A few weeks ago, a representative from HarperCollins visited the bookstore where I work, bringing a bunch of the ARC’s of summer and fall books. In the pile, she had Kirstin Chen’s novel Counterfeit, which as I heard her description, I knew this was a book that I’d enjoy.
Ava is struggling with her marriage and identity. She has left her prestigious job as an attorney to be a stay-at-home mom with a toddler who has behavior issues. Her husband is a doctor, and has recently taken a new job, staying in an apartment near the hospital on weekdays, leaving her even more alone. Ava’s life changes when a former college roomate reconnects.
Winnie abruptly left school when she became embroiled in an cheating scandal. She moved back to China in disgrace, even marrying her aunt’s former husband. Ava is shocked to discover that Winnie is actually doing quite well. Winnie is poised, stylish, and even carrying an exclusive Birkin bag. Ava is so dazzled that she doesn’t immediately find it odd that Winnie, who isn’t a connection on social media, seems to know so much about her life. Winnie has a favor to ask of Ava. Her boss in China, a very powerful man, needs to have a life-saving surgery and would like to have it in the United States. Winnie wants Ava’s husband to get the surgery approved. This favor entangles Ava in Winnie’s illegal business involving high quality “superfake” designer handbags, which are being manufactured in China and moved into the United States.
Counterfeit is a fast and fun read. Chen bounces between the perspectives of Ava and Winnie, with Ava retelling her side of the story to a detective after being caught. You never quite know who is telling the truth, as both narrators are unreliable. In this regard, the story reads a little bit as a mystery.
I got a kick out of all of the Nordstrom references, especially regarding their liberal return policy, making them an easy mark for our main characters, as they pretend to return the luxury handbag that they purchased, but really returning a counterfeit. I used to work at a Nordstrom and I even had the experience of stopping counterfeit items from being returned. Chen’s assessment of the retailer is spot-on, although we do catch criminals sometimes!
Chen attacks the topics of racial bias, cultural differences, and the expectations that women face, especially regarding family vs. career. Ava is an American born to immigrant parents and she has several moments where she is confronted with her own privilege. In the opening chapter, she describes her first impressions of Winnie from their college days. Winnie is from China and she doesn’t fit in. Winnie doesn’t speak correctly, doesn’t know how to dress or handle social situations. Ava does not want to be close friends with Winnie. Later, Ava visits the factories in China and we see her American perspective. Ava is seen as asian by white Americans, but in China, she is seen as an American, an outsider. At its core, this is a story about identity and perceptions. It is a story about where we often have misguided ideas on what should be valued.
Chen mingles these weighty topics with humor and intrigue. Ava and Winnie are compelling characters with strong motivations and the whole elaborate scheme is fascinating. I throughly enjoyed Counterfeit. I’m also happy to learn that this is Chen’s third book. She’s a new-to-me author and I look forward to reading her other books.