Hello everybody! Today, I’m so pleased to be part of the blog tour for the fourth book in Kelly Yang’s fantastic Front Desk series, Key Player, which sees main character Mia navigate the 1999 Women’s World Cup that is pitting her two countries America and China against one another. Onto the post!
As I’ve said, these books follow a Chinese girl named Mia Tang, whose parents run a motel (and now also a diner!), and they follow the running of the business, issues in her personal life with her friends and enemies and crushes, and also have some really important commentary on the injustices and racism people of colour faced (specifically in the 90s, but the parallels to the present day are absolutely horrifying!)
I had actually thought book 3 was the last one, so I got the LOVELIEST surprise when this came through my door, and it was so wonderful to see all the characters again. Mia and Hank are probably still my favourites, particularly because I love their unusual friendship so much, but I loved Lupe’s journey in this book with regards to her sexuality, and I never thought I’d say it, but my opinion on Mr Yao changed so much after learning about his upbringing and why he is the way he is.
This book is dedicated to people who were not good at PE, a camp I firmly fell into even before I was disabled and banned from doing almost every sport imaginable, so I loved that this promotes the idea that you don’t have to be good at physical activities to find enjoyment from them, and this is what Mia learns over the course of the book as she is bit by football fever and learns how to play. I loved learning more about this historic match as well, especially given the Lionesses’ recent victory.
I’m assuming based on the ending that there’s going to be at least one more book, set in San Francisco, so I will be eagerly awaiting that story, and I love that it’ll be set at Christmas too!
Thank you so much for reading! Are you a fan of this series? Do you love books set in the recent past, like I do? I’d love to chat in the comments!
Amy xx
Golden Books Girl 