Reviews for Fixer Chao

The average rating for Fixer Chao based on 2 reviews is 4 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2011-04-24 00:00:00 Kabayan Gaul Quite funny. Quite thought-provoking. Quite inspiring. Quite disgusting. The reading is easy and Master Chao somehow represents the many Filipinos who migrated to the Big Apple trying to earn their own place under the sun. This is the story of William Narciso Paulinha who migrated to the United States when he was a teenager. For an unknown reason, he landed as a street hustler, giving oral sex to lonely men inside toilet cubicles at a bus station in New York. There he meets Shem C a fellow Asian who, like William, is not happy with what they are doing. Shem introduces William to the art of feng shui and so William transforms himself to Master Chao a fake feng-shui expert from Hong Kong. With a complete but convincing lie, the two fool the rich and famous New York clientele to the extent of them amassing great wealth that equals most of their own patrons. The story is about east and west and never the twain shall meet. But here they did meet in the person of Master Chao. It's just that the feminine east was able to fool the masculine west. I italicized the two genders because I never thought of the east and west having genders and I don't know where Han Ong got the idea. I have been working in multinational (mostly American) companies since I started working almost 3 decades ago and once I heard from a colleague that some crazy Americans look at Asian men always with doubt as to their sexual preference especially during the initial encounter. So, this east and west of Han Ong must be in line with that. This picaresque novel is inspiring because the poor William is able to rise from practically rags to riches in the Big Apple. However, the end does not justify the means. It is still not moral and ethical to fool people even if you are pushed to the brink of despair and hopelessness. However, I cannot give this less than 3 stars because I felt triumphant for Master Chao. When push comes to shove, when it a choice between sinking or swimming, when the tough gets going, Filipinos sure know how to rise from the challenges. That made me like this novel and don't ask me to explain further. Long live Master Chao!

Review # 2 was written on 2008-12-08 00:00:00 MANABU BANNAI An outstanding literary debut by playwright Han Ong, Fixer Chao manages to be a brilliant satire of the excesses of elitist Manhattanites in the late 90s, while at the same time managing to be a riveting portrait of a failed American dream. Darkly funny and at times very touching, this novel delves into many themes and is a roller coaster of a ride for both us and our protagonist William Narcisco Paulinha is a simple, humble man, an immigrant for whom the American Dream has fallen terribly short. Smarter than his circumstances would indicate, William is a thoughtful man, one who would rather devalue himself than others, a mind-set completely opposite of the cut-throat world of Manhattan in which he lives. These days, he types manuscripts for aspiring writers, a much better job than his previous outing as a hustler turning tricks in the Port Authority bus terminal. Lonely and frustrated, William is above all a man who wants to do good, and he is on the verge of turning his life around when a fateful meeting takes place. One night, at a seedy bar William frequents, he meets Shem, an abrasive, bitter man recently thrown out of his home by his wife, the daughter of a famous novelist. Shem is a social climber (though not terribly good at it), a struggling novelist and a relatively unsuccessful author of celebrity profiles. Having never quite fit into Manhattan's elite, Shem has a plan, a way to exact revenge upon those who see themselves better, smarter and more talented than poor old Shem. Knowing the lemming like quality of the city's upper crust, Shem knows exactly where to hit them, right in their own naiveté. His targets have all the right clothing, the perfect cars, the buzz-inducing interior designers, but most of all they have the desire-no, the absolute need-to be at the forefront of the latest trends, every hot "new thing." Shem has everything he needs to succeed, everything except the Chinese man who can pull it all off. Shem propositions William to take part and become William Chao, a Feng Shui expert from the mysterious East. Shem explains that all William need do is learn a little about the ancient art and ingratiate himself to the elitists to whom Shem will introduce him. From there, it is simple…enter into their homes and do exactly what they want. Arrange their homes to capture the chi, make their living spaces a conduit for successes even beyond their own imaginations. And when he has won their trust, when their lives are on the upswing because of Master Chao's remarkable gift, pull the rug out from under them by doing one thing wrong. Leave out one simple aspect-a mirror is the wrong place, a bed facing an open doorway-something small that will cause their lives to unravel. William agrees and embarks upon an adventure that works perfectly as he-no, his alter ego, the Fixer Chao-is lauded and rises to the level of celebrity, the man who can make everything right, the Master whose ancient art can only improve one's life. But just as William becomes enamored with his new persona, with his life amongst the well-to-dos, and starts believing that he does have the "gift," Shem reminds him that it is time to turn the tables. A deal is a deal after all. Slowly, Fixer Chao weaves subtle mistakes into his work, things no one-especially those who truly know nothing about so mysterious and alluring an art-will notice. And lives begin to unravel. Is it because Master Chao has the power, or is it simply the upper crust's own foibles leading to their downfall? Even William is not quite sure. But just when everything is working perfectly, William meets Kendo, the moody, sexy, appealing son of one of Fixer Chao's most famous clients. And when Kendo catches on to William's real identity and the game he is playing, more than just Kendo's mother's life begins to fall apart. For me, Fixer Chao was a book I just didn't want to see end. Ong's style is seamless, his words deftly drawing not only a caricature of the time, but a rich life into which one is absorbed. He balances the opulence and excesses of the high-life in Manhattan with the dreary reality of William's real life, and in the process creates two completely opposite worlds co-existing in the same space. The character of William is almost an anti-hero, someone who is terribly flawed, but someone for whom you just want everything to turn out right. And when William meets Kendo, the spark, the attraction is palpable. You just want them both to get together, get away from the shackles of their respective lives. But this isn't a fairy-tale. There isn't a happily ever after here. Ong has a masterful hand at the prose, rich without ever falling into excesses. He draws his characters fully, with a deft hand, and makes us care about them despite ourselves. The result is a truly satisfying story with wonderful social commentary. It is a story about a twisted sort of love…the love of self, the love of the spotlight, the love of success, but over all, this is a biting satire about the lengths anyone can go to when they are tempted…or naive enough to believe. This isn't a romance by any stretch, but if you like your gay men complex, funny and a little bit messy, this is highly, highly recommended and one of my essential gay-themed books. Originally reviewed for Uniquely Pleasurable