Cinema Love

Center for Fiction Emerging Writers Fellow Tang’s poignant debut traces the lives of closeted Chinese men and their wives, once connected by a theater in rural China and now navigating lonely lives in New York City’s Chinatown. The first part of the novel introduces listeners to the Worker’s Cinema, a theater where men go to find comfort in the arms of other men. There, Old Second finds love with Shun-Er, only to be discovered by Shun-Er’s wife, Yan Hua. Yan Hua’s reaction has devastating consequences, propelling them to find new lives in the United States. Samantha Tan narrates, immersing listeners in Tang’s keenly described world and lyrical writing. Though the book’s middle section, which highlights the challenges that the women encounter, strays a bit, the final section soars. The depiction of COVID’s effect on Asian immigrants in New York is especially moving. The book has many characters, but Tan skillfully modulates her voice so listeners can easily distinguish the different personalities. Tan’s presentation is compelling without dramatics; Tang’s writing is powerful enough that she can dispense with fireworks.