Using a script format might seem gimmicky but Charles Yu has made an affecting novel with Interior Chinatown using it. This award winning book is labeled as satire but I preferred the parts in betweenness the broader aspects of the narrative. Using a cop show as a target is fine but it was throwaway lines between the actors / characters that held the most zing. The same was the case for the lead Willis Wu. His backstory and his relationships were quite touching though a little maudlin near the end.
I also found the romance a little much which is saying something when the novel is so big everywhere. It had a pat ness to it that didn’t jibe with the rest of the book. In the end, I want to read Yu’s other books though.
The beverage choice for Interior Chinatown revolves around karaoke which is where some scenes are set. For karaoke, you want people to sing but not well so you want lighter beers, session beers. Something to build a buzz but not wreck someone two songs in. Luckily, you can find all sorts of pilsners. Green Cheek in Anaheim has a passel of them as does Highland Park Brewing. But you can find many in your local bottle shoppe.
