NATIONAL BESTSELLER • In a powerful debut about modern-day motherhood, immigration, and identity, a pregnant Chinese woman stakes a claim to the American dream in California.“Utterly absorbing.”—Celeste Ng • “A marvel of a first novel.”—O: The Oprah Magazine • “The most eye-opening literary adventure of the year.”—Entertainment WeeklyNAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY The Washington Post … THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY The Washington Post • NPR • Real Simple
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 married owner, Boss Yeung. Now she’s carrying his baby. To ensure that his child—his first son—has every advantage, Boss Yeung has shipped Scarlett off to give birth on American soil. As Scarlett awaits the baby’s arrival, she spars with her imperious housemates. The only one who fits in even less is Daisy, a spirited, pregnant teenager who is being kept apart from her American boyfriend.
Then a new sonogram of Scarlett’s baby reveals the unexpected. Panicked, she goes on the run 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.
A River of Stars is a vivid examination of home and belonging and a moving portrayal of a woman determined to build her own future.
Praise for A River of Stars
“Vanessa Hua’s story spins with wild fervor, with charming protagonists fiercely motivated by maternal and survival instincts.”—USA Today
“A River of Stars is the best of all worlds: part buddy cop adventure, part coming-of-age story and part ode to female friendship.”—NPR
“Hua’s epic A River of Stars follows a pair of pregnant Chinese immigrant women—two of the more vibrant characters I’ve come across in a while—on the lam from Los Angeles to San Francisco’s Chinatown.”—R. O. Kwon, author of The Incendiaries, in Esquire
“A delightful novel of motherhood and Chinese immigration . . . Without wading into policy debates, Ms Hua dramatises the stories and contributions of immigrants who believe in grand ideals and strive to live up to them.”—The Economist
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A River of Stars splits the ‘Chinese immigrant story’ into a kaleidoscopic spectrum, putting human faces to the many groups — rich and poor, privileged and marginalized, documented and not — who come to America. Vanessa Hua’s debut is an utterly absorbing novel about the ruthless love of parenthood and the universal truth that sometimes family runs deeper than blood alone.
Vanessa Hua’s epic A River of Stars follows a pair of pregnant Chinese immigrant women — two of the more vibrant characters I’ve come across in a while — on the lam from Los Angeles to San Francisco’s Chinatown.
Vanessa Hua illuminates the lives of her characters with energy, verve, and heart. Hua tracks the minutest emotional terrain of these characters while simultaneously interrogating the cultural and economic forces that shape their worlds. This book holds your attention until the very last page.
Vanessa Hua’s compelling A River of Stars is a story of resistance, survival, and self-determination in a world that is seemingly indifferent to the needs of the poor and disenfranchised.
It was a change of pace. A very different story that took me into a different culture. It was a page turner. I worried about what would happen to the main character and that made this story very real.
It was a good read. Good characters.
Scarlett is a memorable character. Her journey from China to San Francisco is an edge of the seat tale full of interesting people and vivid threats. Her growth and development of self worth is compelling. It was nice to read a story that SPOILER ALERT ended happily all around with love and honesty.
A River of Stars was conceptually strong but failed to be a consistently good read. Whirlpools of writing that were poor and lacked clarity through various sections.
River of Stars builds gradually detailing the lives of two Chinese girls and their infant children as they attempt to survive in San Francisco’s Chinatown. It is both sad and heartwarming, and easy to get lost in the characters.
“Here in America, she might change the world—but she had to hurry before someone else did.”
Scarlett Chen’s married lover requests she travel to America to give birth to their son. The benefit of having American citizenship in the family is priceless. Of course, Scarlett will have to give the highly desired baby boy to him and his wife thereafter. In return, she will have freedom and a generous amount of money for her sacrifice and silence. So with few other options, Scarlett accepts and is relocated to a maternity home in Los Angeles which is used for expecting Chinese mothers. However, she soon finds out the predicted gender was wrong and this may change everything. With nothing to lose, pregnant Scarlett flees with an unexpected passenger to an area filled with fellow Chinese immigrants. American dream, here we come!
According to the author Vanessa Hua in her August 2018 NPR interview, A River of Stars is a “pregnant Thelma & Louise”. There is a bit of humor, adventure, and suspense, but my personal favorite thing about this book was the culture, specifically the food. I craved some good, authentic eats while reading the glorious descriptions of dishes in this book. I have a kick-ass Taiwanese restaurant nearby so problem solved. However, themes related to immigration are the meat and potatoes of this novel. While there is a lot to love about A River of Stars, reviews appear to be mixed. I admit I struggled myself with remaining consistently engaged and invested. Read it and see if it works for you. I have a broader perspective now, and that my friends is worth every page!
A River of Stars is a page-turner, a riveting story of parenthood, migration, and the choices we make to survive. Fierce and determined, resourceful and resilient, Scarlett Chen is an unforgettable protagonist you can’t help but root for.