Review by nalam -- Mock My Words by Chandra Shekhar
-
nalam
- Posts: 1
- Joined: 27 Dec 2019, 12:27
- Currently Reading:
- Bookshelf Size: 2
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-nalam.html
- Latest Review: Mock My Words by Chandra Shekhar
Review by nalam -- Mock My Words by Chandra Shekhar
[Following is a volunteer review of "Mock My Words" by Chandra Shekhar.]
Chandra Shekhar’s debut novel, Mock My Words, is a delightful story about a successful young author from China, David Tan, and his initial experiences and challenges living in his new city (San Francisco) and new home country (the United States), where he has relocated with his American and non-Chinese wife, Laura. Book critics, colleagues, and scholars deem David a literary genius. In spite of his career success, David faces profound struggles and loneliness in both his marriage and in his new job as a writing professor at an American university.
The novel spans a short period of time - perhaps one year - and starts with David teaching a college writing course for the first time. His students are uninterested in the literary works he shares during class discussions. They are bored and unimpressed with their professor. As a native Mandarin-speaker, David believes that his accent and grammatical errors frustrate his students. Ultimately, the students give David very poor ratings in their class evaluations, leaving David dismayed and unsure about his teaching abilities. Meanwhile, at home, David’s wife Laura, who is a busy and overworked public relations manager, is assigned to lead a time-consuming project at work. She becomes increasingly distant from David. Laura has become growingly unsatisfied in her marriage and takes advantage of David’s kindness, conflict-avoidance, and mild-mannered temperament.
The story revolves around the separately challenging lives of David and Laura. Readers are left wondering what will happen with their marriage. Will they rediscover marital bliss or continue to drift apart? Will David take a stand with his wife or continue to allow her to demean and ignore him? In addition to being a story about a marriage, Mock My Words is also about friendship, resilience, human connections, and unexpected turns in life. It is beautifully written and readers will find themselves rooting for the story’s protagonist, David, throughout.
Shekhar has a gift of storytelling and Mock My Words is a truly engaging story from the very first chapter. Shekhar leaves readers curious at the end of each chapter, and I simply had to keep reading to find out what would transpire with the characters. In Laura, Shekhar has created a complicated personality that at times is mean and utterly lacking in empathy, and at other moments, is self-aware, remorseful, and genuinely caring. In David, readers may find themselves frustrated with his all-too-complicit and almost naive attitude, but still hoping for him to overcome his difficulties.
Although the novel seemed to jump around in time, particularly at the end, and though some characters were not fully developed (Melissa, David’s tutoring student and even Laura), I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars for two reasons: 1. It is very well written and I simply could not put it down and 2. The story and subplots are so engaging and suspenseful that any unfinished plot lines or lack of character depth are forgivable. Mock My Words is a wonderful story and a perfect read for the adult leisure-reader, the beachside novel-soaker, or the young adult looking for an entertaining and light read.
******
Mock My Words
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Chandra Shekhar’s debut novel, Mock My Words, is a delightful story about a successful young author from China, David Tan, and his initial experiences and challenges living in his new city (San Francisco) and new home country (the United States), where he has relocated with his American and non-Chinese wife, Laura. Book critics, colleagues, and scholars deem David a literary genius. In spite of his career success, David faces profound struggles and loneliness in both his marriage and in his new job as a writing professor at an American university.
The novel spans a short period of time - perhaps one year - and starts with David teaching a college writing course for the first time. His students are uninterested in the literary works he shares during class discussions. They are bored and unimpressed with their professor. As a native Mandarin-speaker, David believes that his accent and grammatical errors frustrate his students. Ultimately, the students give David very poor ratings in their class evaluations, leaving David dismayed and unsure about his teaching abilities. Meanwhile, at home, David’s wife Laura, who is a busy and overworked public relations manager, is assigned to lead a time-consuming project at work. She becomes increasingly distant from David. Laura has become growingly unsatisfied in her marriage and takes advantage of David’s kindness, conflict-avoidance, and mild-mannered temperament.
The story revolves around the separately challenging lives of David and Laura. Readers are left wondering what will happen with their marriage. Will they rediscover marital bliss or continue to drift apart? Will David take a stand with his wife or continue to allow her to demean and ignore him? In addition to being a story about a marriage, Mock My Words is also about friendship, resilience, human connections, and unexpected turns in life. It is beautifully written and readers will find themselves rooting for the story’s protagonist, David, throughout.
Shekhar has a gift of storytelling and Mock My Words is a truly engaging story from the very first chapter. Shekhar leaves readers curious at the end of each chapter, and I simply had to keep reading to find out what would transpire with the characters. In Laura, Shekhar has created a complicated personality that at times is mean and utterly lacking in empathy, and at other moments, is self-aware, remorseful, and genuinely caring. In David, readers may find themselves frustrated with his all-too-complicit and almost naive attitude, but still hoping for him to overcome his difficulties.
Although the novel seemed to jump around in time, particularly at the end, and though some characters were not fully developed (Melissa, David’s tutoring student and even Laura), I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars for two reasons: 1. It is very well written and I simply could not put it down and 2. The story and subplots are so engaging and suspenseful that any unfinished plot lines or lack of character depth are forgivable. Mock My Words is a wonderful story and a perfect read for the adult leisure-reader, the beachside novel-soaker, or the young adult looking for an entertaining and light read.
******
Mock My Words
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: Mock My Words by Chandra Shekhar
