Cathy C. (cathyskye) -
Helpful Score: 2
Aunty Lee and Nina are at the very heart of this story, and their characters came to life. Unfortunately everyone else around these two women tend to be stock characters: the bumbling, henpecked husband, the ill-tempered social climbing wife, policemen who have to learn how to do their jobs from an old lady, the smarmy con artist, and so on.
The food descriptions made me want to see if there are any local restaurants featuring the cuisine of Singapore. I was hoping for more local color than the food, but other than very brief descriptions of a resort and some Singapore neighborhoods, there wasn't much. More than anything else, Aunty Lee's Delights reminded me of The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith, and although there is insight into the traditions and mindset of those living in Singapore, Aunty Lee doesn't quite have the stature of Precious Ramotswe-- at least not in this first book.
The food descriptions made me want to see if there are any local restaurants featuring the cuisine of Singapore. I was hoping for more local color than the food, but other than very brief descriptions of a resort and some Singapore neighborhoods, there wasn't much. More than anything else, Aunty Lee's Delights reminded me of The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith, and although there is insight into the traditions and mindset of those living in Singapore, Aunty Lee doesn't quite have the stature of Precious Ramotswe-- at least not in this first book.
