What do you think?
Rate this book
Cinema Love
A staggering, tender epic about gay men in rural China and the women who marry them.
For over thirty years, Old Second and his wife, Bao Mei, have cobbled together a meager existence in New York City’s Chinatown. But unlike other couples, these two aren’t in love. In rural China, before they emigrated, they frequented the Workers’ Cinema: a rundown theater where gay men cruised without fear for intimacy and conversation.
While classic war films played, Old Second and his countrymen found privacy—and love—in the screening rooms. In the box office, Bao Mei sold tickets to closeted men; guarding their secrets, guiding them in their relationships, and even finding her own happiness with the theater’s projectionist. But when Old Second’s passion for his lover is discovered, a series of haunting events unfold, propelling these characters toward an uncertain future in America.
As we follow these characters from China to New York, from first love to old age, we bear witness to the tensions of immigration—and how memory forever weighs down the present. Cinema Love is a big-hearted and heart-shattering novel about desire, secrets, grief, how we care for one another, and how we survive.
For over thirty years, Old Second and his wife, Bao Mei, have cobbled together a meager existence in New York City’s Chinatown. But unlike other couples, these two aren’t in love. In rural China, before they emigrated, they frequented the Workers’ Cinema: a rundown theater where gay men cruised without fear for intimacy and conversation.
While classic war films played, Old Second and his countrymen found privacy—and love—in the screening rooms. In the box office, Bao Mei sold tickets to closeted men; guarding their secrets, guiding them in their relationships, and even finding her own happiness with the theater’s projectionist. But when Old Second’s passion for his lover is discovered, a series of haunting events unfold, propelling these characters toward an uncertain future in America.
As we follow these characters from China to New York, from first love to old age, we bear witness to the tensions of immigration—and how memory forever weighs down the present. Cinema Love is a big-hearted and heart-shattering novel about desire, secrets, grief, how we care for one another, and how we survive.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published May 7, 2024
About the author
Jiaming Tang
1 book53 followersJiaming Tang is a queer immigrant writer and editor based in Brooklyn, NY. He holds an MFA from the University of Alabama. He is an Emerging Writer Fellow at The Center for Fiction, and his stories and essays have been published in AGNI, Lit Hub, Joyland Magazine, and elsewhere. CINEMA LOVE is his first book.
Jiaming is also serving as a judge for the 2023 Restless Books Nonfiction Prize for New Immigrant Writing and he was formerly the nonfiction editor at Black Warrior Review.
Jiaming is also serving as a judge for the 2023 Restless Books Nonfiction Prize for New Immigrant Writing and he was formerly the nonfiction editor at Black Warrior Review.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 177 reviews
August 24, 2024
The book follows the lives of gay men and the women who loved and married them. It has several parts with the first one focusing on closeted men in China visiting old cinemas where illicit love was available and how they married to further hide themselves. The story then moves to America and immigrant life, and the men face the new added horror of racism and the women face the same struggles with immigration and navigating their loveless marriages. I was drawn to this by my fascination with these secret cinemas. Over time, I have become aware of these cinemas in every country I have lived and even in literature, such as Tennessee Williams’ 'The Mysteries of the Joy Rio'
October 6, 2023
Right off the bat, you can tell that Tang’s writing in Cinema Love is exceptional. I can’t even start to tell you how many quotes I have underlined from this book. The writing itself is searing - the story of Yan Hua, Old Second, and Bao Mei (among other characters I hold very dear to my heart) is so powerful.
Cinema Love is such a grotesque, raw, and unabashed look into human nature. It shows that love can easily come with confusing and contradictory feelings like jealousy, hatred, and disgust. These characters literally feel like an open book in this novel - you see their true colors with the good and bad, and end up admiring them anyway for their sheer damn determinedness to stay alive.
The writing makes the reading experience so scenic. Tang’s writing breathes true life into his characters and makes it as if you’re watching a movie - except, Cinema Love gives you an even clearer picture of our main characters because we get to see the perspective of so many people, as a reader you experience their world like an omnipresent God watching down on them. Grief feels like a literal physical weight upon our cast of Cinema Love, so much so that I felt it tangibly through my screen.
I am so so thankful for NetGalley and Dutton for the advanced readers copy. I will hold Cinema Love very close to my heart and I will be wholeheartedly recommending this to my audience and loved ones. To the author Jiaming Tang - whatever you write, I will read. Thank you for this story.
Cinema Love is such a grotesque, raw, and unabashed look into human nature. It shows that love can easily come with confusing and contradictory feelings like jealousy, hatred, and disgust. These characters literally feel like an open book in this novel - you see their true colors with the good and bad, and end up admiring them anyway for their sheer damn determinedness to stay alive.
The writing makes the reading experience so scenic. Tang’s writing breathes true life into his characters and makes it as if you’re watching a movie - except, Cinema Love gives you an even clearer picture of our main characters because we get to see the perspective of so many people, as a reader you experience their world like an omnipresent God watching down on them. Grief feels like a literal physical weight upon our cast of Cinema Love, so much so that I felt it tangibly through my screen.
I am so so thankful for NetGalley and Dutton for the advanced readers copy. I will hold Cinema Love very close to my heart and I will be wholeheartedly recommending this to my audience and loved ones. To the author Jiaming Tang - whatever you write, I will read. Thank you for this story.
June 21, 2024
Jiaming Tang’s debut novel, “Cinema Love” will stay with you long after you finish — its pages filled with tender, heart-wrenching stories of gay men and the women who loved and married them. We start in China, following a man named Old Second who after being discovered to be queer is thrown out and must find a new home. Alone in a new city, he discovers a place, a theater, filled with men just like him and a woman, Bao Mei, who serves as a keeper to their secrets - her connection to the theater revealed as you read on.
Tang does a wonderful job weaving in and out of the main storyline with vignettes and introducing new characters with pasts that help tell and fill in the tapestry of this story as the story moves from one decade to the next and from one continent to another. He balances moments of joy and deep sadness. One moment, in act two, brought tears to my eyes — two characters discover fictitious letters (unbeknownst to them) that tell stories of what could have been for the queer men who visited the theater years ago. We as readers don’t know what happened to these men but hope they found lives filled with love, success and happiness like the letters described.
I liked the blend of literary and historical fiction; if you’re a fan of either genre, pick this up — you won’t regret it!
Tang does a wonderful job weaving in and out of the main storyline with vignettes and introducing new characters with pasts that help tell and fill in the tapestry of this story as the story moves from one decade to the next and from one continent to another. He balances moments of joy and deep sadness. One moment, in act two, brought tears to my eyes — two characters discover fictitious letters (unbeknownst to them) that tell stories of what could have been for the queer men who visited the theater years ago. We as readers don’t know what happened to these men but hope they found lives filled with love, success and happiness like the letters described.
I liked the blend of literary and historical fiction; if you’re a fan of either genre, pick this up — you won’t regret it!
August 28, 2024
A few weeks ago I read an academic paper about people in the asexual spectrum getting married to ‘cope’ living in China. I don’t think there are books about that topic, but I happened to find Cinema Love available and I was instantly intrigued. As the blurb summarizes, Cinema Love is about “gay men in rural China and the women who marry them.”
This was a fantastic reading experience. I loved the writing and the characters and just the story overall. We start in a cinema theater in China that has the same movies all day, every day, because it’s not really a place to watch films. It’s a little utopia for (married) gay men to exist without judgment. The story centers around two women, Bao Mei and Yan Hua, and a gay man named Old Second. It goes from rural China, to Chinatown in NYC, to a contemporary Chinatown still dealing with the racism that emerged during the pandemic. The hardships and resilience of Chinese immigrants gets a lot of focus, which I really liked.
I thought the choice to follow mostly Bao Mei and Yan Hua was an interesting one. I was mostly expecting to learn more about the experience of gay men, but it was refreshing and surprising to see this focus on the women, the wives. I think my dumbass had wrongly assumed gay men would maybe marry lesbians to mask their orientations, but the couples depicted here sort of showed a sad life for the female counterpart.
I am not sure I liked Yan Hua or the end of the book. Maybe it’s the social justice warrior/snowflake inside of me, but I wanted things to end in a better light, but I understand where it all comes from. I’m looking forward to picking more stuff by Tang, this was beautiful and I loved the simple yet gorgeous writing. 4.5 stars rouned down because the ending/point of it all MADE SENSE but didn't work 100% for me.
A quote that I liked for no reason lol:
“Gone were the days when sweatshop workers had to fuss with their MetroCards on the subway (many had moved to Brooklyn after 9/11), counting minutes and searching the windows for signs of their stop. They discovered the pleasure of a highway without traffic, of headphones in the ears and a window with a Gowanus view. A woman’s leg nudged her neighbor’s, asking him for more space, and sometimes this action stirred up a conversation. A pleasurable and banal discussion about the price of meat, the blandness of watermelon, the sales at Macy’s.”
This was a fantastic reading experience. I loved the writing and the characters and just the story overall. We start in a cinema theater in China that has the same movies all day, every day, because it’s not really a place to watch films. It’s a little utopia for (married) gay men to exist without judgment. The story centers around two women, Bao Mei and Yan Hua, and a gay man named Old Second. It goes from rural China, to Chinatown in NYC, to a contemporary Chinatown still dealing with the racism that emerged during the pandemic. The hardships and resilience of Chinese immigrants gets a lot of focus, which I really liked.
I thought the choice to follow mostly Bao Mei and Yan Hua was an interesting one. I was mostly expecting to learn more about the experience of gay men, but it was refreshing and surprising to see this focus on the women, the wives. I think my dumbass had wrongly assumed gay men would maybe marry lesbians to mask their orientations, but the couples depicted here sort of showed a sad life for the female counterpart.
I am not sure I liked Yan Hua or the end of the book. Maybe it’s the social justice warrior/snowflake inside of me, but I wanted things to end in a better light, but I understand where it all comes from. I’m looking forward to picking more stuff by Tang, this was beautiful and I loved the simple yet gorgeous writing. 4.5 stars rouned down because the ending/point of it all MADE SENSE but didn't work 100% for me.
A quote that I liked for no reason lol:
“Gone were the days when sweatshop workers had to fuss with their MetroCards on the subway (many had moved to Brooklyn after 9/11), counting minutes and searching the windows for signs of their stop. They discovered the pleasure of a highway without traffic, of headphones in the ears and a window with a Gowanus view. A woman’s leg nudged her neighbor’s, asking him for more space, and sometimes this action stirred up a conversation. A pleasurable and banal discussion about the price of meat, the blandness of watermelon, the sales at Macy’s.”
January 13, 2024
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the early review copy!
I’ve seen Cinema Love often described in reviews as ‘soft’ and ‘tender’ and I would agree - it feels delicate. It’s ornate crystal that could easily shatter. But it has a lot of power, hidden power, and the end result is a smart and touching look at a cinema in rural China in the ‘80s that was a cruising spot for (mostly) closeted married men. And the women they married. And the ways these women deal with their men deceiving them.
Were the deceits malicious? It can be a hard question answer.
This is a novel that deals in shades of gray.
I was reminded of last year’s Monstrilio as far as the writing style went: short and punchy and so smart, exploring the lives of characters the reader might not necessarily love but can understand. Whereas that book was horror (or, at least, horror-adjacent), Cinema Love is not so grotesque and fits best in the literary genre.
What a great start to my reading year!
I’ve seen Cinema Love often described in reviews as ‘soft’ and ‘tender’ and I would agree - it feels delicate. It’s ornate crystal that could easily shatter. But it has a lot of power, hidden power, and the end result is a smart and touching look at a cinema in rural China in the ‘80s that was a cruising spot for (mostly) closeted married men. And the women they married. And the ways these women deal with their men deceiving them.
Were the deceits malicious? It can be a hard question answer.
This is a novel that deals in shades of gray.
I was reminded of last year’s Monstrilio as far as the writing style went: short and punchy and so smart, exploring the lives of characters the reader might not necessarily love but can understand. Whereas that book was horror (or, at least, horror-adjacent), Cinema Love is not so grotesque and fits best in the literary genre.
What a great start to my reading year!
June 26, 2024
‘Cinema Love’ is a book that is my personal reminder of the power of fiction. It covers over 30 years, traveling from rural China to New York City’s Chinatown. For the past few days, I have felt like I’ve been living life alongside these characters and learning more about the connected issues they face, specifically from their time in America.
We follow a crew of characters individually but also in the form of couples and see their connection to the Worker’s Cinema, a rundown theater in rural China that was a haven for gay men to find love and privacy. But when one of the men’s wives discovers his affair, a series of events unravel, closing down the Cinema and permanently altering their lives. This sets them to relocate to build anew in America.
I would still have been intrigued if we had only followed the men but following their wives added another layer, putting this story in its own lane.
An immersive story that was heartbreaking, complicated, emotional, and raw. My favorite books touch on the grey areas in life, and this did that. I felt for every character. I don’t think there are any true villains or victims, as everyone has caused some pain and been on the receiving end. All our actions have repercussions, as we don’t exist in a vacuum. As much as you understand and empathize with the men, you also feel for the unfortunate situations the women have been put in.
It’s torturous to have to call a place home where you feel unsafe, and this is a reminder of the power of safe spaces and community, as seen with the theatre and the existence of Chinatown.
The men go from feeling unsafe in China due to hiding their identity and desire to feeling unsafe in America due to racism and the difficulties of Chinese immigration. The women face the same struggles with immigration but with the compound of navigating their loveless marriages. We see how they find ways to survive, as it is difficult to shake old memories.
Despite everything, I still felt there was a lot of love in the story, and if anything, it depicted the multifaceted ways love can be shown under immense distress, as it's hard to care for others when you are in survival mode.
This story is just as great as its cover—and it’s a debut! I highly recommend it; this was stellar.
We follow a crew of characters individually but also in the form of couples and see their connection to the Worker’s Cinema, a rundown theater in rural China that was a haven for gay men to find love and privacy. But when one of the men’s wives discovers his affair, a series of events unravel, closing down the Cinema and permanently altering their lives. This sets them to relocate to build anew in America.
I would still have been intrigued if we had only followed the men but following their wives added another layer, putting this story in its own lane.
An immersive story that was heartbreaking, complicated, emotional, and raw. My favorite books touch on the grey areas in life, and this did that. I felt for every character. I don’t think there are any true villains or victims, as everyone has caused some pain and been on the receiving end. All our actions have repercussions, as we don’t exist in a vacuum. As much as you understand and empathize with the men, you also feel for the unfortunate situations the women have been put in.
It’s torturous to have to call a place home where you feel unsafe, and this is a reminder of the power of safe spaces and community, as seen with the theatre and the existence of Chinatown.
The men go from feeling unsafe in China due to hiding their identity and desire to feeling unsafe in America due to racism and the difficulties of Chinese immigration. The women face the same struggles with immigration but with the compound of navigating their loveless marriages. We see how they find ways to survive, as it is difficult to shake old memories.
Despite everything, I still felt there was a lot of love in the story, and if anything, it depicted the multifaceted ways love can be shown under immense distress, as it's hard to care for others when you are in survival mode.
This story is just as great as its cover—and it’s a debut! I highly recommend it; this was stellar.
June 27, 2024
Okay, so I said I'd finish this book like a month ago and I lied. Sorry. Life got in the way.
However, I'm glad I decided to keep reading despite the books slow start and taking huge breaks before picking it up again.
Literary fiction isn't something I usually read but when it's done well... it can really impact.
The story follows Old Second, Bao Mei, and Yan Hua as the three main narrators. Other characters like May also sometimes have a narrative voice throughout. Each character is fleshed out and well developed and I enjoyed following their journey's from beginning to end. Tang does a great job fleshing them out and really SHOWING their grief and trauma, slowly revealing it to the audience, rather than just telling them what happened.
However, my favourite part is seeing how all these characters, who at first seem to be random strangers, are connected to each other. It shows that people have more connections than they'd think. And it also provides new perspectives when the characters are working.
Finally, I want to talk about the setting. Tang just puts so much magic and effort into writing The Worker's theatre that it just became a character of its own. Same as East Broadway and Chinatown in New York City. Because of that, you feel quite connected to the characters as it's easy to visualize them in the settings.
However, I'm glad I decided to keep reading despite the books slow start and taking huge breaks before picking it up again.
Literary fiction isn't something I usually read but when it's done well... it can really impact.
The story follows Old Second, Bao Mei, and Yan Hua as the three main narrators. Other characters like May also sometimes have a narrative voice throughout. Each character is fleshed out and well developed and I enjoyed following their journey's from beginning to end. Tang does a great job fleshing them out and really SHOWING their grief and trauma, slowly revealing it to the audience, rather than just telling them what happened.
However, my favourite part is seeing how all these characters, who at first seem to be random strangers, are connected to each other. It shows that people have more connections than they'd think. And it also provides new perspectives when the characters are working.
Finally, I want to talk about the setting. Tang just puts so much magic and effort into writing The Worker's theatre that it just became a character of its own. Same as East Broadway and Chinatown in New York City. Because of that, you feel quite connected to the characters as it's easy to visualize them in the settings.
June 4, 2024
Tang’s writing is incredible, especially for a debut novel. this is objectively an excellent book and it’s hard to fault, but my personal enjoyment of it just wasn’t that high. I think I expected a different story than what was actually here - the first half of the book basically entirely focuses on ‘the wives’ when I wanted to see more of the men and what was going on behind the scenes there. will definitely keep the author on my radar!
May 6, 2024
Finished copy by the publisher & ALC from @prhaudio
In this mesmerizing tale, Tang explores the different shades of love woven through the intertwined lives of its complex characters. From tender care to passionate desire, from confusion to jealousy, and even to the brink of destruction, CINEMA LOVE reminds us that no one is entirely innocent or evil—it's the choices we make and the burdens we carry that shape our destinies.
With its multi-POV narrative, which delves not only into the perspectives of closeted gay men in China but also into the lives of their wives, Tang skilfully paints a vivid and authentic portrait of imperfect yet relatable characters. As the story unfolds across different timelines, Tang effortlessly navigates the complexities of love, grief, and guilt, culminating in a finale that lingers in the mind long after the final page is turned.
CINEMA LOVE is a powerful reminder that love defies simple categorization or expectations; it is as diverse and multifaced as the individuals who experience it. Amidst all the complexities and challenges, love remains a guiding force, inspiring acts of compassion and understanding.
-
rtc. But amazing writing and a very refreshing look about closeted gay men and their wives. I can’t believe this is a debut 🔥🔥🔥
In this mesmerizing tale, Tang explores the different shades of love woven through the intertwined lives of its complex characters. From tender care to passionate desire, from confusion to jealousy, and even to the brink of destruction, CINEMA LOVE reminds us that no one is entirely innocent or evil—it's the choices we make and the burdens we carry that shape our destinies.
With its multi-POV narrative, which delves not only into the perspectives of closeted gay men in China but also into the lives of their wives, Tang skilfully paints a vivid and authentic portrait of imperfect yet relatable characters. As the story unfolds across different timelines, Tang effortlessly navigates the complexities of love, grief, and guilt, culminating in a finale that lingers in the mind long after the final page is turned.
CINEMA LOVE is a powerful reminder that love defies simple categorization or expectations; it is as diverse and multifaced as the individuals who experience it. Amidst all the complexities and challenges, love remains a guiding force, inspiring acts of compassion and understanding.
-
rtc. But amazing writing and a very refreshing look about closeted gay men and their wives. I can’t believe this is a debut 🔥🔥🔥
July 4, 2024
I was surprised by how beautiful the writing is in this debut novel, especially given the general description about a decrepit theater where men hooked up clandestinely. That sounds so judgmental and it is. But at first blush, the introduction very much describes the place, one that is often placed underground and at the margins.
The writing is gorgeous. The language is lush and evocative. The plotting is intricate and smart.
While I see why the perspectives of Bao Mei and Yan Hua, the women, became the primary focus later in the book—it serves the story, I wanted to read more about Old Second, Hen Bao, and perhaps Kevin. I think the men in this book, given the subject, matter more than the women.
These characters have experiences that are wrenching, tender, and bittersweet. Due to their innate nature, the longing, desire, and pain that the men endure are the most compelling. The women are described in very humanizing light given their choices and responses to life.
I appreciate how Tang captured the poverty, hardships, and struggles that new Chinese immigrants endure in the U.S. and in New York specifically. The hidden economy and suffering have persisted since Chinese first started coming to these lands in the mid-1800s.
The climax is a bit under-stated but it "made sense" given how this story is presented.
I would definitely read more from this author. Frankly, I'm surprised that this is a debut given the beauty of the storycrafting and writing.
(There is one author blurb, on the inside back flap, that does a disservice to this title because that author wrote an irresponsible piece of work…eh hem.)
Quotes:
Together, Bao Mei and her dreams remember everything. Not just her own memories, but those of others. Asleep, her body witches and so does her mouth—choking on silent words as they fail to enter waking life….
But before that, she always reaches for the most important item of all: an ancient ring of keys older than grief.
Theirs is the kind of love that can change the weather. A radio forecast predicting rain switches its tune the moment Old Second sees Shun-Er. Clouds part, a breeze picks up, and the sun become so yellow it looks delicious….
And of course there was the Workers’ Cinema. The place where they first met, and where love became more than words and gentle touching. It was a thickness in the air. A taste, too: of sweat and saliva, blood in the mouth.
“…People like us, we’re not a problem until they catch us doing something. Then it’s blood and fury and all eighteen levels of hell. My theory is that Father was mad at my brother for confirming something he already knew. Because he wailed while hitting me. He wailed and beat his chest like he was at a funeral.”
All the theater men sought was the salt of another man’s palms.
“Uneducated people don’t have words to record their hurt. That’s why they have children. Their children are their memories.”
Did not causing her pain make up for not giving her pleasure?
It’s what they’ve come to America for. Not just a little money, but lots of it, the easy kind too. Tired of wielding shovels and sledgehammers, the immigrants search for jobs where the heaviest tool is a wok….
She smiled the stench of grease soaked on a napkin, and something else. Something she recognized but didn’t receive from her husband.
Desire.
May’s ignorance was the worst kind possible: that which belonged to the lucky.
Beyond the window was Chinatown. East Broadway with its lackluster reproductions of the county May left behind. There was the market street packed with fish- and fruit-mongers. Behind them hid a group of stores so secretive, they lacked names. Not that they needed them. Locals could identify each by sight and gossip….
Opened by, and marketed toward, the new Chinese, they sold nothing outside the realm of the useful….
Kevin and Yan Hua released their anger into the air, causing the mall that usually smelled of plastic to be infused with the stench of secrets.
…Yan Hua discovered that the pain that used to make her cry was nothing but syllables. A collection of sounds that came out of a mouth too numb to realize it was smiling.
The writing is gorgeous. The language is lush and evocative. The plotting is intricate and smart.
While I see why the perspectives of Bao Mei and Yan Hua, the women, became the primary focus later in the book—it serves the story, I wanted to read more about Old Second, Hen Bao, and perhaps Kevin. I think the men in this book, given the subject, matter more than the women.
These characters have experiences that are wrenching, tender, and bittersweet. Due to their innate nature, the longing, desire, and pain that the men endure are the most compelling. The women are described in very humanizing light given their choices and responses to life.
I appreciate how Tang captured the poverty, hardships, and struggles that new Chinese immigrants endure in the U.S. and in New York specifically. The hidden economy and suffering have persisted since Chinese first started coming to these lands in the mid-1800s.
The climax is a bit under-stated but it "made sense" given how this story is presented.
I would definitely read more from this author. Frankly, I'm surprised that this is a debut given the beauty of the storycrafting and writing.
(There is one author blurb, on the inside back flap, that does a disservice to this title because that author wrote an irresponsible piece of work…eh hem.)
Quotes:
Together, Bao Mei and her dreams remember everything. Not just her own memories, but those of others. Asleep, her body witches and so does her mouth—choking on silent words as they fail to enter waking life….
But before that, she always reaches for the most important item of all: an ancient ring of keys older than grief.
Theirs is the kind of love that can change the weather. A radio forecast predicting rain switches its tune the moment Old Second sees Shun-Er. Clouds part, a breeze picks up, and the sun become so yellow it looks delicious….
And of course there was the Workers’ Cinema. The place where they first met, and where love became more than words and gentle touching. It was a thickness in the air. A taste, too: of sweat and saliva, blood in the mouth.
“…People like us, we’re not a problem until they catch us doing something. Then it’s blood and fury and all eighteen levels of hell. My theory is that Father was mad at my brother for confirming something he already knew. Because he wailed while hitting me. He wailed and beat his chest like he was at a funeral.”
All the theater men sought was the salt of another man’s palms.
“Uneducated people don’t have words to record their hurt. That’s why they have children. Their children are their memories.”
Did not causing her pain make up for not giving her pleasure?
It’s what they’ve come to America for. Not just a little money, but lots of it, the easy kind too. Tired of wielding shovels and sledgehammers, the immigrants search for jobs where the heaviest tool is a wok….
She smiled the stench of grease soaked on a napkin, and something else. Something she recognized but didn’t receive from her husband.
Desire.
May’s ignorance was the worst kind possible: that which belonged to the lucky.
Beyond the window was Chinatown. East Broadway with its lackluster reproductions of the county May left behind. There was the market street packed with fish- and fruit-mongers. Behind them hid a group of stores so secretive, they lacked names. Not that they needed them. Locals could identify each by sight and gossip….
Opened by, and marketed toward, the new Chinese, they sold nothing outside the realm of the useful….
Kevin and Yan Hua released their anger into the air, causing the mall that usually smelled of plastic to be infused with the stench of secrets.
…Yan Hua discovered that the pain that used to make her cry was nothing but syllables. A collection of sounds that came out of a mouth too numb to realize it was smiling.
May 13, 2024
An incredibly moving and captivating debut about Chinese American immigrants trying to make a life in New York and the community of gay men who frequent a cinema to find queer love outside of their marriages. Great on audio and a fantastic read. I look forward to more from this author and am OBSESSED with the book's cover! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!!
May 4, 2024
The synopsis of this book really appealed to me. A story spanning decades, from China to the US, dealing with the fallout of people who attended the Worker’s Cinema, a cruising place for gay men in rural China. The glimpses into gay life in rural China in the 80s were super interesting. I liked seeing the connection between the men who found refuge in the theater and the people who ran the space.
This book ends up following more characters than just Old Second and Bao Mei who are mentioned in the synopsis. All of the characters are connected and it does make sense why their stories are being told… However, at times it felt more like a collection of stories rather than a full novel. There were so many large time jumps or important scenes that happened off page that I felt like I wasn’t getting the full picture of these people’s lives.
I’m definitely open to reading more from Jiaming Tang in the future. I enjoyed the explorations of queerness, immigrant communities, and the complicated relationships that exist throughout decades.
Thank you to the publisher for providing an advance copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book ends up following more characters than just Old Second and Bao Mei who are mentioned in the synopsis. All of the characters are connected and it does make sense why their stories are being told… However, at times it felt more like a collection of stories rather than a full novel. There were so many large time jumps or important scenes that happened off page that I felt like I wasn’t getting the full picture of these people’s lives.
I’m definitely open to reading more from Jiaming Tang in the future. I enjoyed the explorations of queerness, immigrant communities, and the complicated relationships that exist throughout decades.
Thank you to the publisher for providing an advance copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
June 18, 2024
3.5⭐️ The synopsis of this book appealed to me. I have never read a story quite like this and I enjoyed reading the perspectives of both the men and their wives. I just thought more of the story would be focused on the wives.
May 5, 2024
One of the loveliest books I've read in a while, Cinema Love is almost aggressive in its tenderness. It’s a love letter to queer spaces (and the importance of protecting them), oft-neglected immigrant narratives, and Manhattan’s Chinatown. This book is haunting and not always easy to read, but somehow impossible to put down - I’ll be recommending it all summer.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Dutton for the ARC <3
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Dutton for the ARC <3
December 10, 2023
A stunning debut work, "Cinema Love" traverses decades in time and continents, focusing on the lingering impacts a lone theater in Mawei, China continues to have.
Beginning in post-Communist China, Old Second grows up knowing the feelings he has for other men is forbidden, and his carelessness one evening coupled with a younger sibling's loose tongue causes his family to shun him. This is also the time that young Bao Mei comes of age, and she sees her older brother similarly struggle, until he passes away too early; for her, this is motivation enough to begin working at the Mawei Theater, a place that most civilians avoid and whisper about as it becomes one of the few places queer Chinese men can meet. When the theater is eventually taken over and many of its visitors beaten or killed, these individuals are forced to pivot - many of them fleeing to New York and finding shelter in the growing Chinese communities in Manhattan and Brooklyn.
Decades later, Bao Mei is married to Old Second in loveless, but not careless, marriage - but each of their histories comes to light as individuals from their past make themselves known in the present. We meet Yan Hui, a woman who previously entered the Mawei Theater in search of her then husband, who also carries secrets from her past, and the complicated friendships and relationships that have been formed emerge.
There is so much that's been packed into this deceptively short novel: the raw, glaring shame and deceit that these queer men went through; the ways these secrets and deception impacted their wives; the burden and struggle of the immigrant experience; and the all-encompassing feelings of loneliness and companionship. Each of these characters is carefully, lovingly built up - flawed, but not without their merits and moments of redemption. The ever-changing relationships they have with each other, and the complex, often conflicting ways, they express their feelings ties this novel together; this is clearly a character-driven novel at its core. Tang's writing is beautiful and descriptive, sometimes too much so; he's able to transport readers to the dark, dingy theater in Mawei right to the decrepit, broken-down apartments littered across Chinatown, New York.
Very much a recommended read when "Cinema Love" is published in May 2024!
Thank you Penguin Group for the advance copy of this novel!
Beginning in post-Communist China, Old Second grows up knowing the feelings he has for other men is forbidden, and his carelessness one evening coupled with a younger sibling's loose tongue causes his family to shun him. This is also the time that young Bao Mei comes of age, and she sees her older brother similarly struggle, until he passes away too early; for her, this is motivation enough to begin working at the Mawei Theater, a place that most civilians avoid and whisper about as it becomes one of the few places queer Chinese men can meet. When the theater is eventually taken over and many of its visitors beaten or killed, these individuals are forced to pivot - many of them fleeing to New York and finding shelter in the growing Chinese communities in Manhattan and Brooklyn.
Decades later, Bao Mei is married to Old Second in loveless, but not careless, marriage - but each of their histories comes to light as individuals from their past make themselves known in the present. We meet Yan Hui, a woman who previously entered the Mawei Theater in search of her then husband, who also carries secrets from her past, and the complicated friendships and relationships that have been formed emerge.
There is so much that's been packed into this deceptively short novel: the raw, glaring shame and deceit that these queer men went through; the ways these secrets and deception impacted their wives; the burden and struggle of the immigrant experience; and the all-encompassing feelings of loneliness and companionship. Each of these characters is carefully, lovingly built up - flawed, but not without their merits and moments of redemption. The ever-changing relationships they have with each other, and the complex, often conflicting ways, they express their feelings ties this novel together; this is clearly a character-driven novel at its core. Tang's writing is beautiful and descriptive, sometimes too much so; he's able to transport readers to the dark, dingy theater in Mawei right to the decrepit, broken-down apartments littered across Chinatown, New York.
Very much a recommended read when "Cinema Love" is published in May 2024!
Thank you Penguin Group for the advance copy of this novel!
July 19, 2024
3.5
It's been a while since I finished a book and wrote a proper review. I haven't been able to read much this year, lost between the demands of life and temptations of binge watching. My reading list has been haphazard, littered with many DNFs and books that I took too long to read. I intend to rectify this grave error and pacify the Gods of Goodreads who keep throwing disapproving glances every time I open the app (which works so well on iPhone but is an absolute disaster on Android - snobs!).
I came across Cinema Love while browsing the Pride Month collection at the local library (thank you MoCo librarians!), and the blurb drew me in with its promise of an intriguing queer story set in rural China. I do not expect much from diaspora fiction usually, as they revolve around time-worn themes and usually succumb to inauthentic tropes while portraying the homeland. Cinema Love was a true surprise in this sense because the portions set in China do not ring false at all, and they are grounded in an emotional authenticity that is lacking in the American chapters. The writer sets the story in China without stuffing it with too many details, and that brave choice has really paid off in the utterly convincing Chinese chapters depicting the alienation of queer men (the story doesn't feature any queer women).
Old Second and Shun-Er, lovers in an industrial town and surprised by the fact of their love that transpired thanks to an old movie theater, hang on to each other to survive a relentlessly cruel world that labels them sissies, a hopelessly bleak world where they can never express their true selves. Shun-Er is married, and complications arise in the form of his wife, Yan Hua, who is hurt by the rejection from her otherwise caring husband. Interestingly, Cinema Love is as much about the turmoil, indignation, and silent fury of the wives of gay men as much as it is about the loneliness, heartbreak, and desolation of those very men. Silent furies bubble up to swallow the movie theater, robbing the gay men of their only haven and claiming some lives in the process.
The protagonists somehow conveniently all end up in New York, where they struggle as blue collar immigrants, counting pennies and drowning in homesickness. While the author's love for Chinatown is very evident in these chapters, the Chinatown portion should have been a different novel altogether. While the Chinese portions brim with anticipation and offer unexpected delights, the Chinatown portions are overlong and drenched in forced melancholy. It was not very convincing that some of the characters who were barely scraping together an existence in rural china were able to make their way across to ... New York ... on a boat (??!??) halfway across the world. The migration on the boat is not exactly described and it is unclear whether they traveled to a different country to take a boat or whether they took the boat in China.
The hard labour forced upon the immigrants and their sheer poverty is transported to the reader effectively by descriptions of their quotidian lives and quiet fortitude. The protagonists (whose lives are in conflict) move around in the same city, but of course, the story must pass through decades (as literary novels love to) before they get to meet and resolve/escalate their central conflicts. Somehow the novel finds itself gravitating towards the pandemic era (why does anyone think it's a good idea to write about the pandemic btw? But at least here it's justified probably by depicting the anti-asian hatred) and eventually ends in a noncommittal, emotionally vague and vaguely climactic moment that appears to be the beginning of better times.
I loved the way the new arcs of the story unspooled from existing arcs, shooting out a new character or a nasty secret or an emotional tension that was buried there all along. Many of the conflicts of the novel were carved out of juicy, emotionally complex foundations where all parties have completely convincing motivations behind their actions, and it is very satisfying to read. The punishment doled out to Old Second by his parents for hugging a boy as a child is haunting, and it is one of the most powerful images that endure after my reading of the novel. I also loved that all the protagonists were realistically described as ugly at one point or the other, refusing courageously to take the easy route by making them pretty. Working class queer love is a rare intersection in literature, and it is further heightened by an immigrant angle here.
In the feverishly joyous initial sections of the novel, basking in its tenderness, I assumed that this would be a 5-star read. But, tragic events occur as expected, the characters move to America, and a different story emerges in which the characters live haunted by the shadows of their awful actions. A story that is significantly less exciting and exceptional, one that is a chore to read, and the reader goes from "can't wait to pick it up" to "can't wait to put this down" within the span of 50 pages. The story loses its unique sheen, and what a shame it is. The writer tries to mold an authentic love story and the rise and fall of Chinatown into one medium sized novel. I did not feel the gut punch when Chinatown fades into nothingness because it was never a source of any real joy to the characters here and nostalgia only works with pleasant memories. This should have been either a brief novella without any immigration involved or an expansive novel with more characters and a focus beyond the three protagonists with the canvas for a complete Chinatown novel. This ambition has the stamp of an American MFA degree all over it, and I regret the way these degrees cast our writers into cookie cutter molds.
All that said, I will cherish Cinema Love for the exquisite tenderness and unfussy execution.
It's been a while since I finished a book and wrote a proper review. I haven't been able to read much this year, lost between the demands of life and temptations of binge watching. My reading list has been haphazard, littered with many DNFs and books that I took too long to read. I intend to rectify this grave error and pacify the Gods of Goodreads who keep throwing disapproving glances every time I open the app (which works so well on iPhone but is an absolute disaster on Android - snobs!).
I came across Cinema Love while browsing the Pride Month collection at the local library (thank you MoCo librarians!), and the blurb drew me in with its promise of an intriguing queer story set in rural China. I do not expect much from diaspora fiction usually, as they revolve around time-worn themes and usually succumb to inauthentic tropes while portraying the homeland. Cinema Love was a true surprise in this sense because the portions set in China do not ring false at all, and they are grounded in an emotional authenticity that is lacking in the American chapters. The writer sets the story in China without stuffing it with too many details, and that brave choice has really paid off in the utterly convincing Chinese chapters depicting the alienation of queer men (the story doesn't feature any queer women).
Old Second and Shun-Er, lovers in an industrial town and surprised by the fact of their love that transpired thanks to an old movie theater, hang on to each other to survive a relentlessly cruel world that labels them sissies, a hopelessly bleak world where they can never express their true selves. Shun-Er is married, and complications arise in the form of his wife, Yan Hua, who is hurt by the rejection from her otherwise caring husband. Interestingly, Cinema Love is as much about the turmoil, indignation, and silent fury of the wives of gay men as much as it is about the loneliness, heartbreak, and desolation of those very men. Silent furies bubble up to swallow the movie theater, robbing the gay men of their only haven and claiming some lives in the process.
The protagonists somehow conveniently all end up in New York, where they struggle as blue collar immigrants, counting pennies and drowning in homesickness. While the author's love for Chinatown is very evident in these chapters, the Chinatown portion should have been a different novel altogether. While the Chinese portions brim with anticipation and offer unexpected delights, the Chinatown portions are overlong and drenched in forced melancholy. It was not very convincing that some of the characters who were barely scraping together an existence in rural china were able to make their way across to ... New York ... on a boat (??!??) halfway across the world. The migration on the boat is not exactly described and it is unclear whether they traveled to a different country to take a boat or whether they took the boat in China.
The hard labour forced upon the immigrants and their sheer poverty is transported to the reader effectively by descriptions of their quotidian lives and quiet fortitude. The protagonists (whose lives are in conflict) move around in the same city, but of course, the story must pass through decades (as literary novels love to) before they get to meet and resolve/escalate their central conflicts. Somehow the novel finds itself gravitating towards the pandemic era (why does anyone think it's a good idea to write about the pandemic btw? But at least here it's justified probably by depicting the anti-asian hatred) and eventually ends in a noncommittal, emotionally vague and vaguely climactic moment that appears to be the beginning of better times.
I loved the way the new arcs of the story unspooled from existing arcs, shooting out a new character or a nasty secret or an emotional tension that was buried there all along. Many of the conflicts of the novel were carved out of juicy, emotionally complex foundations where all parties have completely convincing motivations behind their actions, and it is very satisfying to read. The punishment doled out to Old Second by his parents for hugging a boy as a child is haunting, and it is one of the most powerful images that endure after my reading of the novel. I also loved that all the protagonists were realistically described as ugly at one point or the other, refusing courageously to take the easy route by making them pretty. Working class queer love is a rare intersection in literature, and it is further heightened by an immigrant angle here.
In the feverishly joyous initial sections of the novel, basking in its tenderness, I assumed that this would be a 5-star read. But, tragic events occur as expected, the characters move to America, and a different story emerges in which the characters live haunted by the shadows of their awful actions. A story that is significantly less exciting and exceptional, one that is a chore to read, and the reader goes from "can't wait to pick it up" to "can't wait to put this down" within the span of 50 pages. The story loses its unique sheen, and what a shame it is. The writer tries to mold an authentic love story and the rise and fall of Chinatown into one medium sized novel. I did not feel the gut punch when Chinatown fades into nothingness because it was never a source of any real joy to the characters here and nostalgia only works with pleasant memories. This should have been either a brief novella without any immigration involved or an expansive novel with more characters and a focus beyond the three protagonists with the canvas for a complete Chinatown novel. This ambition has the stamp of an American MFA degree all over it, and I regret the way these degrees cast our writers into cookie cutter molds.
All that said, I will cherish Cinema Love for the exquisite tenderness and unfussy execution.
Want to read
February 16, 2024GUYS OH MY GOD I WON THE RAFFLE IM GETTING THE ARC AHHHHHHH
June 28, 2024
what the fuck
June 2, 2024
2.5/5
I came to this book for the queer Chinese cinema. For the first quarter to arguably even half of this book, that is what I got. Unfortunately for me, the narrative increasingly got bogged down by the "uncertain future in America," which I know far more about and ultimately find far less interesting. It would have been fine if there had been more of an exploration of queer Chinese American life, but instead there was the groaning and often repetitive life of the wives alternatively going through cycles of trauma, guilt, and bodily decay, which loses some of its visceral impact upon the seventh or eighth time an emotion is characterized as a belch and yet another character's mouth is described as rotting. Throw in some rather unclear timelines and all too often glib treatment of the COVID pandemic at the very end, and I found myself losing track of both the characters and the narratives that, for me, had started with such promise. I don't deny the histories that informed this book, or the importance of carrying such stories forward. I do, however, question the way in which this was advertised, as well as the high average rating. In any case, librarian privileges allowed me to get a hold of this as quickly as I did, and reviewing it on the first day of (in the US) Pride Month still feels good. I'm just hoping that starting the reading month on a middling point means I can only go up from here.
I came to this book for the queer Chinese cinema. For the first quarter to arguably even half of this book, that is what I got. Unfortunately for me, the narrative increasingly got bogged down by the "uncertain future in America," which I know far more about and ultimately find far less interesting. It would have been fine if there had been more of an exploration of queer Chinese American life, but instead there was the groaning and often repetitive life of the wives alternatively going through cycles of trauma, guilt, and bodily decay, which loses some of its visceral impact upon the seventh or eighth time an emotion is characterized as a belch and yet another character's mouth is described as rotting. Throw in some rather unclear timelines and all too often glib treatment of the COVID pandemic at the very end, and I found myself losing track of both the characters and the narratives that, for me, had started with such promise. I don't deny the histories that informed this book, or the importance of carrying such stories forward. I do, however, question the way in which this was advertised, as well as the high average rating. In any case, librarian privileges allowed me to get a hold of this as quickly as I did, and reviewing it on the first day of (in the US) Pride Month still feels good. I'm just hoping that starting the reading month on a middling point means I can only go up from here.
November 23, 2023
Cinema Love is a novel spanning decades that explores the relationships of gay men, and their wives in China and in Chinatown in New York. Old Second and Bao Mei live in New York City, in an ever changing Chinatown, but they first met in China, at the Workers' Cinema that had become a cruising spot for gay men and where Bao Mei worked selling the tickets. After tragedy there, they married and came to America, but the ghosts of the past followed, and in modern day New York during the pandemic, they must face it all.
This is a sweeping, epic novel that captures the everyday sadnesses and intimacy of human relationships, particular those born out of forbidden circumstances. It is told from multiple perspectives, weaving together a range of central characters with entangled relationships and showing the choices that can have great impact on each other. Particularly intriguing is the way that the book explores both gay men and the women they marry, and the complexities of love and human emotion that can occur in different circumstances. The cinema, though central to the plot, doesn't actually feature that much, making it almost feel like a lost ideal, despite being run down, and throughout the book there's a constant yearning for things, people and places.
This kind of decades-spanning epic novel can be confusing or meandering, but in Cinema Love Tang uses vividly-drawn characters to hold the heart of the novel together and tells an unseen story of both gay and immigrant experience.
August 24, 2024
I first encountered Jiaming Tang's debut, Cinema Love, at the John Murray Proof Party at the Durham Book Festival last year, which is also where I picked up my free proof copy. Tang memorably described the book as 'a tastefully horny epic', and pitched it as being centred on a cinema where gay men cruise for love in 1980s rural Fuzhou. None of this, for me, really captures what this book is about - although I do feel for Tang, as summing up your own work in a few lines is never easy! The focus of Cinema Love is not the cinema's clients but two women who were connected to them. Bao Mei is guided to the cinema by the ghost of her dead brother, who was a self-proclaimed 'sissy', and works in the box office there, proud to defend a safe space for other men like him. Yan Hua, meanwhile, is horrified to find out that her gentle husband Shun-Er is a regular client, and makes a decision that will define the rest of her life. Both women then emigrate to New York's Chinatown and witness its slow decline and gentrification right up to the present day.
Tang is an exceptional writer: his prose has a clarity that deletes any possibility of sentimentality, and he makes the dance through the heads of his group of characters look easy. Both Bao Mei and Yan Hua are sensitively written and satisfyingly complex. If anyone was shortchanged, it was, surprisingly, the men who sought 'cinema love'. Their stories fade out quickly in the face of Tang's determination to show what their wives suffered. I get why Tang thought this was a priority, but the book almost ends up going too far the other way: of the three most important gay male characters in Cinema Love, two are dead for almost the whole of the novel and the third, Old Second, very much slips into a supporting role after an emotional introduction. Nevertheless, an impressive debut, and a good one to read alongside Bernardine Evaristo's Mr Loverman.
Tang is an exceptional writer: his prose has a clarity that deletes any possibility of sentimentality, and he makes the dance through the heads of his group of characters look easy. Both Bao Mei and Yan Hua are sensitively written and satisfyingly complex. If anyone was shortchanged, it was, surprisingly, the men who sought 'cinema love'. Their stories fade out quickly in the face of Tang's determination to show what their wives suffered. I get why Tang thought this was a priority, but the book almost ends up going too far the other way: of the three most important gay male characters in Cinema Love, two are dead for almost the whole of the novel and the third, Old Second, very much slips into a supporting role after an emotional introduction. Nevertheless, an impressive debut, and a good one to read alongside Bernardine Evaristo's Mr Loverman.
June 11, 2024
First things first, Tang's writing is exceptionally moving and raw. The feelings of every character are fully on display to the point that there's a rawness to the story that I had to walk away from a couple of times. It's not a happy story, not even a hopeful one, but it has a humanity in its realness that I can appreciate despite not enjoying it.
The story is pretty much a warning that a life lived in fear and in hiding leads to nothing but memories and sadness, which is a powerful message but a very depressing read. So while I can admire the work, I can't say I enjoyed it.
Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton for the powerful read!
The story is pretty much a warning that a life lived in fear and in hiding leads to nothing but memories and sadness, which is a powerful message but a very depressing read. So while I can admire the work, I can't say I enjoyed it.
Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton for the powerful read!
June 5, 2024
Cinema Love by Jiaming Tang is a deeply moving and exquisitely crafted epic that delves into the hidden lives of gay men in rural China and the women who stand by their side. This novel offers a rare and poignant exploration of love, sacrifice, and resilience, set against the backdrop of both rural Fuzhou and New York City's Chinatown.
The narrative centers on Old Second and Bao Mei, a couple whose unconventional relationship and shared past in the Workers' Cinema set the stage for a powerful story. Tang masterfully intertwines their past and present, revealing how their lives in rural Fuzhou and their migration to New York have been shaped by love, secrecy, and cultural upheaval.
Old Second’s and Bao Mei’s experiences at the Workers’ Cinema are both heartbreaking and tender. The cinema, a place where gay men found fleeting moments of intimacy amidst classic war films, serves as a poignant symbol of hidden desires and the quest for connection. Tang’s portrayal of these men’s secret lives is handled with profound empathy and insight, capturing the intense longing and fear that defined their existence.
Bao Mei’s role as the ticket seller adds another layer of complexity to the narrative. Her interactions with the closeted men, and her own romance with the projectionist, highlight the intricate dynamics of love and secrecy. Tang paints Bao Mei as a figure of quiet strength and compassion, making her a compelling and memorable character. Her journey from the cinema’s box office to her life in New York is depicted with great sensitivity, emphasizing the sacrifices she has made and the resilience she embodies.
The novel’s dual setting is another standout aspect. Tang’s vivid descriptions of rural Fuzhou and the bustling streets of Chinatown create a rich, immersive atmosphere. The contrast between the two settings underscores the characters’ struggle to reconcile their past with their present, adding depth to their emotional journeys. Tang’s attention to detail in depicting these locales brings the story to life, making the reader feel intimately connected to both worlds.
Tang’s writing is both lyrical and evocative, capturing the subtleties of emotion and the complexities of the characters’ inner lives. The prose flows effortlessly, balancing moments of quiet reflection with scenes of intense drama. Tang’s ability to convey the deep bonds between the characters, as well as their individual struggles, makes for a profoundly affecting read.
The novel also addresses broader themes of identity, migration, and cultural displacement. Through Old Second and Bao Mei’s story, Tang explores the challenges of forging a new life in a foreign land while grappling with the ghosts of the past. The depiction of their immigrant experience is nuanced and authentic, highlighting both the opportunities and the hardships they face in New York.
The emotional weight of the novel is amplified by the haunting events that unfold following the revelation of Old Second’s passion for his male lover. These events propel the characters toward an uncertain future, adding a layer of suspense and poignancy to the narrative. Tang’s handling of these moments is masterful, eliciting deep empathy and reflection.
In conclusion, Cinema Love is a staggering and tender epic that offers a profound exploration of love, identity, and resilience. Jiaming Tang has crafted a beautifully written and emotionally rich narrative that stays with the reader long after the final page. This novel is a testament to the enduring power of love and the human spirit, making it a must-read for anyone seeking a deeply moving and thought-provoking literary experience. A true masterpiece.
The narrative centers on Old Second and Bao Mei, a couple whose unconventional relationship and shared past in the Workers' Cinema set the stage for a powerful story. Tang masterfully intertwines their past and present, revealing how their lives in rural Fuzhou and their migration to New York have been shaped by love, secrecy, and cultural upheaval.
Old Second’s and Bao Mei’s experiences at the Workers’ Cinema are both heartbreaking and tender. The cinema, a place where gay men found fleeting moments of intimacy amidst classic war films, serves as a poignant symbol of hidden desires and the quest for connection. Tang’s portrayal of these men’s secret lives is handled with profound empathy and insight, capturing the intense longing and fear that defined their existence.
Bao Mei’s role as the ticket seller adds another layer of complexity to the narrative. Her interactions with the closeted men, and her own romance with the projectionist, highlight the intricate dynamics of love and secrecy. Tang paints Bao Mei as a figure of quiet strength and compassion, making her a compelling and memorable character. Her journey from the cinema’s box office to her life in New York is depicted with great sensitivity, emphasizing the sacrifices she has made and the resilience she embodies.
The novel’s dual setting is another standout aspect. Tang’s vivid descriptions of rural Fuzhou and the bustling streets of Chinatown create a rich, immersive atmosphere. The contrast between the two settings underscores the characters’ struggle to reconcile their past with their present, adding depth to their emotional journeys. Tang’s attention to detail in depicting these locales brings the story to life, making the reader feel intimately connected to both worlds.
Tang’s writing is both lyrical and evocative, capturing the subtleties of emotion and the complexities of the characters’ inner lives. The prose flows effortlessly, balancing moments of quiet reflection with scenes of intense drama. Tang’s ability to convey the deep bonds between the characters, as well as their individual struggles, makes for a profoundly affecting read.
The novel also addresses broader themes of identity, migration, and cultural displacement. Through Old Second and Bao Mei’s story, Tang explores the challenges of forging a new life in a foreign land while grappling with the ghosts of the past. The depiction of their immigrant experience is nuanced and authentic, highlighting both the opportunities and the hardships they face in New York.
The emotional weight of the novel is amplified by the haunting events that unfold following the revelation of Old Second’s passion for his male lover. These events propel the characters toward an uncertain future, adding a layer of suspense and poignancy to the narrative. Tang’s handling of these moments is masterful, eliciting deep empathy and reflection.
In conclusion, Cinema Love is a staggering and tender epic that offers a profound exploration of love, identity, and resilience. Jiaming Tang has crafted a beautifully written and emotionally rich narrative that stays with the reader long after the final page. This novel is a testament to the enduring power of love and the human spirit, making it a must-read for anyone seeking a deeply moving and thought-provoking literary experience. A true masterpiece.
March 26, 2024
5 stars
I both eagerly anticipated this read and wrung my hands most times when I thought about it because I knew I'd love the content and that it would still hurt to read. All of the hypotheses were correct. This is a beautiful book, but - and this is the point - it's also a painful reminder of how some parts of our lives and ourselves are inescapable, even decades later.
Old Second, who now has one of my favorite character names of all time, and Bao Mei, a traditional appearing het married couple, are anything but. They're married, but more so in a mutually beneficial partnership than what may come to mind otherwise. They're initially both drawn to the Workers' Cinema, which is a front for queer men. Old Second could be his true self here, and Bao Mei takes on a different role, as a kind of protector of the men and their (by force) secrets.
Of course, though there's a facade of safety and protection associated with the theater, the stakes are high, and the center cannot hold. It turns out that this center - the basis for all of Old Second's and Bao Mei's actions - *also* cannot hold. Over many years, they both question their decisions and outcomes, and this process is both challenging and arresting to read.
Existence is so painful so frequently, and while there is not necessarily a reprieve from that fact here, there is so much resilience and compassion out there, too. This is a longstanding narrative about all of these conditions and more, and I loved it. I can't wait to read more from this author.
*Special thanks to NetGalley and Nicole Jarvis at Dutton, Plume, and Tiny Reparations Books for this widget, which I received in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
I both eagerly anticipated this read and wrung my hands most times when I thought about it because I knew I'd love the content and that it would still hurt to read. All of the hypotheses were correct. This is a beautiful book, but - and this is the point - it's also a painful reminder of how some parts of our lives and ourselves are inescapable, even decades later.
Old Second, who now has one of my favorite character names of all time, and Bao Mei, a traditional appearing het married couple, are anything but. They're married, but more so in a mutually beneficial partnership than what may come to mind otherwise. They're initially both drawn to the Workers' Cinema, which is a front for queer men. Old Second could be his true self here, and Bao Mei takes on a different role, as a kind of protector of the men and their (by force) secrets.
Of course, though there's a facade of safety and protection associated with the theater, the stakes are high, and the center cannot hold. It turns out that this center - the basis for all of Old Second's and Bao Mei's actions - *also* cannot hold. Over many years, they both question their decisions and outcomes, and this process is both challenging and arresting to read.
Existence is so painful so frequently, and while there is not necessarily a reprieve from that fact here, there is so much resilience and compassion out there, too. This is a longstanding narrative about all of these conditions and more, and I loved it. I can't wait to read more from this author.
*Special thanks to NetGalley and Nicole Jarvis at Dutton, Plume, and Tiny Reparations Books for this widget, which I received in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
July 3, 2024
To its credit, the novel exudes empathy for all the many different characters, even the most seemingly unlikable, and sympathetically portrays the significant heartaches and conflicts that drive the narrative. It’s a unique story, opening a window on individuals and experiences not well represented in the usual literary fiction fare. I liked the writing and the author’s generosity of tone. Despite some awkwardness in the frequent shifts in perspective, this is an auspicious debut.
Shelved as '2024'
June 4, 2024📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton
June 28, 2024
finished just in time for bookclub and i cannot be expected to discuss this book in literally ten min without sobbing wtf
July 7, 2024
I’ve never read a story quite like this. Not only is the voice of each character so clear but how the stories of all characters are intertwined in the end will pull at your heart strings !
August 29, 2024
3.5⭐️ I liked the topic and the depth of the characters but was disappointed in the ending…
July 21, 2024
Incredible but devastating. Let one good thing happen to Bao Mei please
Displaying 1 - 30 of 177 reviews