I requested this because I liked the premise and because I think there should be more stories of immigrant families out there. I found the plot disjointed and the flashbacks confusing, though Queenie's journey is somewhat interesting.

“When you’re poor, everything costs so much that even your soul is up for sale.”

Seventeen-year-old Queenie immigrates to the U.S. with her father and younger brother to live with her mother; a family hoping to lead a better life than they would back home in the Philippines. But she learns that life in America isn’t what television and movies had promised her. Queenie’s mom is different, made a stranger by this new land. Her father is belligerent and resentful to be so dependent on his wife. Her brother - old enough to know what’s going on but too young to do anything about it - escapes to fictional worlds in video games. Throughout the novel, Queenie learns to navigate her own desires amidst the cultural and class differences rampant in the boroughs of New York City.

Love Can’t Feed You is a story divided into three parts. In the first, Queenie comes to the U.S. and adjusts to life in a foreign country as her family splinters. In the second part, she goes to community college and explores relationships with people outside her family. In the third, Queenie drifts between various classes and jobs, looking for (in her words) something she doesn’t quite understand. There are no distinct chapters to separate the story elements - rather, long and short passages of prose. As the book goes on, these passages become shorter, as Queenie’s sense of self fractures - she is an immigrant, a student, a caregiver, a sex worker, a reader, a friend, a sister, a daughter. Like a snake shedding its skin, Queenie leaves these disparate selves behind as she seeks out her place in the world.

Cherry Lou Sy has a strong voice. She writes characters who are diverse, believable, and flawed. Queenie is naïve, unmoored in a way that leaves the reader as unsure of who she is as the protagonist herself. The strongest parts of the novel show Queenie contemplating the similarities and differences between life in New York and life in the Philippines. In the last fifth of the book, Queenie finally achieves one of her goals, when a devastating event occurs and the rug is pulled out from under her. According to interviews, this abrupt turn in the story shares elements with a personal tragedy the author experienced, and, while it is written well, I don’t feel that it served to further Queenie’s development or bring the story to a satisfying end. The finale leaves the reader with more questions than answers.

Love Can’t Feed You is a mirror held up to the struggles that immigrant families experience in a land that does not hold space for them. For some, survival means sacrificing the things that feed the soul - art, friendships, love - in order to stay alive. This novel is ideal for fans of coming of age stories told through an Asian immigrant lens. I enjoyed the exploration of a young girl’s search for purpose in a strange city, though I wished the ending had more focus.

**Thank you to Penguin Publishing Group (Dutton Imprint) and Cherry Lou Sy for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.**

I was provided this by NetGalley.
Love Can't Feed You by Cherry Lou Su explores the complex struggles of a Filipino immigrant family trying to rebuild their lives in the U.S. The story centers on Queenie, a young woman who is reunited with her mother after she has spent years working as a nurse in the U.S. Along with her father and younger brother, Queenie arrives in the U.S. with hopes of building a better future, only to face the harsh reality that her mother is not the same person she once was. The novel delves into themes of family dysfunction, intergenerational trauma, and the emotional toll of sacrifice and survival.

Queenie's dreams of attending college are dashed by the financial strain on the family, forcing her to take a job as a caregiver for an elderly woman. Meanwhile, her family unravels further—her father's anger escalates, her mother’s infidelity comes to light, and her brother’s behavior becomes increasingly erratic. These mounting pressures push Queenie to a breaking point, leading her into a journey of self-discovery that includes her experimenting with her sexuality and eventually becoming a sex worker.

While Love Can't Feed You touches on significant themes such as trauma and survival, the narrative struggles with its execution. The plot seems disjointed, with numerous plot points introduced but not fully explored or tied together. For instance, the book hints at Queenie's inner conflict and her attempts to make sense of her fractured family, but it fails to fully examine how these experiences shape her growth or inform her decisions by the end. The narrative jumps from one crisis to the next, leaving readers with a sense of incompleteness and frustration as the book ends abruptly, without giving adequate closure or reflection on the events that transpired.

One of the most striking issues is the lack of resolution. Many of the plot threads—Queenie's evolving relationship with her mother, her struggles with her father, and her journey into sex work—are introduced but never fully explored or tied into a coherent narrative. While the novel attempts to tackle deep issues like intergenerational trauma and identity, these themes are underdeveloped, leaving readers with unanswered questions.

Despite its raw exploration of difficult topics, the book's pacing is uneven, and the characters feel underdeveloped. Queenie’s personal growth and emotional journey are not fully fleshed out, making it hard to connect with her struggles on a deeper level. Additionally, the abrupt ending leaves the reader wanting more, with few answers about how Queenie's experiences have shaped her or what she learned from them.

In conclusion, Love Can't Feed You offers a glimpse into the challenges of navigating identity and survival within the immigrant experience, but it ultimately fails to provide the depth and closure needed to make these themes resonate fully. The plot's many twists and turns lack sufficient development, and the novel's abrupt ending leaves the reader with a sense of dissatisfaction. While the book certainly has potential, it struggles with cohesion and leaves much to be desired in terms of character development and thematic resolution.

2.5 | Oh how I wanted to like this one, especially because the first chapter – especially the writing – really pulled me in. Queenie (anyone else struggle to disconnect this Queenie from the one of the book with the same name?) was a frustrating character, which I can normally get on board with but she continued to make terrible decisions with no character growth. Commenting on this feels tricky as a white woman born in America, but the immigrant stereotypes bordered on tropes, and felt dangerous to perpetuate. While the writing started out strong, the structure was at times hard to follow: time jumps, perspective shifts, lots of repetition, and this took away from my overall enjoyment.

Love Can't Feed You is a novel telling the story of Queenie and her family who immigrate from the Philippines. Queenie has hopes of going to college and studying but she quickly discovers that the immigrant life centers on working to support your family rather than focusing on achieving your dreams. I enjoyed this coming-of-age story and the way the author gives a more balanced and less idealistic view of the immigrant experience in the US.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of Love Can't Feed You in exchange for an honest review. Love Can't Feed You is available now.

After somewhat of a slow start this book blossomed into a beautiful coming of age story. Queenie's actions are sometimes concerning and questionable (not unlike those of many real life humans) but I found myself rooting for her and hoping that she would eventually find herself and find contentment.

While this book isn’t something that I would normally pick up, it was a deeply interesting and emotional story of the family of a young woman coming of age after immigrating to the United States. There are big dreams and harsh truths, and this kind of uneasy tension between the desires of the main character and what’s happening with the people, family and friends, around her. In some ways it feels like a story I’ve read before, and yet distinctly the unique story of Queenie. The best part for me was how well the story flowed, as we follow Queenie from 17 to mid-20s, and everything that happens around that. There’s a little bit of cynicism, but also a degree of hope that I think is important. I think it’s a book I could come back to when I’m older and have a completely different view of it. If you are a literary coming-of-age reader, I think this is a great book. All in all, something you might have to sit with a little bit longer.

For me, this book taps into themes that are increasingly common in coming-of-age and intergenerational trauma novels, particularly those that explore the immigrant experience. While I usually appreciate stories that delve into these themes, this book felt like it leaned heavily on familiar narratives without offering new perspectives.

The story follows Queenie, a 17-year-old whose family emigrated from the Philippines to the United States. Facing financial hardships, Queenie’s family can only afford to send one child to school, and Queenie ends up working instead. Through her experiences, she learns the harsh realities of sacrifice and the struggles of migration. Queenie’s parents’ marriage deteriorates as her father clings to his past role as the provider, a role he can no longer fulfill, creating tensions that ripple through the family until he ultimately leaves their lives.

While Queenie’s journey is undoubtedly relatable, the book felt bogged down by the weight of trauma without a clear sense of direction. It’s a character-driven novel, but the characters themselves didn’t feel fully realized, and there wasn’t much of a plot to ground the narrative. Life happens to Queenie, but I struggled to connect with her as she drifted through these experiences. When she starts selling certain services, we get graphic depictions of the events, yet little reflection on her feelings or mindset afterward. The narrative felt disjointed, and the abrupt ending left me unsatisfied, as if the story had missed the chance to provide a cohesive conclusion to Queenie’s journey.

For readers, particularly Filipino immigrants, who may see parts of themselves or their family members in Queenie’s story, this novel could resonate more deeply. I appreciated the cultural elements and enjoyed researching some of the traditions mentioned, which enhanced my immersion in the story. However, I wished these cultural moments had been woven more purposefully into the narrative, providing a clearer sense of what the author intended to convey. In the end, I found myself wanting more depth, purpose, and connection from this read.

2.5 rounded up

Queenie, along with her brother and father immigrate to NYC to meet their mom who has been here for a few years working hard to get her family here. But as the family adjusts in a small apartment, things aren't the same as they were in the Philippines. Queenie's mom has changed, her dad doesn't understand how things can be so different, and her brother becomes distant and shut down. Queenie has dreams of going to college but she's forced to work to pay off the debts her mom incurred to get her to NYC.

This is a great coming of age book, wandering lost in a new city finding your way. Friendships, relationships and family ties are all explored within the book.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC. Opinions are my own.

The ending of this made me unsure how I really feel
, AND this was so complex and heart wrenching. I really enjoyed the conversation around immigration, racism and misogyny but I can’t get over the ending

Love Can't Feed You is about the American Dream and what it takes for some to get there. I found the story unique and the characters strong. While it was a bit slow for me at times it has a nice flow to it. It is a great story for anyone who has ever felt like they do not fit in.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC. I could not connect with this book. The characters, the story just left me flat . Very disappointing based on my expectations from the description. This review is unbiased and my own opinion.

This is a lovely yet heartbreaking poignant look at immigration and The American Dream. Ma, Papa, Junior and Queenie leave Manila for New York Ma gets a job as a nurse and Queenie who is 17 hopes to get her GED and go to college. In the meantime she works as a home-health care aid for an old woman whose family is odd and doesn't always understand her Chinese-Filipino customs. But her parents split up and Queenie is adrift in a city where she feels alone and forgotten. After a series of different jobs she realizes she must "grow up" and adapt like all of us who move and want things to stay the same.
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

LOVE CAN'T FEED YOU builds the character of Queenie through her experiences, past, present and dreams of the future. Growth is about change and the tension in Queenie's family, especially her father's, is resistant to change. Queenie has immigrated to the United States and sees the world through a lens of hope for the future. When her expectations are not met, readers will see how the reactions of the generations are so different. The book builds as we see Queenie's family move forward with determination. The ending is not truly an ending, no one's story is finished. Is there to be another book?

Love Can't Feed You by Cherry Lou Sy is a remarkable coming of age story.
A very well done story, and a very entertaining story, I highly recommend this one.
Cherry Lou Sy does an incredible job with the characters in a way that makes them wholly unique and unforgettable.

Thank You NetGalley and Dutton for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

Man…I really wanted to love this more. But by the end I was frustrated at what point this novel was trying to string together. The ending is so abrupt and it feels as if we never got any sort of character development with Queenie. This book also featured harmful stereotypes that got zero pushback from the characters.

I did like how short the chapters are, and there are certainly some thoughtful passages on the immigrant experience - especially when it comes to the intersection of racism and misogyny. Mel might be a terrible mom, but this book did make me pause and wonder at how differently Queen and Mel experienced America. One found her freedom and one became lost.

As a Filipino American I always want to seek out and uplift Filipino stories, but unfortunately this just didn’t work for me.

Unfortunately didn't love this book. I loved the synopsis when I requested it but it was far away from the promise of the story it could have been.

Not sure why there was so much focus on dysfunctional sex. And I was so confused when it ended so abruptly.

Really too gritty and didn't progress to anything. Wouldn't recommend.

Queenie comes to New York City with her dad from the Philippines to reunite with her mom who has been there for years. The book follows her through several years of trying to find her way. The family and Queenie are so broken that it was hard to like this book. The time jumps in the book were also jarring. This book has some good parts and lots to discuss, but it could have been stronger with better editing.

Thank you Dutton Books and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This one, unfortunately, disappointed me, and I had to DNF about 10% in. While the writing was very strong, the story itself felt disjointed and rushed. I had such a hard time following where it was going that I couldn’t get invested in the plot at all.

A coming of age story. New York, and her mother, are not what Queenie expected or hoped for before she arrives at the age of 17 from the Philippines along with her father and brother. Her immigrant experience sees her sidelined into menial jobs, including one as a caretaker where she meets Zeus, who will later change her life. Her parents' marriage spins out of orbit, as does her father and her only secure relationship is with Yan, who has his own issues. Her mother, well, she's something else. This pulled me in with great writing and vivid imagery (although know that there are several times when Sy or someone else vomits). That said, and as others have noted, the last chapter is abrupt, especially in light of the way this had meandered. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. A good debut and I'm looking forward to more from Sy.