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A River of Stars: A Novel Hardcover – August 14, 2018

4.1 4.1 out of 5 stars 611 ratings

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NATIONAL BESTSELLER • In a powerful debut about modern-day motherhood, immigration, and identity, a pregnant Chinese woman stakes a claim to the American dream in California.

“Utterly absorbing.”—Celeste Ng • “A marvel of a first novel.”—O: The Oprah Magazine • “The most eye-opening literary adventure of the year.”—Entertainment Weekly

NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY The Washington Post • NPR • Real Simple

Holed up with other mothers-to-be in a secret maternity home in Los Angeles, Scarlett Chen is far from her native China, where she worked in a factory and fell in love with the married owner, Boss Yeung. Now she’s carrying his baby. To ensure that his child—his first son—has every advantage, Boss Yeung has shipped Scarlett off to give birth on American soil. As Scarlett awaits the baby’s arrival, she spars with her imperious housemates. The only one who fits in even less is Daisy, a spirited, pregnant teenager who is being kept apart from her American boyfriend.

Then a new sonogram of Scarlett’s baby reveals the unexpected. Panicked, she goes on the run by hijacking a van—only to discover that she has a stowaway: Daisy, who intends to track down the father of her child. The two flee to San Francisco’s bustling Chinatown, where Scarlett will join countless immigrants desperately trying to seize their piece of the American dream. What Scarlett doesn’t know is that her baby’s father is not far behind her.

A River of Stars is a vivid examination of home and belonging and a moving portrayal of a woman determined to build her own future.

Praise for A River of Stars

“Vanessa Hua’s story spins with wild fervor, with charming protagonists fiercely motivated by maternal and survival instincts.”
USA Today

A River of Stars is the best of all worlds: part buddy cop adventure, part coming-of-age story and part ode to female friendship.”—NPR

“Hua’s epic 
A River of Stars follows a pair of pregnant Chinese immigrant women—two of the more vibrant characters I’ve come across in a while—on the lam from Los Angeles to San Francisco’s Chinatown.”—R. O. Kwon, author of The Incendiaries, in Esquire

“A delightful novel of motherhood and Chinese immigration . . . Without wading into policy debates, Ms Hua dramatises the stories and contributions of immigrants who believe in grand ideals and strive to live up to them.”
The Economist
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Editorial Reviews

Review

A River of Stars splits the ‘Chinese immigrant story’ into a kaleidoscopic spectrum, putting human faces to the many groups—rich and poor, privileged and marginalized, documented and not—who come to America. Vanessa Hua’s debut is an utterly absorbing novel about the ruthless love of parenthood and the universal truth that sometimes family runs deeper than blood alone.”—Celeste Ng, New York Times bestselling author of Little Fires Everywhere and Everything I Never Told You

“[A] powerful debut.”
Entertainment Weekly 

“Vanessa Hua’s story spins with wild fervor, with charming protagonists fiercely motivated by maternal and survival instincts.
A River of Stars is a migrant narrative tenderly constructed around Scarlett’s quest to carve a life for her daughter and herself at the risk of deportation.”USA Today

“Vanessa Hua’s epic
A River of Stars follows a pair of pregnant Chinese immigrant women—two of the more vibrant characters I’ve come across in a while—on the lam from Los Angeles to San Francisco’s Chinatown.”—R. O. Kwon, author of The Incendiaries, in Esquire

“A delightful novel of motherhood and Chinese immigration . . . Hua is a breezy, unfussy storyteller and an astute observer. . . . Without wading into policy debates, Ms Hua dramatises the stories and contributions of immigrants who believe in grand ideals and strive to live up to them.”
The Economist

“The most eye-opening literary adventure of the year . . . a spellbinding immersion into one woman’s search for the American Dream.”
Entertainment Weekly

“Vanessa Hua’s page-turner is a powerful look at immigration and identity.”
Us Weekly (“Summer’s Best Send-Offs”)

“Hua’s first novel bristles with timely detail and unexpected pivots, as two desperate women find family and community to support their struggle for freedom.”
—BBC (“The 10 Smartest Beach Reads of 2018”)

“A vibrant, fascinating look into womanhood and how so many women’s lives are shaped by their relationship to the powerful men within them . . . Hua infuses this story with spirit and humor, exploring the ways in which pregnancy and motherhood can be both liberating and entrapping for the women who endure them. It’s a remarkable novel, one which makes clear the many ways in which women must struggle to make their lives their own.”
Nylon 

“[A] stellar debut novel.”
Bustle

“A twenty-first-century immigrant story about the terror, drama, and desperation of being undocumented and yet unable to leave.”
The Village Voice

“Vanessa Hua illuminates the lives of her characters with energy, verve, and heart. Hua tracks the minutest emotional terrain of these characters while simultaneously interrogating the cultural and economic forces that shape their worlds. This book holds your attention until the very last page.”
—Emma Cline, New York Times bestselling author of The Girls

A River of Stars is a page-turner, a riveting story of parenthood, migration, and the choices we make to survive. Fierce and determined, resourceful and resilient, Scarlett Chen is an unforgettable protagonist you can’t help but root for.”—Lisa Ko, author of the National Book Award finalist The Leavers

“Vanessa Hua’s compelling
A River of Stars is a story of resistance, survival, and self-determination in a world that is seemingly indifferent to the needs of the poor and disenfranchised.”—Min Jin Lee, author of the National Book Award finalist Pachinko

About the Author

Vanessa Hua is a columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle and the author of a short story collection, Deceit and Other Possibilities. For two decades, she has been writing, in journalism and fiction, about Asia and the Asian diaspora. She has received a Rona Jaffe Foundation Writers’ Award, the Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature, the San Francisco Foundation’s James D. Phelan Award, and a Steinbeck Fellowship in Creative Writing, as well as honors from the Society of Professional Journalists and the Asian American Journalists Association. Her work has appeared in publications including The New York Times, The Atlantic, and The Washington Post. A River of Stars is Vanessa Hua’s first novel.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Ballantine Books; First Edition (August 14, 2018)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 304 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0399178783
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0399178788
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.15 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.37 x 1.04 x 9.56 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.1 4.1 out of 5 stars 611 ratings

About the author

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Vanessa Hua
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Vanessa Hua, is author of DECEIT AND OTHER POSSIBILITIES, a NYT Editors pick, and the national bestsellers A RIVER OF STARS and FORBIDDEN CITY. A National Endowment for the Arts Literature Fellow, she has also received an Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature, a Rona Jaffe Foundation Writers' Award, and a Steinbeck Fellowship in Creative Writing. Her work has appeared in New York Times, The Atlantic, ZYZZYVA, Guernica, and elsewhere. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and twins. She teaches at the Warren Wilson MFA Program for Writers, Sewanee Writers Conference, and elsewhere.

Customer reviews

4.1 out of 5 stars
611 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the story compelling, entertaining, and memorable. They describe it as an engrossing read with insightful cultural details and unique characters. The writing quality is described as wonderful and easy to understand. Readers appreciate the vivid storytelling and evocative setting. While some parts are humorous and poignant, others are heartbreaking and funny.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

28 customers mention "Story quality"21 positive7 negative

Customers find the story engaging and memorable. They praise the well-written, entertaining tale with unique characters. The book is described as captivating and heartwarming. Readers appreciate the sparkling prose and well-paced storytelling. They find the plot unexpected with an interesting situation that demonstrates the inequity between poor and rich.

"...and politically relevant, but it is poetically crafted and captivating to the last page. I highly recommend it." Read more

"...The characters were good and well developed. The story moved along and had some surprising twists. It was well written, and an easy read...." Read more

"A poignant story of a poor young Chinese girl who gets involved with her factory boss, becomes pregnant & is sent to American to have the child born..." Read more

"...We’ll-written and compelling story about two very different women who become family as they shelter and nurture their newborns...." Read more

18 customers mention "Readability"18 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's readability. They find it an engaging and well-written literary novel about family complexities. The characters are well-developed and the audiobook edition is great.

"I absolutely loved this novel, and it is staying with me weeks after finishing it...." Read more

"...The characters were good and well developed. The story moved along and had some surprising twists. It was well written, and an easy read...." Read more

"...Very good read." Read more

"...sometimes laugh-out-loud funny addition to the list of other excellent literary novels about the complexities of family and gender relationships in..." Read more

17 customers mention "Insight"17 positive0 negative

Customers find the book insightful and fascinating. They appreciate its premise, details about Chinese culture, and timely topics. The book provides an introduction to facts that have been in the news recently. Readers enjoy the rich world filled with stories, culture, history, and a modern love story.

"...This story is not only socially and politically relevant, but it is poetically crafted and captivating to the last page. I highly recommend it." Read more

"...elements of class, rural v urban upbringings and assimilation to American Chinese life...." Read more

"...The women are strong and intelligent and have to surmount overwhelming circumstances to survive and keep their children with them. Very good read." Read more

"Scarlett is strong and resourceful. She manages, through her own grit and imagination, to make a life for herself...." Read more

12 customers mention "Character development"9 positive3 negative

Customers find the characters compelling and memorable.

"...The characters were good and well developed. The story moved along and had some surprising twists. It was well written, and an easy read...." Read more

"Vanessa Hua creates intriguing characters and spins a tale of love, motherhood, and survival...." Read more

"...This is a story of part of them. I liked the characters and the plot. Compelling and engrossing read...." Read more

"...created a very interesting and unexpected plot, while bringing all of the characters to life. A fun read - I thoroughly enjoyed the book." Read more

10 customers mention "Writing quality"10 positive0 negative

Customers find the book well-written with sparkling prose and a compelling story. They describe it as an easy read with smooth storytelling that keeps them hooked until the end.

"...story is not only socially and politically relevant, but it is poetically crafted and captivating to the last page. I highly recommend it." Read more

"...The story moved along and had some surprising twists. It was well written, and an easy read...." Read more

"This story took me into a culture that I knew very little about. We’ll-written and compelling story about two very different women who become family..." Read more

"Hua’s touching and beautifully written novel relates the story of Scarlett and Daisy, modern day immigrants to the US, and their struggles and..." Read more

9 customers mention "Pacing"7 positive2 negative

Customers enjoy the book's pacing. They find it vivid, beautiful, and compelling. The characters give an intimate glimpse into what it's like to be human. Readers appreciate the setting, tension, and mystery. Overall, they describe the story as riveting and eye-opening.

"...Vanessa Hua's characters give an intimate glance into what it's like to be pregnant, to give birth, to love, to grow old, and most importantly, to..." Read more

"...A River of Stars is a vivid, sometimes heartbreaking and sometimes laugh-out-loud funny addition to the list of other excellent literary novels..." Read more

"...A lack of trust, though well-founded, is limiting. I enjoyed the setting, the tension, the mystery...." Read more

"...Instead, it was just as bland as the slow progression and roundabout character narratives that never progressed or excited...." Read more

4 customers mention "Heartbreaking"4 positive0 negative

Customers find the book heartbreaking and funny. They describe it as a poignant story with riveting characters.

"...A River of Stars is a vivid, sometimes heartbreaking and sometimes laugh-out-loud funny addition to the list of other excellent literary novels..." Read more

"...This story had the potential to be heart-wrenching, and at times it was. But the deep level of engagement was uneven...." Read more

"Funny, sad, poignant, riveting, story and characters, Hua has a gift with capturing what makes us human...." Read more

"A profound and memorable novel with unique, compelling characters..." Read more

A Highly Pleasurable Read!
5 out of 5 stars
A Highly Pleasurable Read!
In this wonderful novel, Hua illuminates many aspects of the immigrant story: survival, fear, romance, the importance of family, among others. She's created a fascinating character in the fiercely independent Scarlett Chen, a factory clerk who escapes rural China and ends up in San Francisco's Chinatown. The story takes unexpected twists and turns (no spoilers here!), all of which kept me fully engaged. An evocative and highly pleasurable read. Highly recommended!
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on June 25, 2019
    I absolutely loved this novel, and it is staying with me weeks after finishing it. Vanessa Hua's characters give an intimate glance into what it's like to be pregnant, to give birth, to love, to grow old, and most importantly, to be a Chinese woman fleeing a regime of forced abortions and sterilization to seek a safe and fruitful life in America. This story is not only socially and politically relevant, but it is poetically crafted and captivating to the last page. I highly recommend it.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on October 17, 2018
    I wasn't expecting to like this as much as I did. I'm not sure it deserved 4 stars, but I thought it deserved more than 3. The characters were good and well developed. The story moved along and had some surprising twists. It was well written, and an easy read. It certainly made me think a little more sympathetically about the treatment of immigrants in our country - especially under the current administration.
    5 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on October 8, 2018
    I was disappointed by this book and the lack of plot depth. I really pushed myself to keep reading, hoping the reward would be found in a great ending. Instead, it was just as bland as the slow progression and roundabout character narratives that never progressed or excited.
    From a cultural perspective, there were interesting elements of class, rural v urban upbringings and assimilation to American Chinese life. However, so many other novels have painted these lessons beautifully with so much more substance. I couldn’t take Hau’s depiction seriously.
    5 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on July 30, 2019
    A poignant story of a poor young Chinese girl who gets involved with her factory boss, becomes pregnant & is sent to American to have the child born a US citizen. All because early tests indicated it was going to be a boy & his wife had only been able to give him girls. Once in America, she finds out it will be a girl and is afraid of the repercussions. She and another pregnant Chinese girl decide to run away, hide someplace & try to make it on their own. The final outcome leaves a lot of questions as this is something that is happening today.
    2 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on September 27, 2018
    This story took me into a culture that I knew very little about. We’ll-written and compelling story about two very different women who become family as they shelter and nurture their newborns. The women are strong and intelligent and have to surmount overwhelming circumstances to survive and keep their children with them. Very good read.
    One person found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on November 21, 2020
    Hua’s touching and beautifully written novel relates the story of Scarlett and Daisy, modern day immigrants to the US, and their struggles and willingness to work hard to find a place and a way to live. Thrown together at Perfume Bay, a southern California home for unwed Chinese mothers, the two young women make their escape in a stolen van from a pre-ordained future that they find suffocating. They head to San Francisco’s Chinatown to give themselves and their babies a new beginning. And there, in gritty conditions and with only each other to rely on, they learn to trust and believe in the future they are creating. A River of Stars is a vivid, sometimes heartbreaking and sometimes laugh-out-loud funny addition to the list of other excellent literary novels about the complexities of family and gender relationships in China and of the Chinese immigrant experience.
    One person found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on August 19, 2020
    Scarlet is one tough Chinese woman. She has escaped harsh childhood poverty in her own country, managed to find work in a prosperous company where she captures the attention of the "boss." When she becomes pregnant, her lover arranges for her to come to the U.S. so his son can have U.S. citizenship. And that's when Scarlett's determination to survive shines.

    She manages to escape from the threat of losing her child, makes her way to San Francisco's Chinatown, and rebuilds her life while figuring out how to escape deportation--all the time caring for her newborn baby.

    This story had the potential to be heart-wrenching, and at times it was. But the deep level of engagement was uneven. For much of the story, I felt kept at a distance from this Chinese immigrant experience.

    One reason was the sudden shift in point of view from Scarlett to the father of her child. This shift might have been less disruptive if it had come earlier, but it came well after I was totally involved in Scarlet's worldview.

    During the story, I felt most engaged when it centered on Scarlet and Daisy. Otherwise, I felt I was being given a stage aside--meanwhile in China Boss Yeung visits Scarlett's childhood home and meets her mother.

    Great potential, but for me not as satisfying as I felt it could have been.
    2 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on February 20, 2019
    Scarlett is strong and resourceful. She manages, through her own grit and imagination, to make a life for herself. A lack of trust, though well-founded, is limiting. I enjoyed the setting, the tension, the mystery. I felt the ending was too neat, too pat; cinematic (it would make a good movie), so for that I subtracted one star.
    One person found this helpful
    Report

Top reviews from other countries

  • Anita Brooks
    1.0 out of 5 stars Poorly written
    Reviewed in Canada on August 23, 2020
    I felt that the novel was poorly written. It took a lot of effort to finish reading.