Dollycas's Thoughts
Meddy Chan and her husband Nathan have been enjoying their romantic honeymoon tour across Europe but now it is time to meet her huge extended family in Jakarta to celebrate the Chinese New Year. It is quite a celebration with many traditions.
Second Aunt's head is turned when a former beau comes to the family home bearing gifts in hopes of winning her back. But there was one special gift that was intended for a business rival and was mistakenly given to a teenager at the celebration. It was an honest mistake but getting the contents of the particular envelope isn't going to be easy. The recipient was the granddaughter of another rival and retrieving it puts the Aunties, Meddy, and Nathan right in the middle of a "decades-long war between Jakarta's most powerful business factions". The Aunts look to Meddy to come up with a plan to get them out of the mess but that just may be impossible.
____
This is the third and final installment of this series and the author pulled out all the stops.
Meddy and Nathan are happily married and were able to get away from the Aunties for the start of the honeymoon. Meddy especially enjoyed not being at their beck and call. Now it is time to meet up with her mother, Second Aunt, Fourth Aunt, and Big Aunt for a huge celebration. Chaos ensues the minute they land in Jakarta as does the laughter.
The Aunties are a force and that we get to see them with their extended family is fantastic. It's a competition, they can't "lose face". So everything they bring and everything they do must be the best while adhering to some unwritten rules. Getting caught up in some drama with Indonesia's Kuo Fa group could make them lose face if not handled delicately and the Aunties do not do delicate at all. The powerful leaders Abi (Abraham Lincoln), Julia (Child), and Kristofer Kolumbes are the top 3 conglomerates in Indonesia and have been feuding for years. Abi's gift has now brought Meddy, Nathan, and the Aunties into another dangerous situation.
No one needs family reunions like this but it made for a terrific read. All the characters are larger than life and lept off the pages. Meddy tries so hard to do what's right and keep the Aunties out of trouble but they just pull her into the craziness. Nathan has the patience of a saint when dealing with the Aunties. He tries to keep things fun and light for Meddy but she knows these women and the bedlam they can create. Ms. Sutanto has created memorable characters that will stick with her readers for a long time.
The family home in Jakarta is humungous, with several generations living under one roof, and has plenty of space for visitors. The Aunties believe that when they left for America the rest of the family was very angry or jealous. And say while they love each other but they all have their "arguments".
Their knowledge of common idioms is great, but getting them correct not so much. "the grass is greener on the other side" comes out "The grass got early worms on the other side". And words, "Why must you be so mellow dramatic?"Â Meddy's mother can dole out the guilt too whenever she deems it neccessary.
Ms. Sutanto sent her characters on a wild adventure almost from the start of this story. Twists upon twists, turns upon turns, drama, chaos, kidnapping, criminal acts, stand-offs, all laced with a wide array of humor. Fourth Aunt is hilarious but the others have their moments. Meddy has grown since the first book, Dial A For Aunties. Nathan is her perfect match. He also knows exactly how to deal with the Aunties. Big Aunt grew a lot in this story too. She was not always the most powerful person in the room and she had an awakening. Meddy's mother just needs one thing and she may get it soon.
The Good, the Bad, and the Aunties - The Good was very Good, The Bad was very bad, and the Aunties were fabulous. I am sorry to see this series end. The characters and their antics are so much fun. All three books have delightfully entertained me. Like Dial A for Aunties and Four Aunties and a Wedding, The Good, the Bad, and the Aunties receives my Paradise Rating. They have all moved to my "Keeper Collection" on my Kindle. They are books I will want to read again, especially when I feel the need to laugh.
Netflix has purchased the right to Dial A for Aunties, so we may see it made into a movie someday.Â
*Note: The book does include explicit language.Â
Meddy Chan and her husband Nathan have been enjoying their romantic honeymoon tour across Europe but now it is time to meet her huge extended family in Jakarta to celebrate the Chinese New Year. It is quite a celebration with many traditions.
Second Aunt's head is turned when a former beau comes to the family home bearing gifts in hopes of winning her back. But there was one special gift that was intended for a business rival and was mistakenly given to a teenager at the celebration. It was an honest mistake but getting the contents of the particular envelope isn't going to be easy. The recipient was the granddaughter of another rival and retrieving it puts the Aunties, Meddy, and Nathan right in the middle of a "decades-long war between Jakarta's most powerful business factions". The Aunts look to Meddy to come up with a plan to get them out of the mess but that just may be impossible.
____
This is the third and final installment of this series and the author pulled out all the stops.
Meddy and Nathan are happily married and were able to get away from the Aunties for the start of the honeymoon. Meddy especially enjoyed not being at their beck and call. Now it is time to meet up with her mother, Second Aunt, Fourth Aunt, and Big Aunt for a huge celebration. Chaos ensues the minute they land in Jakarta as does the laughter.
The Aunties are a force and that we get to see them with their extended family is fantastic. It's a competition, they can't "lose face". So everything they bring and everything they do must be the best while adhering to some unwritten rules. Getting caught up in some drama with Indonesia's Kuo Fa group could make them lose face if not handled delicately and the Aunties do not do delicate at all. The powerful leaders Abi (Abraham Lincoln), Julia (Child), and Kristofer Kolumbes are the top 3 conglomerates in Indonesia and have been feuding for years. Abi's gift has now brought Meddy, Nathan, and the Aunties into another dangerous situation.
No one needs family reunions like this but it made for a terrific read. All the characters are larger than life and lept off the pages. Meddy tries so hard to do what's right and keep the Aunties out of trouble but they just pull her into the craziness. Nathan has the patience of a saint when dealing with the Aunties. He tries to keep things fun and light for Meddy but she knows these women and the bedlam they can create. Ms. Sutanto has created memorable characters that will stick with her readers for a long time.
The family home in Jakarta is humungous, with several generations living under one roof, and has plenty of space for visitors. The Aunties believe that when they left for America the rest of the family was very angry or jealous. And say while they love each other but they all have their "arguments".
Their knowledge of common idioms is great, but getting them correct not so much. "the grass is greener on the other side" comes out "The grass got early worms on the other side". And words, "Why must you be so mellow dramatic?"Â Meddy's mother can dole out the guilt too whenever she deems it neccessary.
Ms. Sutanto sent her characters on a wild adventure almost from the start of this story. Twists upon twists, turns upon turns, drama, chaos, kidnapping, criminal acts, stand-offs, all laced with a wide array of humor. Fourth Aunt is hilarious but the others have their moments. Meddy has grown since the first book, Dial A For Aunties. Nathan is her perfect match. He also knows exactly how to deal with the Aunties. Big Aunt grew a lot in this story too. She was not always the most powerful person in the room and she had an awakening. Meddy's mother just needs one thing and she may get it soon.
The Good, the Bad, and the Aunties - The Good was very Good, The Bad was very bad, and the Aunties were fabulous. I am sorry to see this series end. The characters and their antics are so much fun. All three books have delightfully entertained me. Like Dial A for Aunties and Four Aunties and a Wedding, The Good, the Bad, and the Aunties receives my Paradise Rating. They have all moved to my "Keeper Collection" on my Kindle. They are books I will want to read again, especially when I feel the need to laugh.
Netflix has purchased the right to Dial A for Aunties, so we may see it made into a movie someday.Â
*Note: The book does include explicit language.Â
