Susan Qin's Reviews > Pearl River Drama: Dating in China - A Memoir

Even though the book is based on real life, it is absolutely not a journal by a just another expat living in South China. The book is well written by a professional writer- neither repetitive nor lack of important details, and more importantly, is quite insightful at some chapters I’d say. For example, when the author make the introductions about the cultural background, it says “The economic landscape is changing at a frantic pace and the culture cannot keep up. Whatever standards the previous generation may have adhered to, often times young Chinese people completely disregard those imprints”- this is very true.
I really appreciate the honesty, when the author tells the stories about how he grown up without much romantic experiences, the commitment issues explained at the very beginning, it may not that easy to “get laid” in China (bragging may exits) , confusions and excitements and all the other thoughts and feelings shared throughout the entire book. After all, it is not just about dating, it is about how the author lives and how he think about things happening (e.g. paragraphs about Israel) everyone else in his life.
The last dating story with Jennifer seems a bit longer and boring. To be honest, this story sounds like two teenagers watched too much porn- so many drama and very childish. If it is that important and cannot be eliminated, then make it shorter. Except for this not-so-good part and a few typos, this is still a book recommended.