Cleo Dang Would Rather Be Dead

“Deeply emotional and unexpectedly funny. Nguyen masterfully balances heartbreaking vulnerability with wit and hopefulness. A truly beautiful novel and window into a mom’s profound love for her baby.” —Emily Austin, bestselling author of We Could Be Rats Praise for Sunshine Nails “Filled with heart and humor, Sunshine Nails is an insightful, moving story with striking depth, taking on gentrification, family expectations, and generational differences. You will be rooting for the Tran family through every risk and sacrifice they make to save their salon, and ultimately themselves. Mai Nguyen has proven herself to be a real standout.” —Taylor Jenkins Reid, New York Times bestselling author of Carrie Soto is Back “The story of the Tran family is full of zany, hilarious fun — but it’s also poignant and told with care. Sunshine Nails made me laugh, cry, and think deeply about culture, family, and the ties that bind. What a witty and engaging debut — I was thoroughly charmed!“—Marissa Stapley, New York Times-bestselling author of Lucky“Nguyen debuts with a glittering story of a family nail salon in Toronto…Nguyen imbues her characters with humanity and nuance, making hay from all their imperfections. Readers are in for a treat.”—Publishers Weekly “Sharp, witty, and warmhearted, Nguyen’s debut tackles gentrification, small business ownership, prejudice in the workplace, and–most importantly–the depth of familial ties, and the power of a good manicure.”—Shelf Awareness “Sunshine Nails has been marketed as lighthearted, and it is in many ways — it’s funny…and it’s a gratifyingly speedy read. But beneath the dust jacket’s bright yellows, purples and pinks is a novel of character studies that simmers with questions about work, class, generational divides and the expectations facing refugees making new homes in their asylums.”—NPR

Mai Nguyen is a Vietnamese Canadian author whose debut novel, Sunshine Nails, was longlisted for Canada Reads and named one of the best books of 2023 by NPR and CBC. Her journalism has appeared in Wired, The Washington Post, and The Toronto Star. Raised in Halifax, she now lives in Toronto with her husband, daughter, and French bulldog.

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