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adoesetfree's review
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
I didn’t hate this book by any means but I didn’t like it either. It doesn’t deserve a 3 but I don’t think it deserves a 2 either, so have a 2.5.
I found the writing an odd mix of threadbare and try-hard (if this book asks me ONE more rhetorical question....) The story itself didn’t give me what I wanted, often skipping right over the things I was interested in seeing. The explorations of how complex mother-daughter relationships can be, how patriarchy affects women, and life as a Korean-American immigrant were thorough, but not especially intuitive or engaging; I wonder if maybe the author took on too many topics at once, particularly for a debut novel.
I found the writing an odd mix of threadbare and try-hard (if this book asks me ONE more rhetorical question....) The story itself didn’t give me what I wanted, often skipping right over the things I was interested in seeing. The explorations of how complex mother-daughter relationships can be, how patriarchy affects women, and life as a Korean-American immigrant were thorough, but not especially intuitive or engaging; I wonder if maybe the author took on too many topics at once, particularly for a debut novel.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Cancer, Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Xenophobia, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, and Sexism
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