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keahreads's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
aileenli's review against another edition
1.0
Iris is the most unbearable main character I have ever read. If I ever see the phrase "I wailed loudly" again, I will actually break down in tears. I don't know if the author knows this, but usually, in a good book, the main character actually gets character development. Shocking, right? Iris starts off spoiled, stupid, and naive. Spoiler alert: She ends that way too. How does she not know who Napoleon is??? She expects everything to just come to her because sHe dESerVeS iT for being such a nice person. Nothing she receives is appreciated and she takes everything for granted.
“I’m the most selfless person on the planet, after Gandhi and my parents.”
Honey, if you have to say that, you are definitely the opposite. God she had such a massive ego. After failing her senior year she had the audacity to believe that she was going to get valedictorian. If I could hit any fictional character ever written, I would not hesitate to strangle Iris until she passed out. In Beijing, a MANDARIN SPEAKING CITY CAUSE SHE IS IN CHINA she expects people to understand her English. She literally gets frustrated because no one in A FOREIGN COUNTRY CAN UNDERSTAND HER. DOES SHE THINK THE WORLD REVOLVES AROUND HER OR SOMETHING BECAUSE THIS WAS THE VERY START OF MY BREAKING POINT. SHE IS SUCH A DENSE CHARACTER WHO EXPECTS EVERYTHING TO GO HER WAY AND ALL SHE DOES IS CRY IF IT DOESN'T. GET A FUCKING GRIP ON YOURSELF.
I regret reading. There was no plot in this book and I wish I never started it. The only thing I can be grateful for is the fact that I saw this in Barnes & Noble and didn't buy it. I would never ever waste my money on such trash. Thank you to public libraries. (Btw I think if I bought this book I would throw it in a fire after reading, because no one deserves to go through such pain and frustration)
“I’m the most selfless person on the planet, after Gandhi and my parents.”
Honey, if you have to say that, you are definitely the opposite. God she had such a massive ego. After failing her senior year she had the audacity to believe that she was going to get valedictorian. If I could hit any fictional character ever written, I would not hesitate to strangle Iris until she passed out. In Beijing, a MANDARIN SPEAKING CITY CAUSE SHE IS IN CHINA she expects people to understand her English. She literally gets frustrated because no one in A FOREIGN COUNTRY CAN UNDERSTAND HER. DOES SHE THINK THE WORLD REVOLVES AROUND HER OR SOMETHING BECAUSE THIS WAS THE VERY START OF MY BREAKING POINT. SHE IS SUCH A DENSE CHARACTER WHO EXPECTS EVERYTHING TO GO HER WAY AND ALL SHE DOES IS CRY IF IT DOESN'T. GET A FUCKING GRIP ON YOURSELF.
I regret reading. There was no plot in this book and I wish I never started it. The only thing I can be grateful for is the fact that I saw this in Barnes & Noble and didn't buy it. I would never ever waste my money on such trash. Thank you to public libraries. (Btw I think if I bought this book I would throw it in a fire after reading, because no one deserves to go through such pain and frustration)
streebela's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
featherlights's review against another edition
2.0
The book feels so unbalanced. The character development I really wanted to see was sped up in the last third of the book, while the first two thirds featured Iris making terrible decisions and avoiding every attempt to become even the smallest bit self-aware. The book is very funny in that it feels like a very slow but inevitable train wreck fast-sliding towards you from the top of Mt. Everest (and kudos to Lindsay Wong for capturing the essence of that feeling so perfectly. it's like you're strapped in that one front-row roller-coaster seat with the frayed seat-belt and broken arm-bar that Iris found on social media and strong-armed you into riding) and I'm always a sucker for books where I get to read about people's lives going horribly wrong... Though I really would have preferred more of it going RIGHT at the end. A bigger and more-developed happy ending would have made a huge difference.
I know that the general consensus on goodreads seems to be that Iris is a sucky proganist, which I agree, but... it's refreshing to have a Asian protag be a complete and utter mess for once, and if you come away from this book feeling such visceral disgust for a teenage girl, then you have to admit that the author did her job perfectly and got you to feel something about it.
I know that the general consensus on goodreads seems to be that Iris is a sucky proganist, which I agree, but... it's refreshing to have a Asian protag be a complete and utter mess for once, and if you come away from this book feeling such visceral disgust for a teenage girl, then you have to admit that the author did her job perfectly and got you to feel something about it.
shealea's review against another edition
1.0
Before anything else: I truly believe that I deserve to be awarded for finishing this book, despite the damages inflicted on my mental well-being. Someday, I will press charges. But, for now, here's my preliminary review of My Summer of Lost Brain Cells and Misfortune:
Iris Wang is a walking, breathing, and (unfortunately) talking oxymoron (emphasis necessary). I have never encountered a character so self-absorbed but also so irritatingly oblivious to her own faults, personality, and (lack of) intelligence.
I can cite so many examples, but one of my favorite ones is the scene where, after getting rejected by every single university she applied to, Iris receives an email from the high school guidance counselor and her first thought is "Omg, are they contacting me to announce that I'm graduating as the valedictorian?" This is coming from the girl who took her SATs hungover and used 2 brain cells for her college admission essays. I'd also like to add that at 17 years old, she admits to not knowing what global warming is or how family trees work (while repeatedly patting herself on the back for being a "genius" and gift to mankind). Indeed, Iris Wang has the audacity of a middle-class white woman and the mental capacity of a 7-year-old child.
Aside from Iris being the most insufferable protagonist I've ever read, none of the other characters were remotely likable. Listen. I just wanted ONE decent character to root for. Just ONE! 'Tis all I ask. And instead, I had to put up with these:
• Iris' (ex-) boyfriend - cheated on her with her best friend and basically treated Iris like his sugar mommy
• Iris' best friend - constantly flaunted their infidelity on social media and to Iris' face
• Iris' parents - locked up their teenage daughter in a cupboard because they were ashamed of her (and despite their constant gripes about their daughter's recklessness, impulsivity, and poor decision-making, they gave her a credit card with virtually no spending limit)
• Iris' uncle - a billionaire who wanted to bulldoze an extremely poor neighborhood so he could build another luxury hotel (and)
• Iris' cousin - unremarkable, and while I could mildly sympathize with her, I felt betrayed when she
• Iris' new love interest - could have been charming and decent, but ended up enabling Iris' "woe is me, i'm the victim" narrative and ALWAYS apologized whenever he rightfully called her out
[Sorry, not sorry but I've already forgotten most of their names]
An issue that I have with this book is that it is painfully obvious that all these shitty characters exist to make Iris look less shitty and more like the victim in this situation. Their main purpose is to help Iris escape accountability for her wrong actions and detestable behavior. And honestly? If an author has to go through hoops and make everyone else spectacularly awful just to make the main character seem redeemable in comparison, it's shitty characterization. And since this book is extremely character-driven, it is likewise shitty and terrible and a huge steaming pile of yikes.
The inside of Iris' mind is.... deeply unsettling and uncomfortable. I found it really perplexing that she continuously likened people in her life to... animals. At first, she was fixated on her parents' Chinese zodiac signs, but as the story progressed, she would refer to her dad's speaking as "bleating" (because he was born on the Year of the Goat) and her mom's lecturing as "barking" (because she was born on the Year of the Dog) and suddenly, everyone became an animal in her thoughts.
Unsettling animal metaphors aside, Iris is also wildly obsessed with fantasizing that she's adopted (and secretly part of a royal family or something) and she exhibits so much internalized racism that, for the most part, was not sufficiently challenged. On more than one occasion, she asks herself if she's really Chinese or if she's secretly Korean or Japanese -- which perpetuates the notion that Asian ethnicities are interchangeable. She also describes Mandarin as "complicated science-fiction sounds."
Towards the end, Iris "grows" and is now a compassionate, mature, and empowered woman who likes to teach the English language to poor Chinese kids. And her growth comes across as inorganic and leaves so much to be desired. There's a specific scene that's so obviously intended to be a Female Empowerment Moment, but it falls flat on its face because Iris' sudden 180 is just unbelievable and inauthentic. Especially because the lack of accountability in this book is astonishing.
All in all, the success of My Summer of Love and Misfortune lies in Iris Wang's character, and unfortunately, Iris cannot be redeemed. She is the Britta of YA literature. This is the closest I've felt to wanting to cyber-bully a fictional character. And the forced hilarity in the author's writing style is so off-putting that I'll most likely never pick up any of her future books.
Not recommended.
* I received a digital ARC of this book (via NetGalley) from its publisher in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes used in this review are subject to changes in the final copy.
Iris Wang is a walking, breathing, and (unfortunately) talking oxymoron (emphasis necessary). I have never encountered a character so self-absorbed but also so irritatingly oblivious to her own faults, personality, and (lack of) intelligence.
I can cite so many examples, but one of my favorite ones is the scene where, after getting rejected by every single university she applied to, Iris receives an email from the high school guidance counselor and her first thought is "Omg, are they contacting me to announce that I'm graduating as the valedictorian?" This is coming from the girl who took her SATs hungover and used 2 brain cells for her college admission essays. I'd also like to add that at 17 years old, she admits to not knowing what global warming is or how family trees work (while repeatedly patting herself on the back for being a "genius" and gift to mankind). Indeed, Iris Wang has the audacity of a middle-class white woman and the mental capacity of a 7-year-old child.
Aside from Iris being the most insufferable protagonist I've ever read, none of the other characters were remotely likable. Listen. I just wanted ONE decent character to root for. Just ONE! 'Tis all I ask. And instead, I had to put up with these:
• Iris' (ex-) boyfriend - cheated on her with her best friend and basically treated Iris like his sugar mommy
• Iris' best friend - constantly flaunted their infidelity on social media and to Iris' face
• Iris' parents - locked up their teenage daughter in a cupboard because they were ashamed of her (and despite their constant gripes about their daughter's recklessness, impulsivity, and poor decision-making, they gave her a credit card with virtually no spending limit)
• Iris' uncle - a billionaire who wanted to bulldoze an extremely poor neighborhood so he could build another luxury hotel (and
Spoiler
agrees to cease operations and relocate his mall IF AND ONLY IF they're able to raise enough money to cover the cost because he doesn't want to suffer any losses• Iris' cousin - unremarkable, and while I could mildly sympathize with her, I felt betrayed when she
Spoiler
suggested to do the fundraising thing instead of demanding her father to MOVE THE DAMN HOTEL ELSEWHERE• Iris' new love interest - could have been charming and decent, but ended up enabling Iris' "woe is me, i'm the victim" narrative and ALWAYS apologized whenever he rightfully called her out
[Sorry, not sorry but I've already forgotten most of their names]
An issue that I have with this book is that it is painfully obvious that all these shitty characters exist to make Iris look less shitty and more like the victim in this situation. Their main purpose is to help Iris escape accountability for her wrong actions and detestable behavior. And honestly? If an author has to go through hoops and make everyone else spectacularly awful just to make the main character seem redeemable in comparison, it's shitty characterization. And since this book is extremely character-driven, it is likewise shitty and terrible and a huge steaming pile of yikes.
The inside of Iris' mind is.... deeply unsettling and uncomfortable. I found it really perplexing that she continuously likened people in her life to... animals. At first, she was fixated on her parents' Chinese zodiac signs, but as the story progressed, she would refer to her dad's speaking as "bleating" (because he was born on the Year of the Goat) and her mom's lecturing as "barking" (because she was born on the Year of the Dog) and suddenly, everyone became an animal in her thoughts.
I gasp loudly. To be honest, everything about them are absolutely perfect, 250 percent pageant-worthy. Frank has the well-shaped buttocks of a prize-winning golden retriever and the legginess of a standard-size schnauzer.
Hearing my messy, snot-waterfalling sniffles, my dad makes some kind of barn animal grunt in return, but he still doesn't speak or look at me.
Frank's mouth is moving, but I can't help thinking about the too-symmetrical shape of his lips, which is like a geometry lesson in itself. The way that he overpronounces his words and nibbles beautifully on his lower lip when he's concentrating. It's adorable and fascinating. Almost like watching a quirky but intelligent chipmunk.
Unsettling animal metaphors aside, Iris is also wildly obsessed with fantasizing that she's adopted (and secretly part of a royal family or something) and she exhibits so much internalized racism that, for the most part, was not sufficiently challenged. On more than one occasion, she asks herself if she's really Chinese or if she's secretly Korean or Japanese -- which perpetuates the notion that Asian ethnicities are interchangeable. She also describes Mandarin as "complicated science-fiction sounds."
Towards the end, Iris "grows" and is now a compassionate, mature, and empowered woman who likes to teach the English language to poor Chinese kids. And her growth comes across as inorganic and leaves so much to be desired. There's a specific scene that's so obviously intended to be a Female Empowerment Moment, but it falls flat on its face because Iris' sudden 180 is just unbelievable and inauthentic. Especially because the lack of accountability in this book is astonishing.
All in all, the success of My Summer of Love and Misfortune lies in Iris Wang's character, and unfortunately, Iris cannot be redeemed. She is the Britta of YA literature. This is the closest I've felt to wanting to cyber-bully a fictional character. And the forced hilarity in the author's writing style is so off-putting that I'll most likely never pick up any of her future books.
Not recommended.
* I received a digital ARC of this book (via NetGalley) from its publisher in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes used in this review are subject to changes in the final copy.
mags13's review against another edition
2.0
I had really high hopes for this book due to it's description but unfortunately it just fell a bit flat for me.
The descriptions of Beijing and the food the characters were eating were both very strong. My mouth was watering thinking of the pork buns, dumplings and even the insects, which I've always been interested in trying. I also thought the plot in the last 1/4 of the book was fairly strong, as everything was finally coming together. The "twist"/revelation and resulting action was quite compelling.
Unfortunately that's somewhat where my enjoyment ended. A lot of the side-characters felt like caricatures of how people act and I was confused by their often contradictory personalities. Iris was definitely the most frustrating of the characters. I often love reading stories about unlikable characters, whether they have a redemption arc or not but I just found Iris' character to be so unrealistic that I was more frustrated than anything. Iris was self-centered and materialistic - yes, but what annoyed me was her having no knowledge on things she should have an understanding of (such as what museums are or what her Chinese name was). I also didn't understand how she could have made it into AP classes, let alone failed them if she had a panic attack every time she entered a learning environment.
I also took issue with the usage of metaphor and similes within this book. I understand that we were inside Iris' head but phrases like "Frank's accusations burn like to much Nair Wax on my upper lip" just seemed too over the top juvenile, and detracted from the seriousness of these moments.
Finally, I felt like the character progression was a bit too sudden, and often contradictory. In one section near the end, Iris is reflecting on how she is viewed as spoiled and how she can change this. However, in the next paragraph when her grandparents suggest making dumplings (something that would be a family activity, and would teach Iris about her culture) she comments that that seems like too much work and opts instead for everyone to get mani/pedis. Yes, this is a relaxing activity, but I feel like Iris missed an opportunity here.
I really wish that I had loved this story, as it's premise and framework were very interesting. I would still be willing to give the author's other book and future stories a try though.
Thank you to the publisher, author and Netgalley for an e-arc of this book which I received in exchange for my honest review
The descriptions of Beijing and the food the characters were eating were both very strong. My mouth was watering thinking of the pork buns, dumplings and even the insects, which I've always been interested in trying. I also thought the plot in the last 1/4 of the book was fairly strong, as everything was finally coming together. The "twist"/revelation and resulting action was quite compelling.
Unfortunately that's somewhat where my enjoyment ended. A lot of the side-characters felt like caricatures of how people act and I was confused by their often contradictory personalities. Iris was definitely the most frustrating of the characters. I often love reading stories about unlikable characters, whether they have a redemption arc or not but I just found Iris' character to be so unrealistic that I was more frustrated than anything. Iris was self-centered and materialistic - yes, but what annoyed me was her having no knowledge on things she should have an understanding of (such as what museums are or what her Chinese name was). I also didn't understand how she could have made it into AP classes, let alone failed them if she had a panic attack every time she entered a learning environment.
I also took issue with the usage of metaphor and similes within this book. I understand that we were inside Iris' head but phrases like "Frank's accusations burn like to much Nair Wax on my upper lip" just seemed too over the top juvenile, and detracted from the seriousness of these moments.
Finally, I felt like the character progression was a bit too sudden, and often contradictory. In one section near the end, Iris is reflecting on how she is viewed as spoiled and how she can change this. However, in the next paragraph when her grandparents suggest making dumplings (something that would be a family activity, and would teach Iris about her culture) she comments that that seems like too much work and opts instead for everyone to get mani/pedis. Yes, this is a relaxing activity, but I feel like Iris missed an opportunity here.
I really wish that I had loved this story, as it's premise and framework were very interesting. I would still be willing to give the author's other book and future stories a try though.
Thank you to the publisher, author and Netgalley for an e-arc of this book which I received in exchange for my honest review
half_bloodreader's review
Dnf at 32%
"I, Iris Wang, was born to be unlucky. This is because I was born in the Year of the Tiger, and everyone in our Chinese family knows that girls born in Tiger Year are bad luck.
A flower-hearted Tiger girl, such as yours truly, means that I’m destined to pick loser boys and never listen to my parents. A flower-heart is someone who shows up hungover to her SATs and half-asses her college admission essays. She’s also addicted to Starbucks lattes, expensive makeup, and super-fun parties."
A flower-hearted Tiger girl, such as yours truly, means that I’m destined to pick loser boys and never listen to my parents. A flower-heart is someone who shows up hungover to her SATs and half-asses her college admission essays. She’s also addicted to Starbucks lattes, expensive makeup, and super-fun parties."
Yup, you read it right.
Iris Wang, the mc, reminds me of the protagonist from Confessions of a Shopaholic - someone I cannot stand. The two of them have no self control when it comes to buying fashion & beauty items, and have similar reactions to being in huge credit card debt: completely forgetful about their expenses (which begs the question were they even worth it?), they enter denial, go through conspiracy theorist "¡identity theft!", until each expensive purchase finally starts adding up in their pea brains. Scratch that. They have a niche, but shopping for anything at all gives them a thrill.
Both have a tendency to run deeply fantastic unbelievable scenarios in their minds, enthusiastically believing they are happening. Doesn't matter that it is unrealistic or that they are completely undeserving as slackers or talentless in that field. Example: after just being rejected by every college she applied to, she receives an email from her school guidance counselor and her first thought is "Is she telling me that I’ve been voted valedictorian? Maybe even salutatorium? Omg". Reminder that she did her SATs hungover.
She also has this disturbing recurring fantasy where she's actually the daughter of elite or royalty.
Besides being unlikable, spoiled, brainless, insipid and materialistic, she's written to the point of being unbelievable. A 17yo who does not know what the words narcissistic or vapid mean, what global warming is, or where China is on the map?!
The cast of characters isn't much better, and they are made so Iris doesn't look as bad. A cheating boyfriend and best friend are shoved early on, to clearly make us forget Iris was just introduced as being irredeemable and self-absorbed.
Not recommended.
theshellbell14's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0