Pao: A Novel Kindle Edition

Pao by Kerry Young introduces Yang Pao, a 14 year-old who is beginning life anew in Jamaica with his mother and brother. It is 1938 and Pao's father has died fighting in the Chinese Civil War. Their benefactor is the father's best friend Zhang, the godfather of Kingston's Chinatown. Zhang, who never married, has a place in his organization for the family, but it is Pao who seems to have the knack for the small-time rackets and protection services, and fills the void in Zhang's personal life. But, Jamaica at this time is not without strife while still a British Colony, the people are becoming vocal over better working conditions, and self-government, and trying to determine what is their identity as Jamaicans. As the years pass, and the conflict grows, battles between keeping the status quo or moving ahead with changes will not only affect the country but personal lives. Pao will be tested many times over the years to prove where his loyalties lie and as often with compromise all sides lose.Pao is an engaging novel that looks at the timeframe in Jamaican history not often told, from the pre-independence days of the 1930s to the independence in the 1960s to the political and economic unrest in the 1980s. With ease and captivating storytelling, the author takes us into the Jamaican Chinese world informing the reader of the vibrant community through the lives of the characters. Each chapter heading is a snippet from Sun Tzu's The Art of War, and while you would think this would be helpful in Pao's business practices, it is in his personal life that he employs the strategic advice. Pao is torn between his love for Gloria, a black Jamaican, and his need to earn respectability within the Chinese community and to honor Zhang. So Pao marries Fay, the privileged daughter of a wealthy Chinese businessman and his black wife, but she is repelled by his hoodlum life style. Gloria is now insulted that she is not good enough, but it is through her eyes that Pao gets his lessons on race, class and identity. Pao likes to think of himself as a gangster with a heart, and does do many deeds outside of the law because it is the right thing to do. But then heroism is in the eyes of the beholder and many will not see him as a hero.Ms. Young provides some historical background about the political events happening in Jamaica as after all it is the political climate which allows for the tolerance of gangs and their retribution of justice or in many cases injustice. I would have liked a little more detail into the political events and the characters that were important to Pao, but with that said, the structure does not take away from the enjoyment of the story. And in total all of the elements add to the freshness of this storyline. The pacing is brisk in this story driven by murder, corruption, blackmail, greed and incest. I recommend this book to readers who enjoy historical fiction with a different view, and those who enjoy learning about Caribbean history.Reviewed by BeverlyAPOOO Literary Book Review

Pao is a novel about the Chinese community living in Jamaica. Pao's life is far from easy. Each day brings change. The changes not only happen to Pao and his community but to the whole of Jamaica. Pao is a paid protector of mainly the brothels where he lives. The madame pays him to protect the girls who work for her. In our time I guess Pao would be called a gangster. He knows the hard men in the neighborhood, men with no hearts whatsoever. Pao is able to deal with people of different stripes. He is an all around person.Pao is a good man. However, he will do whatever is needed, whether illegal or not, to get what he wants. I had trouble with the character, Pao. To me he seemed too gentle, too good to live the life of a gangster. Who wants to end up really liking a gangster hero? So my mind was always divided about Pao. He was like a butterfly. I had trouble pinning him down in my mind. Perhaps, all of us are as complex as Pao.Maybe Kerry Young shines as an author because he made me feel so many different ways about Pao.I especially was drawn to Pao when he began to have troubles with his family. His wife, Fay, steals away his children whom he loves with all of his heart. She takes them all the way to England from Jamaica. Pao does done all within his power to protect his children from her scheming mind and hands. I suppose this is when Pao realized he was fallible as a man. He's not strong enough or cunning enough to protect what's closest to his heart.Now that I think of it this novel's basic theme is about protection. Not only the protection of children involved in a bad marriage but the protection of a place, Jamaica. Jamaicans, the Chinese, the Indians, all have the deep desire to protect their world from the hands of a foreign power like Britain. When a place becomes colonized it loses its face, its individuality and becomes the twin of the conquering power. So all affected want to "protect" their customs and their freedom. People become willing to fight a revolution in order to bring back the world as they knew it.So Pao by KERRY YOUNG is about the ability to hold together a world that is falling apart in so many different ways. I had to think about how many different ways my world has or is falling apart. Do I realize how often my thoughts are about protecting family, country, friends, etc.? I also liked the fact that the author used a man losing his children and not a woman. So often there is the thought that only women love children in the family deeply. I was reminded that men have that maternal heart too. Pao's heart breaks in half when his children are taken from him.The words he speaks during this time made me want to cry. I wanted to help him. Wanted to see his children back with him again.One thing for sure is we aren't really different. Mankind cries, laughs and loves over the same things in life. I once heard someone write or say 'we are more the same than we are different.' Is it true? kerryyoung.co.ukI do want to end with Ms. Kerry Young's words."Han Suyin once wrote that we Chinese are history-minded. And as the world knows, we Jamaicans are politics-minded. Perhaps it is no surprise, therefore, that this book, my first work of fiction, should turn out to be a political history."

This book is a page turner, that presents you with a multitude of perspectives. If you are Caribbean then the written accent doesn't phase you. Otherwise, it's a small learning curve to understand the slang but it's worth it. I recommend this book to any and everyone!

I recommend the book for showing one of many sides to the history of the Chinese immigration to Jamaica and their part in making up the fabric of Jamaican society. The book includes the history of the island from the 1940s to modern times and the blending of the cultures in Jamaica.It's also a love story between a young Chinese man and a local Jamaican girl. Their relationship reflects the Chinese culture and the emerging Jamaican one.

Pao is the story of a Jamaican family of Chinese descent. I don't recall having ever read a fictionalized account of the Chinese experience in Jamaica before I read this novel. Quite apart from its "novelty" charm, this is an engaging story told by a skillful writer. I highly recommend it.

I am always interested in reading historical fiction based in the Caribbean. This is a fascinating perspective from a different point of view than is typically found. Not a masterpiece of writing, but good enough to evoke a revealing look, and provide an enjoyable read.

As I lived in Jamaica for over 40 years, the book captured very well the intricacies of life in Jamaica in the past and how people’s life was affected by the government policies leading to huge changes socially.It described daily life of both the affluent, and not so affluent and what Jamaicans had to do to survive.The fact Pao was an immigrant from China made the story more interesting, not something authors would tackle, I expect a lot of research went into it.

I bought this book as part of a book club read. Ironically I met someone a few months ago who was part Jamaican and part Chinese - yet although the subject of the book should have been interesting i.e. the ethnic mix, cultural differences etc I found the characters to be so one dimensional that I found it tedious and hard to finish. I didn't particularly care about any of them and found the "patois" style of writing hard work.

For a first novel, this is a 'tour de force. Ms Young manages to convey a convincing authenticity to her descriptions of post-WW2 Jamaica. The story is intriguing and this fascination lies with the fact that she has a Chinese-Jamaican narrator. The narration therefore has both a Chinese suggestion to and a Jamaican one. There is a significant Chinese community in Jamaica, that is often overlooked. Her descriptions of Kingston are wonderful and her portrayal of Pao is honest.

A great read as well, loved the history surrounding the story, went back in time

Works best if you have read Gloria first, but could be standalone. Takes a while to get into the swing of the local phrasing of the conversations but it is thoroughly enjoyable and a believable read. How this complex character rolls through his life, perhaps making the same human mistakes we all do but surviving. Well written and thoroughly enjoyable.