I Leave It Up to You

A Novel

De: Jinwoo Chong

Narrado por: Daniel K. Isaac

From the award-winning author of Flux comes “an endearing novel about second chances” (The Washington Post), with wise insights into love, family, and the art of sushi.

“Wise and poignant [with] mouthwatering descriptions of food . . . I Leave It Up to You is about finding—or rediscovering—the people who make hardship worth enduring.”—Bobby Finger, The New York Times Book Review

A coma can change a man, but the world Jack Jr. awakens to is one he barely recognizes. His advertising job is history, his Manhattan apartment is gone, and the love of his life has left him behind. He’s been asleep for two years; with no one to turn to, he realizes it’s been ten years since he last saw his family.

Lost and disoriented, he makes a reluctant homecoming back to the bustling Korean American enclave of Fort Lee, New Jersey; back into the waiting arms of his parents, who are operating under the illusion that he never left; and back to Joja, their ever-struggling sushi restaurant that he was set to inherit before he ran away from it all. As he steps back into the life he abandoned—learning his Appa’s life lessons over crates of tuna on bleary-eyed 4 a.m. fish runs, doling out amberjack behind the omakase counter while his Umma tallies the night’s pitiful number of customers, and sparring with his recovering alcoholic brother, James—he embraces new roles, too: that of romantic interest to the nurse who took care of him, and that of sage (but underqualified) uncle to his gangly teenage nephew.

There is value in the joyous rhythms of this once-abandoned life. But second chances are an even messier business than running a restaurant, and the lure of a self-determined path might, once again, prove too hard to resist.

I would be mad…

If I was the author of this book, I would be mad if someone described this book as cute and sweet. But it is and I enjoyed it immensely. It made me happy.

Great listen

I thought it was a really cute story and I really liked the characters. The narration was great as well!

Top tier narration

I was engaged from start to finish - excellent narration. His delivery and comedic timing was everything 🙌🏼

Very enjoyable read

I Leave It Up to You by Jinwoo Chong is a masterful and thought-provoking novel that captivates from the very first page. With its richly drawn characters and deeply introspective narrative, Chong explores themes of identity, choice, and the complexities of human relationships. The writing is both poetic and sharp, effortlessly blending emotion with intellectual depth. It's a refreshing and compelling read that stays with you long after the final page. A remarkable second novel that promises great things to come. Highly recommended!