Cinema Love tells the story of Old Second, his wife, Bao Mei, and a host of interconnected characters, from their time in post-socialist China to modern day New York City. Specifically, it slowly showcases how all of their lives were touched and influenced by the Worker's Cinema and the men who found love and intimacy together in front of its movie screens.

Tang's writing is, in a word, addictive. Through Tang's prose, we are offered glimpses into the lives of Old Second and Bao Mei, along with Yan Hua and her incredibly intriguing group of friends and loved ones. I wasn't entirely sure what to expect from this story, but Tang took us on a sort of meandering yet poignant stroll through the characters lives while carefully revealing how they are all connected to one another. For my own part, while the writing was both lush and unassuming, I sometimes got lost in when, exactly, in the timeline a scene was taking place. In the end, it's not really the timeline itself that mattered, so much as the entirety of the story when it all came together.

Cinema Love is really a much larger story than just what is offered in its synopsis. It is a story of love and loss, of immigration, of connection. Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton for the ARC of this book.

This was a great literary fiction book. I don't often find myself gravitating towards historical fiction but this piqued my interest. Tang is an excellent writer and I am look forward to reading more of their books in the future!

A complex story that revolves around a set of inter-connected characters, each with their own story and emotions: grief, loneliness, shame, sadness, desire. There is a lot to absorb here: the shame and oppression that gay me are subjected to in China and the U.S., the loveless marriages that their wives tolerate, emigrating to the U.S. and living in poverty while trying to survive and stay under the radar. A difficult story to read but wonderful writing and language.

intricate, ornate, beautiful, fragile. this novel was like a gorgeous crystal. i loved the plot, the characters, everything. thanks for the arc.

This a beautifully written novel that portrays the nuance and complexities of all different types of love. A great balance of plot and character development that felt very realistic and engaging.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the early review copy!

I’ve seen <i>Cinema Love</i> often described in reviews as ‘soft’ and ‘tender’ and I would agree - it feels delicate. It’s ornate crystal that could easily shatter. But it has a lot of power, hidden power, and the end result is a smart and touching look at a cinema in rural China in the ‘80s that was a cruising spot for (mostly) closeted married men. And the women they married. And the ways these women deal with their men deceiving them.

Were the deceits malicious? It can be a hard question answer.

This is a novel that deals in shades of gray.

I was reminded of last year’s <i>Monstrilio</i> as far as the writing style went: short and punchy and so smart, exploring the lives of characters the reader might not necessarily love but can understand. Whereas that book was horror (or, at least, horror-adjacent), <i>Cinema Love</i> is not so grotesque and fits best in the literary genre.

What a great start to my reading year!

Wow. Cinema Love is Jiaming Tang's debut novel; as an epic spanning decades across rural China to New York, Tang truly wrote something special. Cinema Love is about gay men in rural China, who meet and find love and sex at a run-down theater. Flashing between different timelines, Tang also examines the lives of the women who marry these men, and how their lives intertwined in the different counties.

I was honestly blown away by Cinema Love. Tang has such a beautiful command of the prose; even when the words themselves are ugly, it's so deliberate and vivid in the imagery. Even between the timelines and multiple characters perspectives, there is never a moment of unintentional confusion or a moment where the reader gets lost. There is so much love and care poured into his novel, it rolls off every single page.

Each character was treated delicately and I loved the way everyone was introduced; even the more unlikable ones were shown to the reader in an earnest manner. Their flaws were open and exposed, feeling raw and real.

I was blown away. The amount of raw emotion packed into Cinema Love was incredible—I'm honestly still reeling from how fantastic it was. I also just so appreciated that despite the heavy grief, shame, and struggles that Cinema Love explored, there was an equal amount of love, light, and hope within it all.

It's not the easiest of reads, mostly due to the subject matter, but I can already tell this will be in my top books of 2024. I highly recommend everyone adding this to their to-read list of 2024 and I look forward to purchasing a physical copy in May.

CINEMA LOVE!!!!! I read this over the holidays and it quickly became the best book I read in 2023. The novel tells the story about a web of women somehow connected to a group of men who at one point frequented a local cruising cinema. It tracks their lives across countries, across years, and asks the question what you'd do for friendship, for yourself. It's a beautiful book. Poignant and heartbreaking and necessary. 

Thanks to the publisher for the e-galley.

An incredible debut. Tender, gritty, and heartbreaking.

It took me a while to get a handle on the numerous characters and how they are connected, but once I did, I was riveted! I thought this was a moving and fairly bleak exploration of identity, fear, regret, and love (in many different forms).

Thank you very much to Penguin Dutton and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a copy.

This book really surprised and impressed me; I was impressed by the delicate layers of storytelling here, and I appreciated how immersive and character-based the settings feel. I think this is a book that could be well celebrated in all of its details; the world war 2 screenings, the protesters, the various kinds of love!!

I included this one in a book round-up: https://chireviewofbooks.com/2023/12/20/10-books-to-read-when-you-want-to-feel-better-about-your-dysfunctional-family/

Thank you NetGalley for a free e-galley of this book in exchange for an honest review.

"Cinema Love" by Jiaming Tang is a profound and emotionally rich novel that delves into the lives of gay men and the women who marry them in rural China, set against a backdrop of social, cultural, and political change. The story spans across three timelines – post-socialist China, 1980s Chinatown in New York City, and contemporary New York – weaving a tapestry of love, secrets, and the indelible impact of the past on the present.

The narrative centers around Old Second and Bao Mei, a couple who share a unique and complex history rooted in the Workers’ Cinema in Fuzhou, a place where gay men found fleeting moments of intimacy under the guise of watching classic war films. Tang captures the nuances of their lives with a delicate sensitivity, exploring the depths of their experiences, from the clandestine encounters in the cinema to their life together in New York City’s Chinatown.

The novel is a stunning portrayal of the intersection of personal and cultural identity, particularly within the context of the LGBTQIAP+ community in a conservative society. Tang’s exploration of the characters' internal struggles and the societal pressures they face is both insightful and moving. The relationship between Old Second and his male lover, and Bao Mei’s connection with the projectionist, are depicted with a tender realism that speaks to the heart of human longing and connection.

The shifting timelines offer a panoramic view of the characters’ lives, providing a rich context that enhances the narrative’s emotional resonance. Tang’s skillful storytelling bridges these timelines, creating a seamless narrative that resonates with the themes of memory, secrecy, and the enduring consequences of past actions.

However, readers looking for a fast-paced plot may find the novel’s reflective and introspective pace more challenging. The emphasis on character development and emotional depth, while one of the novel's strengths, might not appeal to those seeking more action-driven storytelling.

Content warnings for themes of LGBTQIAP+ identity, societal pressure, and secret relationships are appropriate. "Cinema Love" will most resonate with readers who appreciate literary fiction that explores the complexities of identity, cultural dynamics, and the transformative power of love and memory.

In conclusion, "Cinema Love" by Jiaming Tang is a beautifully written, poignant novel that offers a deep and empathetic insight into the lives of its characters. It is an exceptional work that not only tells a compelling story but also sheds light on important social and cultural issues, making it a significant addition to the genres of LGBTQIAP+ and multicultural literature.

A stunning debut work, "Cinema Love" traverses decades in time and continents, focusing on the lingering impacts a lone theater in Mawei, China continues to have.

Beginning in post-Communist China, Old Second grows up knowing the feelings he has for other men is forbidden, and his carelessness one evening coupled with a younger sibling's loose tongue causes his family to shun him. This is also the time that young Bao Mei comes of age, and she sees her older brother similarly struggle, until he passes away too early; for her, this is motivation enough to begin working at the Mawei Theater, a place that most civilians avoid and whisper about as it becomes one of the few places queer Chinese men can meet. When the theater is eventually taken over and many of its visitors beaten or killed, these individuals are forced to pivot - many of them fleeing to New York and finding shelter in the growing Chinese communities in Manhattan and Brooklyn.

Decades later, Bao Mei is married to Old Second in loveless, but not careless, marriage - but each of their histories comes to light as individuals from their past make themselves known in the present. We meet Yan Hui, a woman who previously entered the Mawei Theater in search of her then husband, who also carries secrets from her past, and the complicated friendships and relationships that have been formed emerge.

There is so much that's been packed into this deceptively short novel: the raw, glaring shame and deceit that these queer men went through; the ways these secrets and deception impacted their wives; the burden and struggle of the immigrant experience; and the all-encompassing feelings of loneliness and companionship. Each of these characters is carefully, lovingly built up - flawed, but not without their merits and moments of redemption. The ever-changing relationships they have with each other, and the complex, often conflicting ways, they express their feelings ties this novel together; this is clearly a character-driven novel at its core. Tang's writing is beautiful and descriptive, sometimes too much so; he's able to transport readers to the dark, dingy theater in Mawei right to the decrepit, broken-down apartments littered across Chinatown, New York.

Very much a recommended read when "Cinema Love" is published in May 2024!

Wow. I'd never heard of this practice, and didn't know it existed until now. I think this was wonderfully grand and sweeping story told over several decades and continents. It was presented with care and thought, and in a deceptively simple way. Let's be honest, the subject matter will not appeal to everyone, but I for one was entranced by the story. Highly recommended.

I received a complimentary copy of the novel from the publisher and NetGalley, and my review is being given freely.

“The Workers’ Cinema, it let us feel what other men felt in the daylight. Our love wasn’t flowers but the sprouting of old vegetables. ‘Dark love’—that’s what Old Second called it.”

This story is told from a perspective I haven’t often seen-that of the women married to gay men. We begin with Bao Mei and Old Second in present day New York before being launched into the past to China, where they first meet at The Workers’ Cinema, a safe haven where gay men could exist and love. There, Bao Mei sells tickets and Old Second finds love. When the cinema is destroyed, they must grapple with how to move on.

Tang writes his characters with such tender humanity. Their anger, sorrow, fear and joy is on full display. We see how hard it can be to live in the present when the past is constantly trying to pull you back. He makes you feel the loneliness and isolation of regret and homesickness, then he lets you feel the hope and warmth of companionship and understanding.

This is such a beautiful and necessary story. It does what all great novels do-it makes you feel.

Thanks to NetGalley and Dutton for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

"Cinema Love" by Jiaming Tang is really beautiful story that dives into themes of human nature, desire, and the enduring power of memory.

I found the characters in this novel to be richly developed, each carrying their own burdens and desires. The nuanced portrayal of Old Second's passion for his lover, the intricacies of Bao Mei's role in the cinema, and the enduring friendships formed within its walls create a story that feels extremely authentic. I also appreciated that the novel doesn't shy away from the tensions of immigration, and it provides a thought-provoking exploration of the weight of memory on the present.

This book blew away almost every other book I read this year. Propulsive, moving, devastating, and entirely unique, I was riveted by every page. I cannot wait to recommend this book to all readers in 2024, and for everyone to discover its wonder.

thank you to PENGUIN GROUP Dutton, Dutton and netgalley for access to Cinema Love by Jiaming Tang in exchange for my honest opinion. this book was so powerful. The voices of each character spoke to me on a different level

I haven't read a book like this one before. I thought the description sounded interesting. I'm glad I gave it a chance. There were so many characters and a bit hard to follow at times but worth the read. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

This searing novel is about love of many different kinds: forbidden, unrequited, familial, and friendships.

The central theme is about gay men in post Communist China (and then New York) and the love they had to hide in the face of discrimination , violence and even excommunication from their families and communities. But its also about all the people in their lives and all the hardships they've lived through and the damages they in turn have done to others.

I enjoyed the span of time and distinct settings. I really loved hearing the cast of characters' interconnected stories and their very particular points of view. The characters were nuanced, and fleshed out. Even when you didn't *like* them, you understood them to a certain extent. There were no villains or angels here.

This was a tough book to read emotionally, because of the abuse, pain, death, tragedy, and unrelenting poverty but I'm still so glad I read it. Jiaming Tang writes beautifully and I can't wait to read his next novel.

Cinema Love gives me vibes similar to “Last Night at the Telegraph Club,” so if you’re looking for a book to fill that void, this is a good choice. I had a hard time following some of the characters at times because many of the characters narrate at some point, but I pushed past it because I enjoyed the plot quite a bit. Looking back, I probably would have done some annotating to keep everything straight because it would have made the last few chapters more satisfying. I so appreciate Tang for giving voice to the gay community because I feel like that representation is still so taboo. As I leave the world of Cinema Love-I must say I would LOVE an alternate history novella with Yan Hua’s voice.