nwasianweekly.com
August 11, 2007

Good Things, by Mia King. Published by The Berkeley Publishing Group, 2006.

With such authors as David Guterson and Jonathan Raban making their home here, Seattle has been the backdrop for several excellent books in which the city functions as a kind of silent character. Mia King’s debut novel, “Good Things,” is no exception. You wouldn’t expect “chick lit” to tout the virtues of an eco-friendly life, but “Good Things” makes good use of the Emerald City’s environs to transform the novel’s protagonist Deidre McIntosh from a Starbucks-loving, Type-A personality to a more down-to-earth, person-centered individual.

On the surface, Deidre could pass as your typical corporate Seattleite, wearing flashy brand-name clothing and living in her friend’s fancy apartment (I’m guessing in Belltown). As host of Seattle’s most popular daytime show “Live Simple,” Deidre specializes in baking up tasty muffins, decorating the interiors of homes and dishing out advice on how to live a simple yet elegant life. Ironically, Deidre’s hectic lifestyle prevents her from managing the show in a wise and pragmatic way, and this leads to the show’s cancellation, only to be replaced by her rival’s similarly themed program.

To recuperate emotionally, Deidre packs her bags and travels to Jacob’s Point, a small country town that teaches her to live a simple yet fulfilled life. Not far from the town lies Lake Wish, a pond known for mystical properties that helps Deidre find true love and her life’s calling.

King, an Asian American who lives in Hawaii, writes with wit and flair, two attributes crucial to creating meaningfully readable novels. Underneath the book’s sassy veneer is an eco-conscious soul, and this quality is what separates “Good Things” from other novels in the same genre. It is also what makes the book so apt for Seattle readers, who will instantly recognize the environmental scenery that characterizes the city.

Of course, chick lit isn’t exactly what you’d call substantive reading, but if you’re looking for a light summer read and a story that’s based in Seattle, then “Good Things” is highly recommended.

Paul Kim can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

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