This story will stay with me for a long time. Not being familiar with Mimi Kwa or her work, I was going in blind and still found this memoir, written like a fictional family saga, truly engaging. House of Kwa opens with Mimi being sued by her father, she then delves into her fascinating family history going back to the 1800’s to understand the meaning and culture of House of Kwa. It follows the family to Hong Kong in its hey-day where they establish as silk merchants and endure the Japanese occupation, and then on to Australia as Mimi’s father settles. House of Kwa features love, loyalty, betrayal, loss and mental health with a warm heart and forgiveness. Mimi’s writing is vivid and immersive.

House of Kwa was a historical family saga, similar to Pachinko. The reader is getting a snippet from the present and the author takes us back to the beginnings of her family tree in China and how historical and personal events shaped her ancestors to the now.
The chapters are a good length and the writing style is engaging. However, the Chinese proverbs and sentences through me out of my reading flow a lot, especially in the beginning.

Altogether a good memoir, which I can recommend to anybody interested in Asian history.

Thank you Netgalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Wow…what a story. The kind of book that if you read not knowing it was a memoir would think ‘great story’. The fact that this is a memoir doesn’t take away from the fact that it is still a good story, but it adds that WOW factor.

I must admit to not knowing who Mimi Kwa was before reading this book, and that doesn’t matter one bit. This is not the story of Mimi Kwa renown journalist, it is the story of Mimi Kwa, daughter of a Chinese immigrant and a schizophrenic mother, and the turbulent, complicated life she had growing up. These complications did not end with her childhood however, they followed her into adulthood, that’s where the book begins…with her father suing her.

It's an epic family drama of Kwa.
Very well written memoir by @mimikwa. The book is divided into three parts, Old Kwa, New Kwa, and Now Kwa.
The story starts from her family's history in Hong Kong during Japan occupation; the success of Mimi's aunt, Theresa, which was able to bring Francis, Mimi's father to study in Australia.
Francis built Mandarin Gardens in Scarborough,  WA and achieved 4.5 stars rank as his point of success, however he didn't do best for his role as a father and head of family. I'm impressed with how Mimi is able to stand and care for herself, while she can't really lean on to her mother as well.

Aunt Theresa is my favourite in this book. ❤ She's one of those people who never fails to share and give. Aunt Theresa is equal kindness.

While reading this book,  I can't hold myself to google Mandarin Gardens and Francis Kwa.😆
Well, I don't know if I'll have patience as huge as Mimi to handle the eccentricity of Francis Kwa. Buddy hell.