In case you missed it last year, we reviewed Sophie Wan’s debut novel, Women of Good Fortune! And now we’ve had the pleasure of interviewing the author herself. We loved picking her brain on her characters and writing process, which has become our dream job at this point.
It’s been a minute since we last did an author interview, but we’re so back! The book team here at THP has been booked (haha) and busy with new reviews for 2024. You can check out all the new book and audiobook releases we’ve covered so far.
Sophie Wan’s debut has quickly become our new favorite book this year, and we’ll read anything else she writes in a heartbeat! Now that we can finally share our chat with all of you, we’ll dive right in.
Her Debut Novel
Congratulations on the release of your debut novel, Women of Good Fortune! What would you say is the most important thing you want readers to take away from this book?
Thank you, I’m so excited! One of the messages I hope Women of Good Fortune gives readers is that it’s okay to deviate from the expected path because that might be where your personal happiness lies.
The concept of “leftover women” is, unfortunately, the social reality of many women, and we’re so glad that you’ve written a book meant to dismantle such beliefs. What would you say to someone who’s scared of being labeled as such? Or anyone who’s scared of being older in general?
We have the power to take labels and define them differently. Being “leftover” means you’re single, but I also associate it with women who are successful and have made their lives their own. As for getting older—it’s a beautiful thing. You are growing your knowledge, accumulating experiences, and able to become more intentional with your choices. That sort of agency is far more important than a few wrinkles.
Lulu, Jane, And Rina
We absolutely loved how you told the story from three distinct points of view. What was that writing process like? How did you create these voices?
From the very beginning, I knew each woman would have that one thing she really, really wanted. I knew I wanted a career woman like Rina because that paralleled what a lot of my friends were going through. I wanted to write about strength that didn’t come from being loud and assertive, which inspired Lulu’s character. To round out the trio, I brought in Jane, who’s hilarious and sometimes obnoxious, but is struggling with self-worth below the surface. Although I wrote the book linearly, I focused on one point of view at a time during revisions to make sure I was maintaining each character’s voice and arc.
Which of the three main characters most resembles you?
Rina is probably the one I resemble the most. Like her, I am thinking a lot about how to balance a career with my other interests, all while being very aware of a ticking clock. She’s also the character who’s spent the most time in the United States, which puts her in an interesting place of being able to observe the differences between working in China versus the U.S. Like her, I would also probably take on the job of planning the heist, but only because I’m too much of a wimp to have a role the day of.
If you could step into Lulu, Jane, or Rina’s lives, would you change anything about their decisions?
I would not. Ultimately, each woman reaches the ending that makes the most sense for her.
Romances And Heists
There are so many heart-fluttering moments in Women of Good Fortune. What is the most Y/N thing to happen to you?
Every time my partner brings back my favorite snacks from the grocery store. As you can see, it really doesn’t take much to excite me.
Jane and Zihao’s relationship is one of our favorites to read about. How did you decide on the paths that both characters would take?
I’m glad it was one of your favorites! I wanted to write about the difficulty of maintaining a marriage, especially when it has an inauspicious start. To be honest, I wasn’t sure in the beginning where they would end up, but as I was writing Zihao, he began to take shape as a husband who genuinely wanted to be better, with a lot of his ignorance coming from simply not knowing. From there, I realized he would play an important part in Jane’s development and acknowledgment of her own self-worth.
We read how you watched a lot of heist films to write the heist in your book. Which ones were your favorite?
Inception, Logan Lucky, and Ocean’s 11.
Without using anyone from the cast of Crazy Rich Asians, who would you cast as the characters in Women of Good Fortune?
Oof, this is hard! I feel like Asian representation in Hollywood is not where it needs to be, but it’s been exciting to see more movies and shows starring Asian actors in recent years. Some actors/actresses I would love to cast include Stephanie Hsu, Lana Condor, Ali Wong, Sam Song Li, and Simu Liu.
What’s Next
Have you traveled to China before? If so, what are your favorite places and things to do there?
I have! I love visiting my extended family in China, and it is such a beautiful country with an extraordinarily long history. Obviously, Shanghai is one of my favorite places—it has exceptional food and all these shaded alleyways with tiny shops that are wonderful to stroll through. But besides the major cities, I have loved hiking in Zhangjiajie, seeing the lakes and waterfalls of Jiuzhai Valley National Park, and sampling regional cuisines, from steamed river fish to málà hotpot.
As a new author, what is the best advice someone has given you?
Focus on what you can control. Also, don’t read reviews!
Are you working on any other projects? What can you tell us about them?
I don’t want to give too much away, but I’ve been hard at work on my second book! It’s a very different setting, but it still tackles complex friendships and female empowerment.
As for getting older—it’s a beautiful thing. You are growing your knowledge, accumulating experiences, and able to become more intentional with your choices. That sort of agency is far more important than a few wrinkles.
Sophie Wan
You can order a copy of Women of Good Fortune by Sophie Wan here!
We had so much fun chatting with Sophie Wan on her debut novel, Women of Good Fortune! Are you adding it to your TBR? What do you think of it so far? Let us know on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram!
Interested in reading more bookish interviews? You’re in luck!
Want to hear some of our audiobook recommendations? Here’s the latest!
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT SOPHIE WAN:
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