From America to China

The Foremost Good Fortune by Susan Conley
This book is kind of like Eat, Pray, Love but instead with China and cancer. Or at least it's like that what I imagine since I haven't actually read or see the movie. But here, Susan agrees to move to Beijing with her husband along with their two sons, and while there she discovers that she has breast cancer.

Picking this up I was hoping to be transported to China. And while there was times that that was the case, in general I don't feel like I was transported. That could be because I didn't have anything to base the experience on, never being to China myself. But I did love the pieces of China that came across and wish I would have been able to better immerse myself in the culture. (Although I may to actually move to China for that truly to occur.)

I loved hearing her write about her sons, who were 5 and 7 when these events took place. I felt that as a reader we really got to know her sons, and they came off as adorable. It was really interesting not just getting to know her boys, but somewhat getting to see China through their eyes as well.

A lot of the book did deal with finding yourself and the author dealing with her own mortality once diagnosed. I feel like an awful person for saying this, but I just don't really get "finding yourself" or at least reading about someone doing it. But if you enjoy that kind of character exploring I think you'd love that aspect of this book.

With all that said, I still really enjoyed reading this. Yes, I may have wanted more China, especially since I loved the stories where I felt she was able to capture the country, but even I really enjoyed reading this one. (Plus there's the fact that I think the cover to this is adorable.)

4/5

Disclosure: I was provided this book through a Goodreads First Reads giveaway. All opinions expressed are my own.

Today I'm linking up with Blonde Undercover Blonde for Book Club Friday!