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notaleaf's review
emotional
reflective
medium-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
Surprised at how much I did end up liking this book. It felt relatable at times and it makes you think about your life, family and heritage/culture.
mmccombs's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
5.0
An absolute stunner! It was kind of slow build, but the way we were able to watch our narrator shift and evolve and contradict herself and grow a bit was so rewarding.
I love a book that grapples with itself (what is even the point of a book? Can we ever be truly honest about what we are trying to represent?) and a book that carves into the white supremacy at the heart of academia. The way Girl describes her relationship with her parents and Ah Ma, how they give and give to her while she drowns in the guilt of all that giving, was eye opening and so nuanced. I also really enjoyed the parts about Plath, I’m a casual enjoyer of her work but the narrator’s relationship with and musings on The Bell Jar and her poetry was very interesting. And her relationship with Clementine?! Don’t get me started…
The author’s writing felt pretty simple and straightforward at first, but then I’d be hit with just astonishing sentences and sit with them for a bit while my mind reeled. Wow, to be able to write like that?! Many highlights on this one!
I love a book that grapples with itself (what is even the point of a book? Can we ever be truly honest about what we are trying to represent?) and a book that carves into the white supremacy at the heart of academia. The way Girl describes her relationship with her parents and Ah Ma, how they give and give to her while she drowns in the guilt of all that giving, was eye opening and so nuanced. I also really enjoyed the parts about Plath, I’m a casual enjoyer of her work but the narrator’s relationship with and musings on The Bell Jar and her poetry was very interesting. And her relationship with Clementine?! Don’t get me started…
The author’s writing felt pretty simple and straightforward at first, but then I’d be hit with just astonishing sentences and sit with them for a bit while my mind reeled. Wow, to be able to write like that?! Many highlights on this one!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Racism, and Sexism
Moderate: Suicide, Grief, Medical trauma, Toxic friendship, and Colonisation
jabberbabywocky's review
felt like a very long personal essay, i was missing the plot and care for the character. maybe another time i would’ve been interested, but i wasn’t in the mood.
this_endless_library's review
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
sarahgrxce24's review
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
nixiethepixie's review
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Listened as an audiobook. This is a generous, introspective and tender story, beautifully shared from the perspective of a 23 year old second-generation Malaysian-Australian gal trying to figure things out. Both enriched and burdened by her family history and obligation, giftedness, wits and ambition, we follow Girl as she undertakes an artist residency in Europe. Touching on artistic process, while reflecting upon the burdens of being an Asian body and woman in this world - this book is relatable and moving in ways I didn’t expect. At times I felt caught off-guard by its honesty. Perhaps some of its politics felt a little heavy-handed, but equally it’s joyous to witness certain reflections shared in literature, particularly from an Australian perspective. A beautiful book, and while not life changing, it’s one I feel grateful to have encountered.
minibookwellington's review
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
jminaprisc's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
written in a way that feels poetic and intentionally naive, the narrator seems to speak so authentically it’s like you’re reading her diary for a few months. She seems so weak and resilient at the same time. A refreshing coming of age novel set in the character’s early-mid twenties rather than their teenage years.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Racism
Minor: Sexual harassment
readwithchar's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- 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
4.25