Reviews

Complicit by Winnie M Li

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« I was a young deer in headlights, uncertain if the blinding glow in front of me was going to transport me to a higher existence or to a bloody, painful death. »

I'm so so grateful to live at a time where abusers are finally being called out, but god does my heart grieve for every person out there who's story is silenced

daydreamereyes's review

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adventurous challenging dark hopeful informative reflective medium-paced

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

3.75

A very ambitious and interesting read based on the author’s own experiences working in the film industry.

Content Warnings

paper_mache_reader's review against another edition

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3.0

Forgettable

kimham_bookstagram's review

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5.0

One of my picks during Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month was Complicit by Winnie M. Li, a powerful #MeToo novel that explores sexual assault and its aftermath.
Taking place in NYC and LA, it shows the seedy, abusive behavior of the rich, entitled and powerful men of Hollywood, as well as the women who knew and stayed silent.
The character-driven plot is well-written, raw, honest and emotional. With page-turning suspense, it reveals the emotional dilemma of the brave women who ultimately risked their dreams, careers and reputations to bring down these corrupt men and stop the savage cycle of abuse.
I recommend this riveting, thought-provoking novel.

baileylizhi's review

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challenging dark emotional reflective tense fast-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

4.5

ridgewaygirl's review

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4.0

Sarah is teaching screenwriting at a local college when she is contacted by a young and famous journalist making a name for himself revealing the bad behavior of powerful men. She's reluctant to speak with him, but when she does she finds herself telling her story. After graduating from Columbia, she finds a job as an intern at a small production company and, by making herself indispensable, works her way up to associate producer. During one exiting meeting during the Cannes Film Festival, the production company joins with a British billionaire, who gives them the money and connections to dramatically scale up their company. Before long, Sarah's in charge of producing a movie in LA and finding out that being good at her job is no protection, for herself or others.

I read Winnie M. Li's debut novel, which was based on her own experiences and while I didn't think that the book was entirely successful, it was brave and it left me with no doubt in my mind that Li wrote well and that she was willing to take risks in her writing. I was excited to see that she'd written [Complicit] and I was eager to see what she was going to do with the #MeToo theme. At first, I thought she was going to closely follow the story of one woman's experience reported in Ronan Farrow's book, especially given how the journalist was a stand-in for Farrow, but Li quickly went off into a different direction, one that allowed her to create a much more nuanced story. Once again, Li was brave in her choices and the resulting story was complex and thought-provoking. She also went into detail about what it takes to get a movie from an initial screenplay to the finished product, which was fascinating. I was impressed with this novel and I'm excited to see what Li writes next.

adamskiboy528491's review against another edition

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5.0

[b:Complicit|59366258|Complicit|Winnie M. Li|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1658350163l/59366258._SY75_.jpg|89805886] by [a:Winnie M. Li|15844858|Winnie M. Li|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1514777037p2/15844858.jpg] is such a compelling and compulsive read, with a convincing character and voice at its core, which hurtles towards an impending disaster but with a few twists along the way. I like how this book is fearless in showing the film industry's toxic blend of money, power, and ego. But most importantly, also, the genuine love of film drives so many folks to sacrifice everything for a shot at working in it. This book is an eye-opening foray into the supposedly glamorous world of filmmaking and a suspenseful tale of regret, ambition, and injustice.

A Hollywood has-been, Sarah Lai's dreams of success behind the camera have turned to ashes. Now a lecturer at an obscure college, this former producer wants nothing more than to forget those youthful ambitions and push aside any feelings of regret or guilt. But Sarah can no longer keep silent when a journalist reaches out to her to discuss her experience working with the celebrated film producer Hugo North. This is her last chance to tell her side of the story and maybe even exact belated vengeance. As Sarah recounts the industry's dark and sordid secrets, she realises that she has a few sins of her own to confess. Now she must confront her choices and ask herself, just who was complicit?

Ms Li creates a strong sense of place with well-released characters, giving the people and environments described authenticity. This was achieved by Li's industry insight, which I very much adored - especially in the book's opening. The novel is finely paced, with compelling tension and a sense of menace throughout.

camilleisreading24's review

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DNFed at 20%

The pacing was much slower than I expected — this is not a thriller. I liked the narrative voice but the story unspooled so slowly that I kept putting it down for days at a time and I didn’t feel a pull to continue and find out what happened. This is billed as a #MeToo story. I didn’t make it far enough into the book for content warnings so please Google those if you need them. Once again, I think this is a good book but not the right fit for me right now. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher Atria Books for a free eARC in exchange for my honest review.