31 Jan / Four Aunties and a Wedding by Jesse Q. Sutanto [in Booklist]
As the photographer for the extended Chan clan’s wedding business, Meddelin (a well-intentioned approximation of Madeleine) is intimately familiar with all manner of nuptial celebrations, even when they include accidental murder, as witnessed in Dial A for Aunties (2021), Jesse Q. Sutanto’s rollicking debut, which introduced Big Aunt, Second Aunt, (Meddy’s) Ma, and Fourth Aunt. Meddy is finally the bride, about to marry beloved Nathan in a fairytale affair at Oxford, his alma mater.
Sort-of distant relatives, led by Staphanie, with whom Meddy quickly bonds over their “unfortunately spelled” monikers, have meticulously planned the destination events, which, once again, involve the threat of death. This time, Meddy and the aunties hope to avoid murder at all costs.
In her opening author’s note, Indonesian-Chinese-Singaporean Sutanto reveals she “wanted to tackle the subject of the Asian diaspora” in her aunties sequel. Inspired by the initially awkward clashes experienced between her sprawling family and her hubby’s half-Asian, half-English relatives, Sutanto deftly blends preposterous humor (British slang, mafia posers) with enduring devotion to prove “there is no right or wrong way to ‘being Asian.’”
Review: “Fiction,” Booklist, February 1, 2022
Readers: Adult
Published: 2022