Review by quaintrelle4 -- The Most Unlikely Champion

[quaintrelle4]

[Following is a volunteer review of "The Most Unlikely Champion" by Vera Koo.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Within the journey of life flows the inevitable stream of woes and hardships bifurcating into two distinct paths: the fall, where you give up and allow the challenges of life to crush you down and the rise, where you see yourself climbing up life’s mountain of distress, until you clutch for victory, as you reach the pinnacle of success. The latter epitomizes the life of Vera Koo—an immigrant born in Hong Kong, a mother of four, and the most unlikely champion.

At the senior age of 49, Vera sets her mark in the male-dominated world of sport-shooting, forging a 22-year path of success characterized by winning streaks and world-breaking records. She is on the cusp of leading more victories when an accident threatens to halt her career. Until then, Vera was just a housewife, a supporting business partner to her husband, and a mother. She was raised in a traditional Chinese family where there were little expectations for women to be successful, particularly in male-dominated fields. Then, an unusual path led her to shooting and to remarkable succession of achievements thereafter.

As she rehabilitates herself back into shape, she hinges on to the elements of her past, including family mysteries, losses, and betrayals; biological attributes; financial losses; and above all faith, which have paradoxically catapulted her to victory against all odds. Will this be enough for her to win more titles or will this signal the end of the road for her shooting career? That is the mystery to uncover in The Most Unlikely Champion—a memoir written by the book’s main character, Vera Koo, with contributions from Justin Pahl.

This non-fictional account shines in its ability to keep readers engrossed through relatable characters. It will take you into a whirlpool of emotions as you unveil the foundational elements that make Vera, a seemingly quintessential housewife, the most unlikely champion. You will grieve at the sacrificial love Vera bears in the absence of returned gratitude. You will be left amazed at the colossal strength she musters when faced with sudden loss and tragedy. Lastly, you will be humbled by Vera’s vulnerability—palpable through the raw details shared—her positivity, gratitude, and unwavering faith amidst a backdrop of pain, trials and tribulations.

The book is well-written with minor errors. The writing style is infused with child-like innocence intricately woven with a unique kind of suspense that makes the book flow seamlessly. Given the salient themes highlighted, caregivers; immigrants and patriots of the United States; women; and the elderly will be drawn to this read. Christians can also be counted among the target audience, arguably more so for the Christ-like characters Vera displays (e.g. faithfulness, long-suffering and patience) as opposed to her theological knowledge—which cannot be fully appreciated as she is, at the time the book was written, in the fledgling stages of her faith.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. I loved that it gave the glory to God, and served as a reminder that sometimes, winning has more to do with the state of our mind and our faith rather than the brilliant strategy we may have. I do wish the author had used biblical references to explain some of the conclusions she reached regarding such experiences as the loss of her child. All in all, I give this book a four out of four stars.

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The Most Unlikely Champion
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[AvidBibliophile]

We all experience “the fall” and “the rise” to varying degrees, but most of us can’t begin to fathom what the journey would be like for a female Chinese immigrant pursuing a sport-shooting career. What an interesting book this must have been. Thank you for providing such a thorough and insightful review!

[quaintrelle4]

We all experience “the fall” and “the rise” to varying degrees, but most of us can’t begin to fathom what the journey would be like for a female Chinese immigrant pursuing a sport-shooting career. What an interesting book this must have been. Thank you for providing such a thorough and insightful review!

Yes indeed, the fall and rise is sth we have experienced in our lives, but the degree to which the main character experienced it can easily humble a lot of us and create in us a grateful heart. Thanks for your comment

[Manang Muyang]

I wonder what made her turn to shooting. That's some rocky life she has lived. I hope she continues to rise above all her tribulations and remain a shooting star.

[SamaylaM]

The whole book seems to be an emotional and motivational read. I loved your summary of this book because without the spoilers, you actually put a very fine picture of it and that makes me curious to give it a read. Thank you for this beautiful review of a great book. Well-done!

[Saint Bruno]

Vera Koo's story is a very inspiring one. I would love to learn more about her. Thanks a lot for the great review and recommendation.

[Fozia RYK]

The entire book is by all accounts a passionate and inspirational read. I cherished your rundown of this book on the grounds that without the spoilers, you really put a fine image of it and that intrigues me to give it a read. Much obliged to you for this lovely audit of an incredible book.

[khaulah]

Sounds like an interesting memoir that we can all learn something from. It would be great to learn something from her inspiring story. Wonderful job with the review!

[TheMazeRunner]

This is a touching memoir that is worth reading. Great review!

[quaintrelle4]

The whole book seems to be an emotional and motivational read. I loved your summary of this book because without the spoilers, you actually put a very fine picture of it and that makes me curious to give it a read. Thank you for this beautiful review of a great book. Well-done!

Yes that is exactly what I was aiming for. I wanted to give enough information that could help any interested reader relate to the story but not too much that would end up spoiling it for those who have not read it. Your comment is affirmation that I succeeded in doing that and I thank you for it.

[quaintrelle4]

The entire book is by all accounts a passionate and inspirational read. I cherished your rundown of this book on the grounds that without the spoilers, you really put a fine image of it and that intrigues me to give it a read. Much obliged to you for this lovely audit of an incredible book.

Thanks for your kind words. I’m glad I was able to provide you with a great depiction of what the book is like without the spoilers.

[quaintrelle4]

Sounds like an interesting memoir that we can all learn something from. It would be great to learn something from her inspiring story. Wonderful job with the review!

Yes indeed! The diversity of her experiences make it so that anyone can easily relate to her, if not in whole then definitely in parts.

[quaintrelle4]

I wonder what made her turn to shooting. That's some rocky life she has lived. I hope she continues to rise above all her tribulations and remain a shooting star.

It really was a product of timing and life events because had she tried shooting earlier in her life, I don’t think she would have stuck with it.

[Fozia RYK]

The entire book is by all accounts a passionate and inspirational read. I cherished your rundown of this book on the grounds that without the spoilers, you really put a fine image of it and that intrigues me to give it a read. Much obliged to you for this lovely audit of an incredible book.

Thanks for your kind words. I’m glad I was able to provide you with a great depiction of what the book is like without the spoilers.

Welcome.