A new take on ‘Pride and Prejudice’ brings readers to 2000s New York Chinatown

C.K. Chau brings a fresh take on Jane Austen’s ‘Pride and Prejudice’ presenting the story through the lens of a Cantonese American family in early 2000s New York City Chinatown, in her new book ‘Good Fortune.’

Meet the author: C.K. Chau, author of ‘Good Fortune,’ uses the classic enemies-to-lovers plotline to narrate the story of a Cantonese American family.
* Despite numerous renditions of ‘Pride and Prejudice’ since its publication in 1813, the novel’s themes and conflicts still resonate, according to Chau.

The novel’s portrayal: Chau’s depiction of the Bennett family as a Cantonese, working-class immigrant family, dubbed the Chens, aims to fill a gap in the ‘Pride and Prejudice’ canon.
* The Chens, who live in a small New York apartment and run a restaurant to make ends meet, are drawn from Chau’s familiarity with the life of working-class Chinese immigrants.

Celebrating Cantonese language: The book ‘Good Fortune’ strives to highlight the Cantonese language, which Chau pointed out often only appears in stories as a character detail or dialect.
* Despite its over 85 million speakers worldwide, Cantonese is rarely featured in narratives in any significant way.

Public feedback: The book has been received positively for its authentic representation of Cantonese culture.
* Critics praise the depiction of working-class life offered in the book, noting that it unveils new layers in the original version of ‘Pride and Prejudice.’

View original article on NPR

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