In this review, by richitha, she describes Vera Koo’s positive outlook in faith, and that every fall is a blessing from God.

The book, The Most Unlikely Champion, revolves around how a petite, middle-aged Chinese woman took up shooting as her passion and went on to become an international icon. Vera belonged to a traditional Chinese family where women restricted themselves to their home. From being a helpless victim of her in-laws temper to winning the Bianchi title, she had come a very long way. In a world where shooting was then a man’s sport and women being considered as fragile, pale beings, Vera proved otherwise. Vera Koo serves not only as a role model to women but also stands tall as an epitome of mental and physical strength. She had the power of looking at every fall in her life as a blessing from God.

Shooting was just another sport which she tried with her enthusiastic husband, Carlos,and continued practicing to keep her mind off her personal issues. She used it as a means to escape. Vera worked on her best skills, accuracy and consistency. Her strong faith in God helped her to take up challenges bit by bit, and working on it effectively. Shooting was never about wins or losses to Vera. It taught her how to get up when we fall.

On the personal upfront, Vera looked up to her mother. She maintained a strong relationship with her husband and stood as a rock by him. Be it as a wife or serving as a helping hand in real estate business, she did her best. The death of her son, her husband’s extra marital affair or her life threatening accident before the competition did not shake her. She gathered energy, put her faith in God and moved forward.

Overall, the book provides a realistic experience and how hard work pays off giving success beyond imagination. The book deserves a rating of 3 out of 4.

Read the Online Book Club volunteer review.