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msbarnesela's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Classism, Toxic friendship, Racism, and Bullying
Moderate: Eating disorder, Drug use, and Addiction
btwnprintedpgs's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Racism, Death, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Vomit, Violence, and Bullying
Moderate: Classism
Minor: Eating disorder
TW: mentions HPbookishmillennial's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
- contemporary teenage fictional thriller
- second book in the Obsession series (though it feels more like a companion book, since this takes place before the events of The Obsession)
- Lia, the titular new girl of an elite private, dormitory-based high school Draycott Academy, starts school on a track scholarship during her sophomore year, and sees Sophie (mentioned in book one) being dragged out of the campus on her first day
- Lia makes friends with Beth, another Indonesian American student, and Danny, a Chinese-Indonesian student who has complicated relationships with his family back in Jakarta
- She quickly makes enemies with the girls on her track team, especially Mandy, and seemingly Stacey, a computer/hacking genius
- Lia's English professor Mr. Werner tries to convince her to drop his class and take an "easier" class, as he does not think she will succeed
- Lia learns the inner workings of this elitist microcosm of society -- she downloads Draycott Dirt, reminiscent of Gossip Girl, FML, Reddit, or Twitter (but anonymous), and begins to see the constant gossip that is spread about every one of her classmates, including her!
- Though the odds and 99% of everyone at Draycott Academy seem to be against her, Lia is determined to make it work so she can have a real shot at getting into college
- check content warnings below because sheeeeeeeesh!
Thoughts:
It's giving Gossip Girl x Pretty Little Liars x Crazy Rich Asians x AGGGTM x dark academia !!!!
I actually really enjoyed this book so much more than the first book, and I devoured the first one!
I appreciated the commentary on the racism within the Asian diaspora against each other, especially the Chinese racism towards native Indonesians. I think most people don't know that this type of discrimination exists within the Asian communities (unless you are immersed in the community), so I was glad this was highlighted!
Lia was such a fierce, strong-willed, and brave main character to root for. Of course she was not perfect (what 15- or 16-year old is? SHOW ME, I'LL WAIT!), but I felt she did what she needed to in order to survive. This academy and almost everyone in it continued to throw obstacles in her way, and Lia refused to let them win. She used their hatred and opposition as fuel to work harder. I was infuriated, disgusted, and disappointed along with Lia, and Jesse wrote those feelings so well!
Also, even though this is mostly tense, dark, angry, and devastating, Lia still made me laugh sometimes too! Her self-deprecating humor was a quick moment of light, which was much needed because I spent most of this book grinding my teeth and holding my breath !!!
I thoroughly enjoyed the way this mystery and thriller unraveled, and I will continue to read anything Jesse writes!
Quotations that stood out to me (may be some spoilers so read at your own risk!):
“Bet she shops at Target,” her friend replies, to which they all laugh.
“Actually, it’s Walmart, so all of you can suck it.”
What he doesn’t know is that I live off moments like this. Every time someone tells me I can’t do something, all it does is fuel me. I’d take their nay-saying and pound it into a hot, angry kernel, and whenever I’m tempted to give up, I’d hold that kernel in my mind’s eye and let the rage push me forward. Pure fuel.
“Did I just step into a K-drama? What’s going on?”
My entire future is about to be destroyed because I’m the wrong color.
Why? Because racism. That’s fucking why. Non-Asians wouldn’t understand the hierarchy that exists between different Asian cultures. To them, we’re all just one big giant category.
“Shut up! I’m trying to sleep!”Yes, well, Anya, some of us are trying to shake off the trauma of their first homicide.
She’ll think I’m showing off, and I’m not doing that at all, I just need to outrun this cursed voice in my head.
Dirty, lying, murdering bitch.
Did I mention that the voice is mean AF?But the thing is, it also has a point.
Can I hate myself any more than this? Not possible. Every atom in my body is seething, picking up a tiny spear and jabbing it into my being. I am officially the worst person in the history of worst people.
The mention of it poisons the moment, chilling me all the way to my core. The race thing. What an innocuous way of referring to something insidious that nearly got me killed. Despite myself, despite all the guilt I’m still grappling with forlying continuously to Danny, I feel a sudden stab of icy hatred toward his family.
Drug dealers are known to often kill people, so it would be easy to believe that the dealer probablykilled Mr. Werner as well. Right? Right. That way, the cops will stop sniffing around the school; plus, they’ll see me as a good, helpful kid. Maybe. Only problem is: How? If the cops aren’t able to find out who’s involved in the drug ring, how am I supposed to do it? Okay, think. Think. Thiiiink. Hmm. This Shakespeare-worthy inner monologue goes on for a while.
And I realize, again, how disappointing it is to realize that the adults who are supposed to be looking out for you are only looking out for themselves.
Graphic: Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Bullying, Cursing, Classism, Drug use, Murder, Gaslighting, Kidnapping, Racism, Toxic friendship, Violence, and Toxic relationship
sienna1508's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I wouldn't say this book is bad, but it isn't as good as The Obsession.
I feel like there were a lot of weird moments where the book was really rollercoaster-ish. It does deal with a lot of sensitive areas which I can see as being problematic because they feel very stereotypical and underdone.
I feel like the cover doesn't really match the book. I feel like if the book was more like the cover it would've been a much better book. Jesse Q. Sutanto is such a great writer - especially in The Obsession - so tbh this wasn't really what I expected.
Graphic: Death and Bullying
Moderate: Racism, Eating disorder, Classism, Addiction, Drug use, Murder, Alcohol, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, and Suicide
britbrit29's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Murder, Blood, and Gore
Moderate: Racism, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Classism
wulfwyn's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
We get to know a lot about Lia. I liked her and kept rooting for her even after she started making questionable choices. I liked Stacey and Beth. Danny was the perfect boyfriend. The others, I either disliked or was ambivalent about them.
I really enjoyed how the story unfolded and all the twists that suddenly would appear. I kept guessing at who did what. I was correct a few times. But all those other times, when a twist popped up, kept me turning pages. If twisty YA is your thing, pick this up.
Graphic: Drug abuse and Bullying
Moderate: Eating disorder, Classism, and Murder
anniereads221's review
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Vomit, Toxic friendship, Lesbophobia, Grief, Drug use, Classism, Bullying, Violence, Racism, Murder, Drug abuse, and Death
shannong123's review
5.0
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Blood, Drug use, Bullying, and Drug abuse
Moderate: Racism and Classism
collinsd's review
3.0
Graphic: Racism, Classism, Bullying, and Murder
Moderate: Death, Drug abuse, Alcohol, and Eating disorder
Minor: Vomit
amandas_bookshelf's review against another edition
2.0
Graphic: Alcohol, Bullying, Child death, Classism, Drug use, Murder, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, and Drug abuse
Moderate: Addiction
Minor: Death of parent