Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers Quotes

“People always say that your wedding day is the happiest day of your life, but honestly, people should try solving murders more often.”
― Jesse Q. Sutanto, Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers

“Maybe you do something slightly bad, so what? Now you learn from it. You have a better judgment now. Better morals, because you learn from your personal mistake. This what life is about, Riki. No one is perfect, making right decisions all the time. Only those who are so privileged can make right decision all the time. The rest of us, we have to struggle, keep afloat. Sometimes we do things we are not proud of. But now you know where your lines are. You are good boy, Riki. You have good heart. That is all that matters.”
― Jesse Q. Sutanto, Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers

“If only every bad thing in life could be removed just by mopping it away.”
― Jesse Q. Sutanto, Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers

“You don't describe your job like that," Vera scolds. "Is a small job, hah! Can you see men saying that? No, men will talk it up with bullshit, that is why they get even bigger job next time. There is no such thing as 'small job.' And don't say in that silly tone, oh so apologetic, I am just silly woman having a small job. No!" Her index finger shoots up and points at Julia's face like a sword. "You go and do this job proudly.”
― Jesse Q. Sutanto, Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers

“The woman’s eyebrows are statement brows, and the statement is: I am fucking fabulous and don’t you forget it.”
― Jesse Q. Sutanto, Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers

“Generations of Chinese mothers have perfected the art of sniffing out guilt, and Vera can practically see waves of guilt churning out of the young people gathered before her.”
― Jesse Q. Sutanto, Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers

“In her experience, it’s best to nod and agree with what people say before doing exactly what you wanted from the very beginning.”
― Jesse Q. Sutanto, Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers

“Destiny, Vera thinks, is something to be hunted down and grabbed tightly with both hands and shaken until it gives her exactly what she wants.”
― Jesse Q. Sutanto, Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers

“I am mother too. Actually, I am Chinese mother. You can’t get better than that. We raise the best children in the world, you just look at any hospital, all the surgeon are Chinese.” Vera beams with pride, as though she has personally been responsible for all the surgeons in every hospital.”
― Jesse Q. Sutanto, Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers

“Nothing personal, Tilly,” Vera says, “is just that you a very ugly baby.” “Yep, nothing personal about that, Ma.”
― Jesse Q. Sutanto, Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers

“She takes a quick moment to send a text to her son, reminding him that he’s sleeping his life away and should have been up and at it before her. He is, after all, a young man with a whole world to conquer. Late mornings, Vera believes, are only for toddlers and Europeans.”
― Jesse Q. Sutanto, Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers

“In Chinese culture, respect only flows in one direction, from the younger to the older, like a river. The older generation doesn't owe the younger ones respect; if any is given, it is done so out of kindness and generosity, not necessity.”
― Jesse Q. Sutanto, Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers

“Vera ignores him. She’s gotten very good at ignoring people over the years, especially when they say things like “You can’t do that” or “You’re not supposed to do that.”
― Jesse Q. Sutanto, Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers

“Emma, you listen to Grandma Vera. Are you listening? This Anne is very stupid. Very! Stupid! You hear me? Why is she happy that crazy king wants to marry her? She should be horrified. She should carry a dagger with her on wedding night.”
― Jesse Q. Sutanto, Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers

“In her mother’s books, bad guys are knifed, drugged, strangled. Deaths that are intentional, premeditated, and dramatic. Nothing like an accidental allergic reaction.”
― Jesse Q. Sutanto, Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers

“You been standing there for exactly four minutes. I think this unusual behavior, even for a millennial.”
― Jesse Q. Sutanto, Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers

“Nothing fills Vera with quite as much joy as watching loved ones eat her food. It’s one of the many things she misses about Jinlong and Tilly. When it was the three of them at home, she’d cook every day and watch as Jinlong and Tilly ate, and food always tasted so much better that way. Living alone, Vera finds that much of the joy of cooking has leached out of her, to the point where she mostly eats plain rice and simple sauteed vegetables for dinner. Why bother cooking elaborate meals for just one person? But now she has so many people to cook for. Her days are filled to bursting and she’s constantly rushing here and there, and she can’t possibly be happier than this.”
― Jesse Q. Sutanto, Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers

“She’s not flattering Alex; like many Chinese elders, Vera truly believes that the bulk of anyone’s success is thanks to their parents’ hard work and sacrifice.”
― Jesse Q. Sutanto, Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers

“Truly, the Café and its horribly unhealthy product—coffee, ugh—are a blight on San Franciscans, nay, on humanity.”
― Jesse Q. Sutanto, Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers

“She is still steely-eyed. Vera no longer recognizes the sniffly, frightened woman that Julia was when they first met. Julia now looks like nothing could possibly tear her down. Vera can’t be any prouder of her.”
― Jesse Q. Sutanto, Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers

“She’s very proud of her crime scene; it must surely be the most pleasant crime scene the cops have ever been to.”
― Jesse Q. Sutanto, Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers

“...if there's a silver lining to dating college frat boys, it's learning how to gaslight with the best of them.”
― Jesse Q. Sutanto, Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers

“For a few precious weeks, Vera experienced a renewed purpose in life. Received multiple hugs throughout the day, little arms around her neck, and a little sticky face kissing her cheeks.”
― Jesse Q. Sutanto, Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers

“Vera was a filial child and knew that asking her parents for advice made them feel needed. Well, no matter. Vera is a diligent mother and goes out of her way to give Tilly all the advice he could ever need anyway.”
― Jesse Q. Sutanto, Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers

“Oh, this and that,” Vera says. “After you breastfeed, no bra will be able to control all the flopping.”
― Jesse Q. Sutanto, Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers

“It’s the exact sort of thing that Marshall would’ve hated, because he didn’t want to “pander” and “make her soft.” But it’s also the exact thing Julia knew, deep down inside, that her daughter needed. And yet it had taken Oliver, someone who’s only met Emma the one time, to provide it.”
― Jesse Q. Sutanto, Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers

“She will fake it even better than a mediocre man interviewing for a job he’s not qualified for.”
― Jesse Q. Sutanto, Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers

“You don’t describe your job like that,” Vera scolds. “Is a ‘small job,’ hah! Can you see men saying that? No, men will talk it up with bullshit, that is why they get even bigger job next time. There is no such thing as ‘small job.’ And don’t say in that silly tone, oh so apologetic, I am just silly woman having a small job. No!” Her index finger shoots up and points at Julia’s face like a sword. “You go and do this job proudly.”
― Jesse Q. Sutanto, Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers

“perhaps most vital article of clothing—a visor so enormous that there is no way that a single ray of freckle-causing, wrinkle-making sunlight could snake its way onto her face.”
― Jesse Q. Sutanto, Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers

“Hmm, you don’t look young enough to be Gen Z. You need to take better care of your skin.”
― Jesse Q. Sutanto, Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers