Free Food for Millionaires

De: Min Jin Lee

Narrado por: Jennifer Sun Bell

From the New York Times bestselling author of Pachinko, a "mesmerizing" novel about the Korean-American daughter of first-generation immigrants striving to join Manhattan's inner circle (USA Today).

Casey Han is a strong-willed, Queens-bred daughter of Korean immigrants immersed in a glamorous Manhattan lifestyle she can't afford. When a chance encounter with an old friend lands her a new opportunity, she's determined to carve a space for herself in a glittering world of privilege, power, and wealth–but at what cost?

Set in a city where millionaires scramble for free lunches that the poor are too proud to accept, this epic of love, greed, and ambition is a compelling portrait of intergenerational strife, immigrant struggle, and social and economic mobility. Free Food for Millionaires exposes the intricate layers of a community clinging to its old ways in a city packed with haves and have-nots.

Includes a Reading Group Guide.

Reseñas de la Crítica

"Mesmerizing...Not since Jhumpa Lahiri's The Namesake has an author so exquisitely evoked what it's like to be an immigrant."—--USA Today

"This big, beguiling book has all the distinguishing marks of a Great American novel."—--The Times (London)

"Lee has updated the Victorian novel of progress to a postmodern, postfeminist world and imagined a character whose circumstances feel universal."—--Chicago Tribune

Interesting read, entertaining.

I very much enjoyed this story. It allowed me a peek into Korean culture, and what it’s like to be a Korean-American. The story held my attention throughout. Kudos to the Narrator Jennifer Sun Bell who executed a flawless performance. I have no hesitation in recommending this book to my friends.

believable melodrama

Compelling, likable characters if a bit two-dimensional. What i most appreciate about this work is how it wrestles with authentic experience and all its complicated ambivalences, conflicts, fetishes, disavowals, longings, and lies. Im sorry to say i could barely tolerate the voice actor’s performance. fortunately, the story and writing were strong enough to pull me through.

The reader has a most annoying sing song for such a long book

I loved Pachinko, so had very high expectations for this book. I think this is an inferior novel, but enjoyable, with many endearing characters and variant interesting for those of us who, like me, no little about Korean Americans.

But I found the reader’s intonation quite irritating - was about to switch to reading and quit listening to the audiobook many times throughout.

Amazing

Loved this book and shows you a lot about American Korean culture. Fabulous story. I highly recommend it.

Engrossing multi-generation novel

I chose this novel because I enjoyed Pachinko by the same author. This novel is about the lives of Korean immigrants and their children in the 90’s, but, as the author’s post script points out, it is a story about our country and our lives as immigrants or descendants of immigrants. Beyond that it is a well-told story about peoples’ struggles to live and make choices. Well worth a credit!

Beautifully written

The author has a brilliant way of making mundane characters into interesting, multi- dimensional stars. The spoken performance was stellar. I have severe ADHD and won’t sit down long enough to read a book. I listen to audiobooks and podcasts at 1.4x speed to hold my interest. The pitch of the narrator can get distorted in some books at a higher speed, but not with this one. Wonderful book. I would love to see it adapted as a tv mini-series.

cool content, too long

This book has a lot of interesting moments, but not a lot of tension pulling them together. the themes felt scattered; picked up and dropped throughout the meandering plot. Often the author will narrate in great detail about an outfit or other description which didn't feel very impactful or could have been achieved with a metaphor. Overall I wish that the story was delivered in a tighter, more focused way.

Wonderful story

I enjoyed the story very much, I related to a lot of the characters even though I am not Korean, I am an immigrant like the Author loves this country as many faults it might have. Overall, I will recommend this book. It is a beautiful story.

I liked the character development-especially the younger characters.

Story was interesting but seemed a little long-I think it could be shorter overall.

All the characters so annoying

Maybe this story is too close to home, as a Korean American, the story is too familiar to me. Sabine character is so unrealistic, and other than Casey’s parents almost all the others are doing so well, even I felt this wasn’t so fair for Casey. And everyone is having an affair.. come on!