove explores the
everyday negotiations of romance and family ties, as well as the
power of belief that helps us make our way through the world
without breaking." —Los Angeles Review of Books
"Buoyant and heartfelt . . . Ma has a gift for crafting lovable
characters in challenging situations, and she places them in a
vibrant Northern California setting. The Chinese Groove is a
refreshing story of unsinkable perseverance and familial devotion,
sure to unlock new stores of optimism for any reader." —Dave
Wheeler, Shelf Awareness
"Balancing humor and poignancy with seemingly effortless ease, Ma
is a magnificent storyteller . . . Shelley’s teenage naivete will
entertain, while his tenacity and loyalty will surely inspire."
—Booklist (starred review)
"This rollicking contemporary picaresque about a young Chinese
man’s adventures in 2015 America offers a fresh take on the Chinese
immigrant experience while confronting universal issues surrounding
family, grief, and how to define success . . . Ma knows how to
twist a plot in unexpected, deeply satisfying directions by writing
with compassion, humor, and insight." —Kirkus Reviews (starred
review)
"Ma returns with the vibrant story of a Chinese immigrant living in
present-day San Francisco . . . Ma does a good job conveying the
bonds of Shelley’s community and family. This immersive story is
worth a look." —Publishers Weekly
"Kathryn Ma's The Chinese Groove is terrific in every way: smart,
warm, witty, keenly observed, and best of all, refreshing, as she
meditates on love, hope, and what it means to be a family."
—Natalie Baszile, author of Queen Sugar and We Are Each Other's
Harvest
"By turns picaresque and poignant, Kathryn Ma's The Chinese Groove
is an utterly original exploration of the Chinese diaspora,
pondering the ancestral ties that span between China and San
Francisco. Shelley is a poet and would-be striver with an indelible
voice. A marvel." —Vanessa Hua, author of Forbidden City
"Tender in all of the ways that matter, The Chinese Groove peels
back our American absurdities and illustrates that love, more than
anything, is powerful enough to sustain us through darkness and
disaster. Kathryn Ma’s latest work is brimming with characters
whose undeniable complexity, authenticity, and hilarity will make
you utter the age-old lie of 'just one more page.' And the twists!
Don’t get me started. A wondrous novel where nothing, and no one,
is as it seems." —Mateo Askaripour, author of Black Buck
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