Last year, NPR readers shared their favorite Lunar New Year dishes. This year, they shared their old and new traditions. And, as is tradition at NPR Books, we have reading recommendations for every occasion: As we welcome the Year of the Snake, here are two Lunar New Year romances that appeared in Books We Love, our annual year-end reading guide:
‘Lunar Love’ by Lauren Kung Jessen
This is a heart-swelling romance with the Chinese zodiac — and two charismatic business competitors at the center. Lauren Kung Jessen’s Los Angeles-based love story pits Olivia, a matchmaker who runs a traditional agency based on really getting to know her individual clients, against Bennett, who’s behind a dating app that threatens her business — and her worldview.
This book is a fast-paced and funny exploration of family, identity, legacy and fate, packed with delicious descriptions of food. I inhaled this one in a single afternoon. — Elise Hu, host, TED Talks Daily podcast, author of “Flawless”
“Lunar New Year Love Story” by Gene Luen Yang, illustrated by LeUyen Pham
Since the Lunar New Year generally falls between Jan. 21 and Feb. 20, at times this holiday coincides with Valentine's Day. By its very title, “Lunar New Year Love Story” combines the symbolism of both holidays to create a dynamic romance, interweaving different traditions of the lion dance in Asian culture with the symbol of the lion in Christian iconography.
Acknowledging the dark forces that haunt refugee and immigrant lives in transition, the young lovers in this young adult graphic novel must learn how to dance, literally and metaphorically, to free themselves from the shackles of the past and the idea of cultural authenticity that have created barriers between communities. — Thúy Ðinh, book critic
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