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imalao's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
medium-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? It's complicated
4.5
hayleybeale's review
3.0
This was a weird one. It starts out with a fairly straightforward story about an Asian American NBA player but is also about his girlfriend, a Korean American producer of K-dramas, and then also about the K-drama she is producing. Maybe it makes more sense on paper, but as an audiobook I felt like I was missing something key.
rogoreads's review
4.0
Disclosure that I won this book for free in a Goodreads giveaway. (That's right, those are actually real!)
This isn't my usual genre: it's contemporary literary fiction, but it's a fast read and I found myself getting sucked in pretty easily. The characters are interesting and have distinct voices. There's commentary on race and racism, adoption, and it was cool to dive into the worlds of professional basketball and K-dramas, neither of which I know much about. The one thing I wasn't totally sold on was the sections describing the K-drama plots. I preferred hearing about the "real"-people characters, though maybe the stories were supposed to inform each other or be parallel and I missed it. Despite that, it was a good read.
This isn't my usual genre: it's contemporary literary fiction, but it's a fast read and I found myself getting sucked in pretty easily. The characters are interesting and have distinct voices. There's commentary on race and racism, adoption, and it was cool to dive into the worlds of professional basketball and K-dramas, neither of which I know much about. The one thing I wasn't totally sold on was the sections describing the K-drama plots. I preferred hearing about the "real"-people characters, though maybe the stories were supposed to inform each other or be parallel and I missed it. Despite that, it was a good read.
emekay's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-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? It's complicated
4.0
christiek's review
2.5
I knew to expect that the storytelling that might be different from what I am used to, but this book didn't land for me. I was not able to settle into the emotions I think I should have been experiencing. I struggled to feel the relationships between most of the characters. The friends didn't seem connected as actual people who knew each other, and the same was true of the many directions of couples. The writing didn't get me to overcome my lack of interest a sports book (as I have experienced many times before). It was very successful, though, in bringing me along with the Korean-American aspects and the K-drama.
cck13's review
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
jannythelibrarian's review
4.0
contemp fiction - basketball, korean americans, kdrama. different POV - interwoven stories (korean american NBA player, korean sports reporter, kdrama producer gf). racism, interesting look at korean culture.
joonsmoonchild89's review
challenging
emotional
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
The book has an interesting premise and explored serious themes in a very unconventional way. There were parts that were very meaningful and parts that felt out of place. Worth a read though.
timtellsstories's review
4.0
I teetered between three and four stars on this one. I had a few issues with it, but upon some reflection and good-faith granting, I think most of those issues are more mine and that I'm not really the intended reader Salesses had in mind. For a book that doesn't pull its punches in the condemnation of racism (not surprising if you're familiar with Salesses), it's easy and enjoyable to read. The narrative is interesting with some characters that are insightful and forthcoming with their thoughts and emotions and others that are more mysterious and closed off to you. I really wish Salesses had cut the final couple of lines, but if I'm being fair, that might be my only criticism of it that I'd go to bat for. I can't really fault a novel for stumbling at the end after doing a lot of other interesting stuff. It's a solid book that investigates an aspect of race in America we don't talk enough about, and it doesn't neglect to tell a good story.