ONE JUMP AT A TIME

Chen chronicles what it took to become the first Asian American male figure skater to win a gold medal at the Olympics.

The youngest child (of five) raised by Chinese immigrants in Salt Lake City, Chen “took [his] first steps on the ice” when he was just 3. Noticing how much he loved it, his mother took him to free skating time at a local rink and enrolled him in figure skating classes. Before long, Chen was skating competitively and thriving. In 2010, he overcame a knee injury to win the novice national championship. He eventually attracted the attention of Armenian coach Rafael Arutunian, who helped Chen build the skills he needed to execute the complicated quadruple jumps that led to his nickname, the Quad King. In the years that followed, Chen’s career was a roller coaster of mental and physical challenges, ranging from a hip injury that set his training back before major competitions to intense anxiety about competing during the pandemic and the strain his mother’s coaching put on their relationship. Ultimately, Chen was able to win an Olympic gold medal in 2022 not only because of his training, but because of the steps he took to attend to his mental health, including sessions with a sports psychologist, developing hobbies outside of skating, and going to college at Yale. The book is strongest in Chen’s moments of vulnerability, when he speaks frankly about his love of his family and appreciation for the sacrifices they made for his career, his complex relationship with his mother, and his struggles with mental health. However, the prose is adequate but unexceptional, and much of the text focuses on the technical aspects of skating, making it read more like a list of practice techniques than a cohesive story.

An overly detailed yet inspiring story of dedication and perseverance.