Summer’s here, the days are longer, and we’re delivering lots of Poured Over Double Shot episodes to help you plan your summer reading, starting with Jonathan Eig and Héctor Tobar on June 1st. I knew I wanted to read this novel when I saw the blurb because of the multi generational tale that was emerging from the synopsis, as well as the fact it was featuring a PhD student in the midst of crisis at its protagonist. However, I think there are readers who will still enjoy "A Quitter's Paradise", since the writing flows well and is very accessible. Throughout we question many forms of love: filial love, sisterly love, practical love, a union of two compatible people and a partnership based on strengths and weaknesses.

It’s truly the perfect inaugural book for SJP Lit and I couldn’t be more honored to be working with the extraordinarily talented Elysha Chang. Exploring the intersections of love and obligation, duty and commitment, the independence of new lifestyles and the appeal of old traditions, Chang’s novel will appeal to fans of Helen Fisher’s Faye Farawayand Tracey Lien’s All That’s Left Unsaid. Their friendship blossoms as they help each other, offering support, hard truths, and loving backup.Her unique story intertwines with others of Chinese immigrants looking for a chance in America, the struggles they had to face during their lives and their choices.

I got some subtle metaphors here with the context of Eleanor’s family’s story, as they struggled consistently to get where they’re at and she gives up, while her husband is privileged. Elysha Chang’s debut, A Quitter’s Paradise, is the story of one woman’s journey through family secrets, grief and love told with humor and heart. I can’t say this enough: you don’t have to like the characters or their choices or think they’re good people for a book to be worth your time.

She ends up pregnant after quitting the program, but their marriage seems to be rocky from the fact he simply gets everything and she struggles. Here, the themes include family fractures, working-class and undocumented immigrant lives, miscarriage (though underexplored), self-knowledge, parental expectations, and loss. The narration is intimate, poignant, it's almost like reading someone's deepest thoughts: truly beautiful. On one hand, I can see the merits of A Quitter’s Paradise’s concept: a Chinese American woman struggling to cope with the grief over her mother’s recent death as well as estrangement from her other family members. It is this personality trait of Eleanor’s that shapes much of the story in the present timeline, which ends up affecting her relationships with everyone around her.

Alternating between present and past, first and third person narration, the story follows the members of Liu family. In terms of story arc, the first two-thirds or so was quite strong and kept me engaged, but then the last third of the story got a bit muddled and abstract, to the point that, in the end, I felt lost and was no longer sure I knew where the author was trying to go with the story.A graduate of Columbia ’ s MFA Program, she has received fellowships from The Center for Fiction and Kundiman.