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mklein319's review
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, and Sexism
onion's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Grief, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Drug use, Misogyny, and Rape
Moderate: Stalking and Racism
Minor: Infidelity, Ableism, and Suicide attempt
123zoeg's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
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
5.0
An amazing book
I felt nauseous throughout most of it (a credit to the power of the writing that it caused such a physical reaction). It was so well written and real and powerful and I can't really describe what the reading experience was like but I think this is one of the best books I've read and I'm glad that there are authors and women willing to create and share stories like these and confront societal norms in that way.
I felt nauseous throughout most of it (a credit to the power of the writing that it caused such a physical reaction). It was so well written and real and powerful and I can't really describe what the reading experience was like but I think this is one of the best books I've read and I'm glad that there are authors and women willing to create and share stories like these and confront societal norms in that way.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual harassment
Moderate: Sexism and Sexual assault
alisonannk's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Alcohol, Body shaming, Drug abuse, Drug use, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual content, and Sexism
Moderate: Body shaming, Eating disorder, Pregnancy, Racism, Classism, Suicidal thoughts, Gaslighting, Mental illness, and Xenophobia
savvyrosereads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Out today! [Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review!]
Rating: 4/5 stars
Sarah Lai has spent the past ten years recovering from the unexpected derailment of her career in film. But when a journalist reaches out to discuss the events of her path, Sarah will finally have the opportunity to be heard.
Complicit reeled me in from the very first chapter. The writing was stunningly beautiful and memorable, with a plot that unfurled painstakingly to reveal more nuance on every page. The structure of the novel—mostly a story told by the main character, Sarah, to journalist Thom Gallagher—was extremely engaging as well.
I will note that I don’t necessarily consider this a thriller—to me, it’s more a literary suspense mixed with something that entirely defies genre categorization. But whatever it is, it was gut-wrenching in the best way. And, while there are numerous nods to real-life stories and figures, ultimately Complicit tells a story that feels like it is adding something new to an ongoing conversation rather than rehashing existing tropes or storylines.
If you’re looking for non-stop action or mind-bending twists, this book isn’t the one to pick up. But if you want a quiet, important, poignantly told story that weaves together everything from misogyny and rape culture to the immigrant experience and the intricacies of complicated power dynamics, go grab this one right now.
Recommended to anyone, but especially if you like: literary suspense; dark side of Hollywood stories; beautiful prose.
CW: Misogyny; sexual assault/rape/sexual harassment; drug use/abuse.
Rating: 4/5 stars
Sarah Lai has spent the past ten years recovering from the unexpected derailment of her career in film. But when a journalist reaches out to discuss the events of her path, Sarah will finally have the opportunity to be heard.
Complicit reeled me in from the very first chapter. The writing was stunningly beautiful and memorable, with a plot that unfurled painstakingly to reveal more nuance on every page. The structure of the novel—mostly a story told by the main character, Sarah, to journalist Thom Gallagher—was extremely engaging as well.
I will note that I don’t necessarily consider this a thriller—to me, it’s more a literary suspense mixed with something that entirely defies genre categorization. But whatever it is, it was gut-wrenching in the best way. And, while there are numerous nods to real-life stories and figures, ultimately Complicit tells a story that feels like it is adding something new to an ongoing conversation rather than rehashing existing tropes or storylines.
If you’re looking for non-stop action or mind-bending twists, this book isn’t the one to pick up. But if you want a quiet, important, poignantly told story that weaves together everything from misogyny and rape culture to the immigrant experience and the intricacies of complicated power dynamics, go grab this one right now.
Recommended to anyone, but especially if you like: literary suspense; dark side of Hollywood stories; beautiful prose.
CW: Misogyny; sexual assault/rape/sexual harassment; drug use/abuse.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Alcohol, Drug use, Misogyny, Rape, and Sexual assault
art_books_chemistry's review
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
slow-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
Winnie M Li crafts an intense self reflective story about a culture a lot of us wish didn't exist in a world most of us have no part of. Complicit asks us to evaluate our own actions and emotions through Sarah Lai and her struggle to do the same. Winnie asks us to ask some difficult questions about the story and life in general. Is every part of #MeToo real? Is Sarah Complicit? Or is she, herself, a victim? Are you a victim whether you see yourself that way or not?
I struggled to sympathize with Sarah for a very long time. I understood later that as the narrator she told her story in such a way to make this purposeful. The hindsight available in the later chapters made the earlier ones more fathomable; a necessary framing of the story from a filmmaker's perspective. I struggle sometimes with the biographical narration style of some first person books (struggling my way through American Psycho right now as well) but this one was done quite well. I liked the randomly inserted bits of transcript from other interviews and how they contributed little additional bits of the story from outside Sarah (the narrator's) perspective. These, more than Sarah's own admissions, are what made me understand the title of the novel even though not a single person in the book actually used the word "complicit" at any point.
Although I wish the beginning of the story took off a little faster and arrived a the point a bit sooner, most of the backstory was necessary for fully understanding why Sarah Lai thought and acted the way she did. I would have liked to get more details on the stories that were related to Sarah's but I also thought it was a classy way to end the story. It allowed Sarah to be the main character where she had so often before been relegated to the sidelines.
I struggled to sympathize with Sarah for a very long time. I understood later that as the narrator she told her story in such a way to make this purposeful. The hindsight available in the later chapters made the earlier ones more fathomable; a necessary framing of the story from a filmmaker's perspective. I struggle sometimes with the biographical narration style of some first person books (struggling my way through American Psycho right now as well) but this one was done quite well. I liked the randomly inserted bits of transcript from other interviews and how they contributed little additional bits of the story from outside Sarah (the narrator's) perspective. These, more than Sarah's own admissions, are what made me understand the title of the novel even though not a single person in the book actually used the word "complicit" at any point.
Although I wish the beginning of the story took off a little faster and arrived a the point a bit sooner, most of the backstory was necessary for fully understanding why Sarah Lai thought and acted the way she did. I would have liked to get more details on the stories that were related to Sarah's but I also thought it was a classy way to end the story. It allowed Sarah to be the main character where she had so often before been relegated to the sidelines.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexism and Sexual assault
fanchera's review
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexism, and Misogyny
outsmartyourshelf's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- 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
Sarah Lai is working teaching film studies at a local college. No one would guess that ten years ago she had been on the verge of a successful career in Hollywood. When she is approached by a reporter about running a story on the #MeToo movement, Sarah agrees to talk to him but when they meet up she realises he wants to talk to her about someone specifically. The story is told from Sarah's point of view both in the present & ten years ago as she tells it to the reporter.
Following her graduation from college, Sarah was working weekends at her parents' restaurant whilst looking for a job. Her parents want her to follow in the footsteps of her older sister who is a trainee accountant, but Sarah's passion is for films. Watching them yes, but she wants to be involved in making them too. Her dream comes true when she sees a job vacancy at a small independent company, it's for expenses only, but it could be her way into the business. Through working extremely hard, Sarah turns the opportunity into a paid job, & against all odds the film is moderately successful. Now their small company is known for working with a successful director, the opportunities multiply, & they are approached by Hugo North, a British money man who wants to bankroll their next project. Hugo, successful businessman in his fifties, likes the film business but he likes the perks of drugs & young women even more.
The reader learns that Sarah knows some of what Hugo & director Xander are up to, but that she can only guess at the extent of how far it goes until she becomes the producer of the second film. The book examines how far someone would compromise their principles for the job of their dreams, how willing someone would be to look to other way to be successful. It shows how once the line has been crossed, how easy it is to cross it again, how actions can be rationalised away. I thought it was an interesting read, it had quite a lot of detail about what goes on behind the scenes, also we see how women are not taken seriously & yet are expected to shoulder the blame for not stopping bad, even criminal, behaviour. Some of the characters did seem to verge on the stereotypical at times or even bland - North was supposed to be a Brit but his character didn't feel authentically British, he could have been anyone from anywhere to be honest - but overall it was a well-written exploration of the tawdry side of Tinsel Town, even if the ending was a little flat.
My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Orion Publishing Group, for the opportunity to read an ARC. I am voluntarily giving an honest review.
Following her graduation from college, Sarah was working weekends at her parents' restaurant whilst looking for a job. Her parents want her to follow in the footsteps of her older sister who is a trainee accountant, but Sarah's passion is for films. Watching them yes, but she wants to be involved in making them too. Her dream comes true when she sees a job vacancy at a small independent company, it's for expenses only, but it could be her way into the business. Through working extremely hard, Sarah turns the opportunity into a paid job, & against all odds the film is moderately successful. Now their small company is known for working with a successful director, the opportunities multiply, & they are approached by Hugo North, a British money man who wants to bankroll their next project. Hugo, successful businessman in his fifties, likes the film business but he likes the perks of drugs & young women even more.
The reader learns that Sarah knows some of what Hugo & director Xander are up to, but that she can only guess at the extent of how far it goes until she becomes the producer of the second film. The book examines how far someone would compromise their principles for the job of their dreams, how willing someone would be to look to other way to be successful. It shows how once the line has been crossed, how easy it is to cross it again, how actions can be rationalised away. I thought it was an interesting read, it had quite a lot of detail about what goes on behind the scenes, also we see how women are not taken seriously & yet are expected to shoulder the blame for not stopping bad, even criminal, behaviour. Some of the characters did seem to verge on the stereotypical at times or even bland - North was supposed to be a Brit but his character didn't feel authentically British, he could have been anyone from anywhere to be honest - but overall it was a well-written exploration of the tawdry side of Tinsel Town, even if the ending was a little flat.
My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Orion Publishing Group, for the opportunity to read an ARC. I am voluntarily giving an honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexual assault, Drug use, and Sexism
Moderate: Sexual content, Sexual harassment, and Alcohol
starburns's review
challenging
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Honestly, I went into this boon not expecting to like it. I am so glad I was wrong.
The story is told mainly through Sarah's interview with a reporter and Li masterfully switches between the past and present with the format. The characters are so well developed, my heart genuinely hurt for Sarah. I even got a little teary-eyed at the ending.
I dont give 5 stars to many books, but this one earned it.
I received this book free from the Goodreads Giveaways.
The story is told mainly through Sarah's interview with a reporter and Li masterfully switches between the past and present with the format. The characters are so well developed, my heart genuinely hurt for Sarah. I even got a little teary-eyed at the ending.
I dont give 5 stars to many books, but this one earned it.
I received this book free from the Goodreads Giveaways.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Sexism, Alcohol, and Alcoholism
illegiblescribble's review
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
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
a heartbreaking story confronting the insidious patriarchy of the film industry and what it’s like to be used and subsequently cast aside.
one could say this book is a less glamorous “the seven husbands of evelyn hugo.” it’s a story of the movie industry, but told from the other side, the side of someone who never receives recognition: a young associate producer without a formal contract (and a woman of color to boot!). in a post-”me too” world, “complicit” exposes some of the nuances women must consider, even when they are in positions of power.
thank you to edelweiss+ and atria/emily bestler books for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual harassment and Sexism
Moderate: Sexual assault
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