Bee reviewed Pho Love Story by Loan Le
Review of 'Pho Love Story' on 'Goodreads'
5 stars
Thank you again to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster books for my copy of A Pho Love Story.
After an initial investigation of what the Vietnamese dish Pho (pronounced Fuh) was - a soup consisting of broth, rice noodles, herbs, and meat, sometimes chicken. It's apparently their national dish, I really like the sound of it to be honest. I began to read the tale of Bao and Linh, two teenagers who despite having everything set against them; fall in love.
Yes, you may have bow guessed it this is a Romeo and Juliet style story just without the death. I confess, I'm a sucker for that tale even if the original to me, is not a love story but a tragedy and filled as Shakespeare often did, with lessons we should all learn but I digress from the modern tale of Bao and Linh - sorry about that!
The …
Thank you again to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster books for my copy of A Pho Love Story.
After an initial investigation of what the Vietnamese dish Pho (pronounced Fuh) was - a soup consisting of broth, rice noodles, herbs, and meat, sometimes chicken. It's apparently their national dish, I really like the sound of it to be honest. I began to read the tale of Bao and Linh, two teenagers who despite having everything set against them; fall in love.
Yes, you may have bow guessed it this is a Romeo and Juliet style story just without the death. I confess, I'm a sucker for that tale even if the original to me, is not a love story but a tragedy and filled as Shakespeare often did, with lessons we should all learn but I digress from the modern tale of Bao and Linh - sorry about that!
The two of them have avoided one another despite both families running Pho restaurants across from one another for twelve years which leads to extreme rivalry and the two sets of parents have an irrational hatred of one another, and that has led to their being an utter avoidance of one another.
Until an unplanned interaction happens... and Bao and Linh's lives change.
I love the glimpses into the two immigrant families, I don't know anyone who is Vietnamese and it was really interesting and the many mentions of traditional food had my tummy rumbling! I think Loan Le bringing her heritage into the tale makes it truly unique and adds so much to A Pho Story.
Bao and Linh's romance is told by the two by chapters being told from their own perspective which adds to the tale and world building as the two are very different despite having similar life experiences from their parentage and the rivalry between the two families.
However, there are moments when I truly hate how Linh's parents in particular treat her for her interests and hopes. There is clear signs of emotional abuse that doesn't get truly resolved or explored for them to see that their daughter is capable of being her own person. I had hoped that when Linh apologises for breaking their trust, the light would go on to realise what that had done had caused Linh to also against their rules...
Maybe it's my own experience of controlling parents that made me be especially frustrated by that...