Coffee And Kung Fu (Paperback)

~ Karen Brichoux (Author) "In the movie Magnificent Bodyguards, Jackie Chan sells the evil Mountain King his fists in order to protect his friends..." (more)
Key Phrases: green apron, jasmine tea, Hong Kong, Jackie Chan, Rust Belt (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

It's a convention of the "single girl in the city" novel that the heroine be charmingly self-deprecating and the overall tone light and optimistic. Brichoux seems to be asking if a novel in this genre can succeed when these conventions aren't observed. Her heroine, Nicci Bradford, is a lonely, Kung Fu-obsessed copywriter for a Boston ad agency, working from paycheck to paycheck and dreaming of life in Hong Kong. Her only friend turns against her after her husband hits on Nicci at a party, and her family lives hundreds of miles away. She may have a kindred spirit in Ethan, who works at the neighborhood coffee shop, but before she can find out, she's swept off her feet by Rob, a wealthy and handsome sailboat dealer. Will she stay with the debonair Rob or pursue the sensitive Ethan? Will she remain in Boston or follow her dreams and move East? The plot frequently veers into melodrama, and the Kung Fu movie allusions seem gimmicky. Still, this novel is a refreshing take on an increasingly crowded genre. Meredith Parets
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

...perfect for a day at the beach. -- Library Journal, May 1, 2003

Warm, smart, and original: a swift Snake in Eagle's Shadow kick to all the Bridget Jones clones. -- Kirkus Reviews, April 1, 2003

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Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: NAL Trade (June 3, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451209028
• ISBN-13: 978-0451209023
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 7.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (32 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,289,510 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Smart chick lit, July 28, 2003

By	www.bookshipper.blogspot.com/ "www.bookshippe... (Montreal, Quebec) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

I have read where this book has been placed in the "chick lit" category. Fine - but I have to say that FINALLY there is some smart, interesting chick lit out there.

I am a big fan of the genre, Bridget Jones being a personal favorite. However, in the last little while, I feel as though too much "junk" has been printed in the name of "chick lit".

Finally, Coffee and Kung Fu is a wonderfully written, SMART book. This book will actually make you think about feelings, expectations and loss.

The main character, Nicci, is not adorable, cutesy or perfect. She is actually quite ordinary - which is, of course, part of the charm of this story. What a nice switch of pace - a main character who is actually very ordinary. She doesn't come out with terrifically witty comebacks, doesn't seem to have any money at all, and most surprisingly, very little interest in men, marriage and 2.5 kids.

Although the story tended to lull a little bit (too much Rob) and the Ethan character could have been a little more fleshed out (although this may be intentional on the part of the writer), I would recommend this book to anyone who is tired of reading generic chick lit stuff.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wishing the author the best, I...., June 29, 2003

By	L. Quido "quidrock" (Tampa, FL United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

hope this book does "The Nanny Diaries" thing in terms of sales...but I'm always worried when a book I discover from a new author has too much success -- I kind of like to keep the author "mine" for awhile.

Karen Brichoux has a light touch in her first work of fiction, and her sense of humor is outstanding. But neither can hide the extraordinary uniqueness of her voice, and the way she can turn a phrase. She makes pictures with her words, makes thoughts come alive. She's a talent that I hope will not get caught up in a wave of "single girl fiction", and will turn her literary sights on different points of view, different settings, so that others can explore her way with words.

Brichoux's got a single girl story, this one set in Boston, but Nicci, her heroine, is there in body alone. In mind she is flight, touching down on childhood, on life in the Phillipines, on Hong Kong, on loneliness. She defines herself as a "fringe person", but the depth of her is shown in the way others draw to her. She has a triangle in the book, and is forthright and knowing of the difference between who she makes love to and who she loves.

Her relationship with her grandfather is crisp and genuine, and his personification of "shoes" with people is a generational version of her own "kung fu movies" with people's reaction to them. I thought for awhile I might be one of the few women to understand the difference between the meaning of Jackie Chan movies made in the Far East, in Chinese, and the slapdash kung fu movies he does for American audiences. Not so...and if you read "Coffee and Kung Fu", you will find it out for yourself.

Brichoux's dialogue is believable, and scattered throughout the first person narrative in just the right amounts, and some of her literary comparisons will stay with you a long time, whether humorous:

"Maybe it's because November drew Thanksgiving in the holiday lottery.....November got ripped off. What kind of holiday is it when you're supposed to celebrate genocide by stuffing yourself??"

or poetic:

"She's had the moment. A moment isn't a piece of time, it's a question. A realization. A trauma. The moment comes when you look up and see your life stretching out for seventy more years....Is this life good enough for the next seventy years?"

Brichoux - she's a keeper! Read it, enjoy!!!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great flavor!, September 23, 2003

By	Lani Schwalbe (Anchorage, AK United States) - See all my reviews

"Coffee and Kung Fu" is an engaging story about Nicci Bradford, a Boston copywriter floating in a sea of mid-twenties angst. But if angst is the kind of thing that typically turns you off - which I can say for myself - don't be quick to walk away from this story. Nicci is a real heroine, with real ambivalence, and Brichoux puts her on the page in a way that is fresh and wholly endearing.

"Coffee" follows Nicci through a series of trials - a mysterious coffee guy who somehow knows her thoughts; a rich, attractive boyfriend who is the picture of everything she should want; a confused friend who puts Nicci in the middle of her toxic marriage. Through it all, Nicci relies on her store of Kung Fu movie knowledge to provide her with essential wisdom and perspective.

The thing about "Coffee and Kung Fu" that makes it a great read is Brichoux's mastery of gentle pacing and subtle humor. Nicci's story is full of fresh flavors, perfect for curling up with by the fire on a rainy day with a cup of coffee and a Jackie Chan movie waiting by your side.