Review of Maggie; or, a Man and a Woman Walk Into a Bar by Katie Yee

Katie Yee’s debut follows a Chinese-American woman as her nuclear family falls apart. She’s on a child-free date with her husband at an all-you-can-eat buffet, eagerly eyeing the samosa station so as not to miss them being replenished, when he drops the bomb that he’s leaving her for Maggie, a perfectly blonde white woman. In many ways, she’s seen this coming all along. Despite their happiness, she has always known she doesn’t quite fit with Sam and here he is starting a new life with a woman his parents will no doubt approve of much more and all the while he gets to remain the fun Dad too!

Meanwhile, not only must our protagonist navigate heartbreak, betrayal and single motherhood, she’s also found a lump in her breast in almost comedically terrible timing. 

Told in wry vignettes, this is a unique take on the divorce novel that is both sad and kind of strange. Katie Yee has a captivating prose style that I found deeply emotive and poignant. It is rich in references to flora and folk tales and, at less than 200 pages, I would recommend it for anyone looking for a fast-paced and introspective read. 

Reviewed by Abi

Published on 24/07/25 by Octopus

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