Review of The Ping-Pong Champion of Chinatown

[Jeshna Madaan]

[Following is a volunteer review of "The Ping-Pong Champion of Chinatown" by James Hanna.]

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5 out of 5 stars

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The Ping-Pong Champion Of Chinatown by James Hanna follows the main character Gertie McDowell, through a collection of 8 chronological short stories about her adventures as a young woman. From a star on a foot fetish website to a ping pong champion, a checker champion in prison, ending up in a white slavery ring, and more, Gertie's story is one that I could have finished in one sitting. Written in first person, Gertie's character is naive yet humorous, spirited, and authentic, and even though she makes questionable decisions, readers root for her all the same.

The story's events begin when Gertie leaves her hometown at Turkey Roost, Kentucky, to chase her dreams of becoming a movie star. Even without an agent or any prior experience other than that she received a standing ovation playing Annie in her school play, Gertie believes she can make it. That is until everybody refuses to audition her, and when she meets a man named Nose at the park who offers her a different kind of job, kickstarting Gertie's adventures to come.

I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars because I thoroughly enjoyed the events of this book through Gertie's eyes. Her unfiltered opinions were eccentric but refreshing, and her way of talking (or writing?) was intriguing to me. I especially loved her animal-related analogies, such as ".. I’ve got more gumption than a hungry mule in a cornfield." As I mentioned, I would have read this book in one sitting if I had the time.

The editing was flawless; I did not find one grammatical error throughout the book. I also could not find anything to improve on for this book, its perfect as it is. I recommend this book for teenagers and adults alike because I reckon anyone would enjoy Gertie McDowell and the good fun this book is.

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The Ping-Pong Champion of Chinatown
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