Reviews with content warning for Self harm - Loveboat, Taipei

Reviews tagging 'Self harm'

Loveboat, Taipei by Abigail Hing Wen

11 reviews

shannahtan's review against another edition

emotional hopeful fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

I have a soft spot for this book because it reminded me of Chinese Youth Camp. I heard a lot about Loveboat! I do think it was odd that Ever was going to Loveboat when her parents were in Fuijian China. Maybe I skimmed over how they are Taiwanese. I do think all the pinyin was odd for Taiwan since we generally learn bopomofo. Also, they used the simplified version of 愛 at points. Maybe that was an accident.

For the plot, I wanted her to be with Xavier because I feel like she had more deep conversations with him and overall, spent more time with him than with Rick? I also really didn’t like Sophie’s revenge plot. It was messed up that she shared Ever’s nude photos & that’s really unforgivable. She also lied to Ever about Xavier’s gifts and her relationship with him. Absolutely bananas that the resolution was Ever saying she was wrong too. It wasn’t the same at all.

I feel this book was way too dramatic. Jenna’s depression made Rick stay with her until he realized he loved Ever. But, he’s a “good guy” because he just almost kissed her not actually kiss her?! Also, the car accident with her dad before she performs bo staff in the talent show on basically a sprained ankle and dislocated shoulder was ridiculous.

I do love how Ever finds herself and focuses on what she wants in life rather than doing what her parents want or doing the complete opposite. I also appreciate and can relate to rejecting your Asian side growing up in the United States then visiting Taiwan and falling in love with that Asian side of yourself. Also, experiencing life as a majority visually over a minority.

Content Warnings

savanah's review against another edition

Go to review page

Content Warnings

nichu's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional funny inspiring medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? N/A
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

Content Warnings

courtnoodles's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional hopeful inspiring slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated

1.0

Content Warnings

princessm's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Content Warnings

revengesrose's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous hopeful inspiring lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Content Warnings

ursdayanaa's review against another edition

Go to review page

3.75

Content Warnings

rebecca_t's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Content Warnings

ara's review

Go to review page

adventurous emotional funny reflective sad medium-paced

Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

Confession time: I didn’t expect to love this book as much as I did. I thought I was signing up for a fluffy feel-good fun romance, instead I got a coming-of-age story for the ages. Like woah🤯

I was told that this book was the YA Crazy Rich Asians. Now if you know me, you how much I love everything Kevin Kwan has written. However, after reading this book I must confer, this book is nothing like the CRA trilogy. It is quite entirely in a class of its own. If there is a need to simile this book to something, I would say it moreso Mulan (minus the war and Mushu) meets Mean Girls and When Dimple Met Rishi.

This story is very much character driven. The main conflict/resolution is very predictable. I saw it coming a mile away. Even though I knew what was going to happen, I still enjoyed seeing everything unfold. Seeing Ever clumsily navigate through a tornado of obstacles was so refreshingly. Too often in YA contemporary (esp. romances), I feel like solutions are come across too easily. There’s a conflict and then pow there’s a solution, all problems get solved and they all live happily ever after. In Loveboat, the consequences of the main conflict were obstacles that handicapped the main character until the end of the book. It was very messy and real and I loved every minute of it.

Ever

I really like Ever. I understand her on a personal level. I can’t say I relate to her story exactly, I’m not Chinese-American, nor am I a first-generation immigrant, and I am blessed to have parents who are very supportive and accommodating to my dreams. Yet, I really connected to her internal struggle. I know what it’s like to be bound by family responsibility. I too have parents that sacrificed everything for me to be afforded the best opportunities. And it is expected that I, in turn, make all their sacrifices worth it.
When Ever’s mother revealed she had sold her necklace for her ticket, I gasped. Because I could very well see my own mother doing something along those lines. When you have a parent that loves you that selflessly and fiercely, what can you do? You’re not going to bite the hand that gave you everything. No, you’re going to get on the plane and spend a summer in a foreign land even if you don’t want to.
And yeah some people are going to shake their heads and tsk,tsk. You have to stand up for yourself they’ll say. But those people do not understand. And there are times when you lose yourself. When every action is based on “what will my parents think?”. Even though it all came crashing down in the end, seeing Ever break free and do all the crazy things imaginable was a blast and a half. And the heart-to-heart she has with her father near the end had me on the brink of tears. Dare I say it was better than when Mulan came home.

Rick

What a sweetheart. His backstory really moved me, it’s another one of those cases where you never really know whose suffering or what people are sacrificing.

The fact that he had to travel across the world for space to breathe is so heart-wrenching, and yet this is the reality that too many people live.

He was a bit mood swingy in the beginning, and I had my eyebrow raised. But he always came back and explained and apologized. Like mature people do. I couldn’t really find much fault with him, much to Ever and my annoyance. Hey I guess some men really are evolved.
The only thing I will say, because I refuse to let him get off scot-free, is I wish he had communicated better. I think he was a bit too vague and “mysterious” at times. He could have just told Ever Xavier had it out for her. I feel like a lot of problems got blown out of proportion because of lack of communication.

Sophie

Don’t like her, sorry not sorry. I’m all for brash mistakes, I’ve made a couple myself. But what Sophie did was not a mistake, she intentionally set out to hurt Ever. And I’m not saying what Ever did wasn’t wrong, it very much was, but she didn’t deserve that.
Not to mention, Sophie repeatedly took advantage of Ever’s trust.

Sophie knew from the beginning Xavier liked Ever. Every time the two were alone together she found a way to interfere. And, to add insult to injury, she had Ever help her plan out Xavier’s meeting of her parents.

Not only that, she took every opportunity to take a shot at Ever. She was very condescending. Textbook mean girl.
I understand why Ever chose to forgive her and move on, and I do believe Sophie regretted her actions. But I didn’t feel like her redemption was earned. The extent of her crime did not match the time. What she did was so awful and extreme, and she could have been a lot more remorseful.

For now, I hold a grudging respect for her, she has a lot stacked against her, and yet she does fairly well considering. I’m going to give her room to grow because I too am evolved. But I’m keeping one eye open🧐

Xavier

The verdict’s not out on this one. I don’t dislike him, but I don’t like him either. The fact is he led Sophie on, knowing full well he liked Ever. Which is wrong on so many levels. So much would have been avoided if he was upfront about how he felt.

Instead he chose to use Sophie to get closer to Ever (I find it hard to believe he ever had true feelings for Sophie).

Also, it’s never made clear why he liked Ever soooo much. His motivations were all kinda random. Personally, I’m not a fan of wishy-washy personalities, in real life or fiction. Like Sophie, there’s room for him to grow, so I’m not writing him off just yet.

Content Warnings

rainbowsnorlax's review

Go to review page

medium-paced

Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

Content Warnings

More...