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A review by spcandybars
Death by Dumpling by Vivien Chien
adventurous
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
I enjoyed this! I’m still finding my way in the cozy mystery genre and I’m beginning to believe that it’s going to be common for them to sit around this rating range. Death by Dumplings was fast paced, introduced plenty of decently lovable characters that, however one dimensional, I’d still look forward to seeing again in more books, and dropped enough hints that I felt like I was actually able to figure out the mystery along with our heroine.
As mentioned, the characters aren’t very well established. There are many people I would love to love more like Launa’s parents and the Mahjong Matrons and Kimi and Peter and even Launa herself but I can’t say I feel very endeared towards any of them just yet. Chinese lineage is brought into the story but not necessarily Chinese or Chinese American culture which may or may not be disappointing depending on what you’re looking for. Launa is slightly detached from her Chinese heritage and so this reads more like a traditional cozy where the focus is the murder mystery and the small area vibes rather than establishing characters within a cultural viewpoint.
As a restaurant cozy, I do wish there was slightly more emphasis on the food. Vivien Chien is not the most descriptive writer so I feel like we were missing the presence of food an expectation was set for. Despite that though, what she lacks in descriptive fervor, she makes up for in succinct storytelling. This is a perfect “listen at 3x speed” reading slump book. It’s fast paced, the mystery is uncomplicated but still enjoyable to follow, and there’s enough ground work established for you to feel excited for future storylines. I’ll definitely be continuing.
As mentioned, the characters aren’t very well established. There are many people I would love to love more like Launa’s parents and the Mahjong Matrons and Kimi and Peter and even Launa herself but I can’t say I feel very endeared towards any of them just yet. Chinese lineage is brought into the story but not necessarily Chinese or Chinese American culture which may or may not be disappointing depending on what you’re looking for. Launa is slightly detached from her Chinese heritage and so this reads more like a traditional cozy where the focus is the murder mystery and the small area vibes rather than establishing characters within a cultural viewpoint.
As a restaurant cozy, I do wish there was slightly more emphasis on the food. Vivien Chien is not the most descriptive writer so I feel like we were missing the presence of food an expectation was set for. Despite that though, what she lacks in descriptive fervor, she makes up for in succinct storytelling. This is a perfect “listen at 3x speed” reading slump book. It’s fast paced, the mystery is uncomplicated but still enjoyable to follow, and there’s enough ground work established for you to feel excited for future storylines. I’ll definitely be continuing.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder
Minor: Infidelity