"The Chinese Groove," by Kathryn Ma

The descriptions in reviews of “The Chinese Groove” (Counterpoint, 2023), a novel by Kathryn Ma, did not immediately draw me in. But I had read Ma’s previous book, “All That Work and Still No Boys,” and very much liked it, so I thought I would try this novel. An added attraction was that it takes place (mostly) in San Francisco. The term “the Chinese groove” refers to what (some) new immigrants from China to the U.S. believe and hope will be true: that the network of already-settled-in-the-U.S. family members, friends, and even new acquaintances will help smooth the way for new immigrants, helping them find jobs, housing, and more. In the experience of the protagonist of this novel, whose American name is Shelley, this belief turns out to be, at various times, both very untrue and then sometimes very true. Shelley is a character who is both very naïve and very smart, one who picks up vibes and nuances quite quickly. He learns to “use” people but not in an obnoxious or harmful way; he is actually very loyal to anyone even tangentially related to him, and/or anyone who is kind to him. And he truly cares about the people he meets along the way in his new situation. He is a romantic at heart. He – and the novel – are also very funny. We readers are happy to follow along as Shelley finds his way.