This year has been one of exploration into cultures. Allowing books to take me on a trip and WHAT A TRIP A River of Stars took me on. Vanessa Hua has created a fascinating story about two Chinese women on the run from a birthing center in Los Angeles. I had not heard, nor even thought, about birthing centers before this. Maybe they had been a plot point in a television show but to think of two young women pulled from their homes in China to give birth in the United States giving their children citizenship was not something I ever guessed. But that was it. Our protagonist is Scarlett who grew up in a small village in China and upon moving to mainland China and having a slight affair with the boss. The boss who has only daughters no sons. Scarlett according to the Ultrasound has a boy in her belly so she is sent to Perfume Bay under the watchful eye of Mama Feng. There she meets Daisy and on a whim decides to break out. The story moves at a fast pace and you truly feel the tension as Scarlett moves through life fearful about deportation, her ex lover, Mama Feng and a host of other problems. A true novel for these times and a head scratcher. I loved it and know you will too!

Synopsis: Holed up with other mothers-to-be in a secret maternity home in Los Angeles, Scarlett Chen is far from her native China, where she worked in a factory and fell in love with the owner, Boss Yeung. Now she’s carrying his baby. Already married with three daughters, Boss Yeung is overjoyed because the doctors have confirmed that he will finally have the son he has always wanted. To ensure that his child has every advantage, Boss Yeung has shipped Scarlett off to give birth on American soil. U.S. citizenship will open doors for their little prince.
As Scarlett awaits the baby’s arrival, she chokes down bitter medicinal stews and spars with her imperious housemates. The only one who fits in even less is Daisy, a spirited teenager and fellow unwed mother who is being kept apart from her American boyfriend.
Then a new sonogram of Scarlett’s baby reveals the unexpected. Panicked, she escapes by hijacking a van—only to discover that she has a stowaway: Daisy, who intends to track down the father of her child. The two flee to San Francisco’s bustling Chinatown, where Scarlett will join countless immigrants desperately trying to seize their piece of the American dream. What Scarlett doesn’t know is that her baby’s father is not far behind her.

I received an ARC from the publisher for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own

"Once upon a time, the Goddess of Heaven, furious her daughter had fallen for a lowly cowherd, gouged out a river of stars with her hairpin. She stranded the lovers on opposite shores. Each year, on the seventh day of the seventh month, she relented, allowing the magpies to bridge the sky and reunite them. Love lost, then found, again and again. Now the legend, held another meaning for Scarlett: a mother's forgiveness. In the story she would tell Liberty, not even the Goddess of Heaven could undo the past, but she'd commanded the magpies to complete her daughter's heart, by conjuring a flock that spanned the universe."

I am always on the hunt to discover new female voices in the literary world and Vanessa Hua is an author that I think we will all enjoy reading for many years to come. I am very thankful to the team at Ballantine Books for sending an advanced copy of her debut my way because I absolutely loved it. Along with the arc was a letter from Vanessa herself that told how she began writing this book when she was pregnant with twin sons. The book was inspired by her hearing about "secret maternity centers that housed pregnant women from China. The mothers-to-be intended to give birth here, granting their babies U.S. citizenship." She wondered "who were these women and what was it like to be so far from home during the most vulnerable time in their life? What would a child with U.S. citizenship mean to them?" Vanessa is the American-born daughter of Chinese immigrants, and she wrote how she is always "trying to shine a light onto untold stories, in fiction and in journalism." I had never head of these maternity centers and I was intrigued. So, after reading her letter, I moved this book to the top of my TBR and settled in with it. I am not ashamed to tell you I read it cover to cover in one night.

The book focuses on Scarlett who has found herself pregnant with her married boss's child. Thinking that Scarlett will finally give him the son he has so desperately wanted, he arranges to have her fly over to the US on a travel visa and live in a "maternity center". I went down the google rabbit hole after I finished this book and found several articles about raids conducted on these "luxury birthing centers" that are secretly located all over the United States. Handlers are paid between $40,000 and $80,000 to advise the women on obtaining visas, flying through the least suspicious airports and even disguising their pregnancies, so I learned a lot about a subject that I did not even know existed.

This is where we find Scarlett in the opening chapter. She has arrived here in America and receives some surprising news after checking in to her "birthing center" and seeing her new doctor. She makes the decision to run away from the center and try to make a life on her own. What follows is a powerful commentary about immigration, the depths of a mother's love, and the tenacity it takes to make it in a country where you can not speak the language, have no source of income or way to support yourself or your child. I loved Scarlett's character. As a mother I completely understood her drive to provide for her child and and do whatever it took to get her baby's needs met. Through sheer force of will she determined to claim a piece of the American dream and the ups and downs that it took to make that a reality for her is a story I will not soon forget.

Thank you so much to Random House and Ballantine Books for sending me an advanced copy of this incredible debut in exchange for my honest review. 5 stars.

My Thoughts: In a summer of terrific debuts, Vanessa Hua holds her own and is an author I will definitely be looking for more from. In A River of Stars she tells the story of Scarlett Chen, Chinese, pregnant, alone in the U.S., scared, and driven. Scarlett had been sent to Los Angeles by the father of her baby in order to secure U.S. citizenship for the son she carried. Things quickly went awry and Scarlett fled in a stolen van, taking a 17-year old pregnant stow-away, Daisy, along with her. The two reluctantly agreed to work together, winding up in San Francisco’s Chinatown where they hoped to become anonymous. I loved the touching story of Scarlett and Daisy struggling to make lives for themselves and their babies. Unfortunately, I liked much less the parts of Hua’s story that focused on secondary characters such as Boss Yeung, the father of Scarlett’s baby and Mama Fang, who ran the home Scarlett fled from. I just wasn’t invested in these characters and found myself skimming their parts. In the end, A River of Stars was a book that really made me think about immigrants and what it must be like for those families where a child born here is welcome, but his or her parents are not.

Note: I received a copy of this book from Ballentine Books (via NetGalley) in exchange for my honest review. Many thanks!

This is one of those books that I enjoyed more the idea than the execution. I can totally relate to a story about immigrant women going to America. However, I struggled to finish reading, though I liked the story and the characters. I liked the way Daisy and Scarlett managed to solve their issues, and how things turned out, even though I didn’t like the path that much.

A wonderful debut novel about Chinese Americans, immigration, and the pursuit of the American dream. I loved the main character, Scarlett Chen. I enjoyed the story and thank Net Galley, the publisher and the author for the chance to read an advance copy of this book

I really enjoyed this book. I enjoy reading about Chinese culture. This was a little unbelievable at times but I was okay with that. It did tie up a little to neatly at the end also. All in all it was a good read. Thanks NetGalley for the book in exchange for an honest review. 3.5

A River of Stars is a beautifully woven story of motherhood, and the communities mothers build to support them through the biggest shift in priorities and self. The two mothers whom we meet in this novel are striving to provide their children with the best that they can offer by sacrificing themselves and their needs in the process. I enjoyed the growth and character development woven through the narrative. You never feel sorry for these women, but instead are rooting for their success at every turn. It was a quick and enjoyable read!

The title is a graceful nod to the fundamental Chinese myth of the cowherd and the weaver girl, which, though ancient, as buried in it some key ideas about the double blade of parenthood and filial obedience.

This novel, rich in detail about Chinese Americans and Chinese immigrants, takes a compassionate but unsentimental look at motivations for Chinese coming to America.

Scarlett Chen, our main character, becomes pregnant by her lover and owner of the factory she works for, Boss Yeung. He’s a self-made successful business man with three daughters and a wife, but he yearns for what men in China want: a son, to carry on his success.

When a secretly obtained ultrasound reveals Scarlett is carrying a treasured boy, he sends her to America so that his son will be born with American citizenship, with every opportunity Americans have—that wedded with the Chinese connections surely means a limitless future of wealth and success! Scarlett has a difficult relationship with her own mother, who works for a clinic and so knows that one-child policies are enforced, so she is ready to be flown overseas, even though her English is rudimentary at best.

Through an arrangement with entrepreneur/con artists Mama Fang, Scarlett stays at Perfume Bay on the outskirts of LA (probably San Gabriel, which has an enormous Chinese population). She’s pretty much a prisoner, housed with other expectant mothers, eating terrible food, living in squalor, and worrying about Boss Yeung and her child’s future.

A routine sonogram gives her shocking news that she fears will change any love Boss Yeung has for her, ending his support. It becomes vital to escape before she gives birth, only to discover teenaged Daisy, another unwed mother, in the van she steals.

Daisy, born in America but returned to Taiwan as a baby, is suffering her own broken heart, kept from her child’s father William, whom she met in Teipei during a summer language program. She wants nothing more than to get a message to him, but her parents lie to her, and lie to the boy to keep them apart.

Despite their differences, both of their fates hinge on their ability to survive in San Francisco’s Chinese subculture while they have basically nothing. Scarlett acts like a mother figure to Daisy, though she has no maternal instincts. The two of them use not just their wits but their cultural awareness to make a place for themselves among strangers who don’t have all that much more than they do.

Not everyone is willing to help strangers crowding in. But they build connections, one by one, in scenes both harrowing and funny. We learn about food cart wars, which can be as deadly as nuclear threat between nations, as Scarlett finds out when someone puts a flyer next to her food cart with a picture of a rat on it, implying she uses ground rat meat.

The novel is vividly written, full of sensory detail—sometimes almost too much of it. There is an authentic ring to the Chinese idiom, customs, rituals, and myths that weave their way into the stories of all these individuals trying to make good lives for themselves. It’s an impressive debut, which ends with grace and insight.

What a unique and fascinating book! Scarlett is a very sympathetic and interesting character who comes alive off the page with authenticity. Her unexpected relationship with Daisy turns into a true friendship as they deal with their unexpected circumstances.

The writing is very good and the descriptions so vivid I could practically smell the food and feel the atmosphere. Sometimes sad, sometimes hilarious, the narrative paints a picture of the lives of these women and their babies.

The ending is bittersweet and I was reluctant to come to the last page. I'd love to know what happens next. Perhaps a sequel?

4.5 stars

Those who live in Southern California may remember that several years ago, there was a huge boom in “birthing tourism” where pregnant women in China would pay a lofty sum for the “privilege” of traveling to the United States to give birth so that their babies would automatically get American citizenship. The most notorious of the “maternity centers” that made these types of arrangements for the women were all located in San Gabriel, an area that was (and still is) home to a large community of immigrant Chinese. Seven years ago, the largest of these centers (all operated by the same person) was raided and shut down after neighbors complained about noise coming from the property – authorities arrived to find that the center wasn’t just being used as a “hotel” tending to pregnant Chinese women before and after they gave birth, but part of the center was also operating as an unlicensed birthing facility. I don’t remember the exact details of the news story now, but I think the owner / operator of the facility was merely fined a small amount of money and told to return the property to its original condition (there had also been illegal construction done where permits were never obtained) while the women who were in the facility at the time of the raid were all deported back to China along with their babies. I have a friend who lived in the San Gabriel area back then, near one of the centers that had been shut down, and it was from her that I learned afterwards a lot of what went on in these centers and the conditions that the women who lived there faced. The whole thing was huge news in the local Chinese immigrant community for weeks and had fueled a bitter debate amongst locals over the topic of immigration and the whole “birthing tourism” phenomenon in general.

Based on the above, it should come as no surprise then that when I read the book summary for Vanessa Hua’s debut novel A River of Stars and found out it covered this exact topic of birthing tourism, I knew I absolutely had to read this book! Going into this read, I thought I knew what to expect and for the first few chapters, that was definitely the case -- but then this book turned into so much more, to the point that I feel like I am short-changing the book by saying it is a story about birthing tourism and maternity centers alone. Indeed, the story here goes much deeper than that – yes, this is a story about the Chinese immigrant experience, but it is also a story about identity, class and privilege, the economic divide between rich and poor, survival despite less than desirable circumstances (amongst other themes). What resonated with me the most (aside from the immigrant experience and the setting in Southern California) though was the author’s exploration of motherhood and family – both of which, to me, were truly at front and center of the story more so than everything else that was mentioned earlier. Through the fascinating characters of Scarlett and Daisy as well as the myriad of supporting characters who all play important roles in the narrative (Boss Yeung, Uncle Lo, Mama Fang, Viann, Old Wu, etc.), Hua didn’t just write a typical story about Chinese immigrants pursuing the American dream – rather, she gives us a deeply insightful, relatable, sensitive yet honest story that is at the same time culturally resonant as well as timely.

This story is unique in that it has at its center two strong, spirited, determined, Chinese women who refuse to accept their lots in life and instead, strive to rise above their circumstances, overcome past mistakes, and carve out their own futures, yet are still able to maintain and evolve their cultural identities. Being myself a female, born into a traditional Chinese family, an immigrant with one foot in the East and the other in the West, an active member in the global Asian diaspora -- I can’t convey enough how special the characters of Scarlett and Daisy were to me. These are characters that I will definitely remember – deeply flawed, imperfect, vulnerable, yet at the same time strong, resilient, and inspiring.

This is a book I enjoyed tremendously, a story that hooked me from the first page, an entertaining read that was cheeky and fun yet also serious when it needed to be. This book made me smile and laugh, yet it also made me shed a tear or two. The writing itself was a bit uneven – I felt that some parts were overwritten while other parts could have benefited from more detail…. and I will be honest in saying that I’m not sure if I like the ending, which to me, the way everything was tied up, detracted a bit from the raw honesty of the rest of the story. Regardless though, in the overall scheme of things, both of these were very minor flaws in my opinion. Another thing worth mentioning is that the cultural references in the story – whether in reference to Chinese customs, traditions, beliefs, historical background, etc. -- were all spot-on! The author Vanessa Hua in this case did not shy away from presenting the good and the bad, putting things out there as is and instead letting the characters and their stories speak for themselves.

One last thing – I didn’t understand the significance of the book’s title until I came to the part that mentioned the Chinese folk tale about the cowherd and weaver girl (a tale that I had of course heard many times as a child) -- which got me thinking about the story as a whole and the parallels to that tale despite the contemporary setting. This made the story even more special for me. Obviously, this book is one that I highly recommend – a story that is timely, relevant, and necessary given the world we live in today!

Received ARC from Ballantine Books via NetGalley.

#partner #randomhouse #ballantinebooks Thank you for my review copy, all opinions are my own.

I was so excited to read this book and definitely enjoyed it! This book follows Scarlett, a Chinese immigrant who comes to the US for her unborn daughter. The book challenges tough topics and explores what a mother will do to give her daughter a positive start in life. Scarlett faces many dangers, prejudice, and patriarchy. The book is well written and explores Scarlett with depth and perspective. 📚 Publication Date: August 14, 2018

Summary:

Scarlet is a no-nonsense Chinese business woman.  Coming from nothing, she has clawed her way to her position, taking classes at night.  Everything takes a back seat to leading a better life…. Until she becomes pregnant with her lover’s child- her married lover.  Her boss. 

               Daisy doesn’t mean for anything to happen.  She’s a good girl, if overly opinionated and obstinate.  When her first love turns into a teenage pregnancy, her parents are desperate to take care of things, to save face.

             The two find themselves in America, living out the rest of their pregnancy trapped in a “resort”, reviled by the rich and elite mothers there as well.  When it becomes apparent that Boss Yeung wants the child to be raised by him and his family, Scarlet begins to get worried.  She has to get away, hide herself, have her baby, gain citizenship and keep her child from their father.  Easy, right?  But when she steals the proprietress’ van, she comes away with a stow-away.

           Trying to live on their own with two babies is ridiculously hard.  That the two have almost nothing in common is apparent from the get-go, but they have to band together to make it work.

My thoughts:

              I loved this book.  The characters were well rounded and really great.  I liked Daisy’s fire, Scarlet’s ability to make anything work for her.  I even ended up loving some of the more “unlovable characters” like the children’s fathers.  The book had a great flow to it, and the premise was fantastic.  I literally could not put this book down- I think I fell asleep last night at 2:00 am. 

        I liked the cultural themes here, and the way each group acted differently.  While the ladies couldn't be bothered by Scarlet and Daisy, Old Wu and several others in the apartment complex took them in.    In all honesty, I can't put my finger on why I loved it, just that I did.  It was well written, engaging and heart felt.  I give it four stars.  

           On the adult content scale there was some language, mild sexual content and violence.  I give it a five- while I would let my niece read it I feel like this one is for older teens and adults.  

          I was lucky enough to receive an eARC of this book from Netgalley and Ballentine books in exchange for an honest review.  My thanks!  

The book comes out 8-14-18!  Is it on your TBR?

An involving novel about a woman experiencing motherhood, going through the immigration process, and searching for the American dream. I liked Scarlett Chen. I'd love to read a sequel and see what happens to her next.

This was a great book. The character development was fantastic, and I loved the ending ;) I will definitely be reading more of Vanessa Hua in the future--you have a devoted fan!

It's always nice to read a debut novel from an author that makes you want more of their work. Vanessa Hua did not disappoint. This was a plot that was full of twists and turns, and one that touched on a number of issues such as poverty, privilege, and immigration. At first glance, the characters seem to be on different paths, but a deeper dive reveals that their lives are connected by blood, betrayal and circumstance in ways that you won't see coming.

The novel has a few moments that are a little fantastical, and the ending itself was wrapped up a bit too nicely to be believable, but the story is one that tugs at your heartstrings either way. The book also dragged at times, but it was full with enough drama and excitement for the most part to keep you going. I recommend this book for anyone looking for an interesting read.

This is a remarkable debut. It's light, without being fluffy. The characters are both lovable and flawed. An immigration story unlike anything you've read--and familiar at the same time.

Vanessa Hua brings us a wonderful novel that sings. As a young teenager Scarlett Chen works her way from the small, northern Chinese village she was born in through jobs requiring increasingly more knowledge, better language skills and more sophistication as she works her way south. In her early thirties she works her way into a job as a deputy manager in Shenzhen, and also finds love with Boss Yeung, her married CO. Her first trip outside China is to Los Angeles, CA to a home run by Mama Fang for pregnant Chinese women wanting US citizenship for their soon to be born babies. Boss Yeung wants this very much for Scarlett's baby, thought to be a son from the first ultrasound photo. With his wife he has only daughters - three of them. The idea of finally having a son makes him lose all sense of proportion. Scarlett finds herself getting lost in the dreamscape of a future presented by Boss Yeung.

When it all falls apart, Scarlett flees LA in a stolen van, only to find she has a stowaway, another soon to be mother from the maternity house of Mama Fang, 17 year old Daisy. Daisy is a naturalized American citizen, sent to the maternity house in LA in an effort to hide her from William, the father of her soon to be born son.

Chinatown in San Francisco is a world apart for both of our intrepid ladies, but the spunk that gets them into trouble is the spark that will get them out of it. This is an excellent story, tight and concise, and intensely readable. I will look for more by this author.

I received a free electronic copy of this excellent novel from Netgalley, Vanessa Hua, and Random House Publishing - Ballantine in exchange for an honest review. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me.

Writing: 4 Plot: 4 Characters: 3.5

Heavily pregnant, Scarlett and Daisy, meet at Perfume Bay — the exclusive maternity home in Los Angeles for Chinese women who want to have their “anchor” babies in the U.S. for automatic citizenship. Neither wants to be there — teen-age Daisy has been placed there by parents anxious to separate her from an “unsuitable” boyfriend; Scarlett has been placed there by the baby’s father — also her married boss — who wants the son he believes she is carrying.

After an opportunistic escape, they make their way to San Francisco’s Chinatown where they learn about motherhood while trying to bulldoze their way to legal status and financial stability (Scarlett) and find the boyfriend (Daisy).

Woven throughout the modern day narrative are the historical stories of Scarlett’s China — highlighting the contrasts between the traditional and modern, the city and the country, and China and the U.S. There are a lot of interesting details included: Scarlett’s estranged mother was the village “family planner” — the woman charged with upholding the unpopular “one child” law (only recalled in 2013, this novel takes while the law was still in effect). Historical immigration policies in the U.S. had banned Chinese women from immigrating as families “weren’t supposed to take root here.” The backstories of other characters reveal even more detail of life in China under Communist rule.

While the end is tied up perhaps too neatly, the story is unpredictable and engaging, the characters are appealing, and I appreciated the inclusion of historical and cultural detail. It is simultaneously a novel about China and San Francisco, quirks and all. It shirks from neither!

4 1/2 stars -- I really enjoyed this book. A River of Stars is a beautifully written novel about Scarlet, a pregnant young Chinese woman who is sent by her boss, the baby's father, to a secret maternity home in the US for Chinese mothers-to-be. Unexpectedly, she learns that she is expecting a daughter instead of the son the baby's father expected, and decides that she should try to escape in order to protect her child. Another young mother joins her, and together they settle in Chinatown in San Francisco and struggle to achieve security and community for themselves and their children. At the same time, the baby's father and others are searching for Scarlet and her child, which provides tension about how she will be able to support and raise her child, whether she will be found, and what may happen to them if they are found. The characters were well-developed and interesting, and the story gave a thought-provoking and unique perspective on immigration, culture, community, and family. I was excited to receive this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A River of Stars is an enjoyable read. Scarlett is sent to America by her lover to await the birth of their child. She and another inmate at the pregnancy home escape and carve a life for themselves and their children in San Francisco. They find a community of friends as Scarlett embarks on a food truck career. The strengths of this book are it's themes of perseverance, determination, and dreams.