Book Review: Red Thread of Fate by Lyn Liao Butler

My Rating:

⭐⭐⭐

An Asian American couple, Tam and Tony Kwan are mending the cracks in their marriage and on the cusp of adopting a child from a Chinese orphanage. Tragedy strikes when Tony and his cousin Mia are killed in an accident near Mia’s home. Tam is surprised to know that Tony had been with Mia at the time of the accident, having been on the phone with him at that moment and it becomes apparent to Tam that Tony had been lying to her about his true whereabouts. Tam, in shock over her husband’s death, is also now responsible for Mia’s five-year-old daughter Angela. Tam was once close to Mia and her daughter Angela when she was just a baby, but after a falling out they had been estranged for almost five years. Tam was also not aware that Tony had reconnected with Mia. 

Despite a rocky start, Angela and Tam begin to bond over their recent losses and Tam, who always wanted to be a mother, finds solace in the little girl who becomes a part of her family. Tam also decides to travel to China and go through with the adoption of the three-year-old boy, Charlie, as they had planned. As Tam, Charlie, Angela and their new dachshund Stella strive to become a family ,long-buried secrets, lies, betrayals and guilt rise to the surface threatening to tear everything apart. Will Tam be able to keep it together and move on with her new family?

The running theme of this novel is the ‘red thread of fate’, which, as the author describes, has its origins in Chinese mythology “where it was believed that the gods tied together with an invisible red thread between lovers who are destined to be together. This thread can never be broken; it might be tangled or stretched but will never break.” The author also tells us that the term has “been embraced by the adoption community to include adopted children and their new families”. The narrative flits between past and present. Through flashbacks, we get to know more about Tam and Tony and their life together before the accident. Mia’s backstory is presented to us through entries in her private journal which she was writing for Angela and details Mia’s life in China before her relocation to the United States where starts a new life, her relationship with Tam and Tony and Angela's birth with many facts that she had kept hidden in her lifetime. The present-day narrative follows Tam navigating her way through widowhood and parenthood in the present day including her trip to China with Angela where finalizes the adoption. My heart ached for Angela, Tam and little Charlie and all they have been through. How Tam’s experience as a new parent contributes to a better understanding of her own mother is very well written.

Lyn Liao Butler’s Red Thread of Fate is a story of family, friendship, parenthood, forgiveness and destiny. The references to Chinese culture and beliefs enrich the narrative and the author has tried to shed a light on important issues such as the conditions in Chinese orphanages and the process of international adoption, which is commendable. However, I felt that the narrative only touched the surface of the complex dynamics described among the characters in this novel and lacked emotional depth, especially in parts of Tam’s story. The secrets and reveals in Mia’s story were predictable up to a point and the efforts to justify some of Mia's actions fell flat. I agree that Mia’s story is crucial to the narrative and the emphasis on her would not have been a problem, had certain parts in Tam’s story not felt too rushed. The writing also felt a bit stilted. The new romantic relationship track felt forced and a rather convenient wrap-up to the story. I will admit that I was also a bit disappointed in how Angela’s character has been written. While it is true that children, at times, can display admirable wisdom beyond their years, Angela’s behavior, reactions and dialogue, in many instances, seem incongruous with that of a five-year-old child and she exhibits a maturity that is simply out of place. A lot is going on in this novel and with its characters - past and present. Tony, Tam and Mia are individuals with flaws, which make them real, but some of their actions cannot be justified in the manner the story presents to us and even if their circumstances may evoke a certain amount of sympathy, it takes a lot of effort to feel completely invested in these characters. While I enjoyed the premise and parts of the narrative, I’m not too impressed with the execution of the story in its totality.