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3.71 AVERAGE
3.71 AVERAGE
This was okay. 3 stars may be a little high. I thought the ending felt really rushed.
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I thought I'd like this more than I did--I chose it for my book club for its complex themes of motherhood, career, race, sex work, and marriage. I also, foolisly, forgot it was a thriller by the end!
Many of the twists and turns I guessed, includingJasmine being the nanny and Wen being one of Ben's Chinese friends . I also thought it was a little too on the nose, such as Rebecca describing a novel she wants to edit as having the same themes as The Leftover Woman with an elevated description. I think these themes were very forward, but perhaps could have been more subtle at times. I also don't know how I feel about the romance, but I always tend to feel that romance is overdone. That being said, I think that this book would make a fantastic movie!
What I liked best was the character development. Everyone in this book has secrets, and they're all exposed in the end. I think Rebecca learns she needs to be more involved in Fiona's life and to start taking a part, as best she can, in her culture. I think Jasmine also matures greatly (I kept forgetting that she's...22? Which is very, very young to be doing all of this) by the end in learning to let some of her hardships go and to open space for what the future has to hold.
Many of the twists and turns I guessed, including
What I liked best was the character development. Everyone in this book has secrets, and they're all exposed in the end. I think Rebecca learns she needs to be more involved in Fiona's life and to start taking a part, as best she can, in her culture. I think Jasmine also matures greatly (I kept forgetting that she's...22? Which is very, very young to be doing all of this) by the end in learning to let some of her hardships go and to open space for what the future has to hold.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5. I devoured this dual-perspective story. Jasmine was basically sold into marriage in her Chinese village at 14. Her older husband made her believe their daughter died shortly after childbirth when really he gave her up for adoption. She knows her daughter is in the United States and flees her husband and his power and connections to find her. Rebecca is the woman who adopted Fiona. As her marriage is tested, she believes her husband is cheating on her, possibly with the Chinese nanny they hired to keep Fiona connected to her heritage. But things turn dangerous, and world collide.
2.5 generously rounded up.
Took 25 chapters to get to a story that was rushed, preposterous, and unsatisfying.
Took 25 chapters to get to a story that was rushed, preposterous, and unsatisfying.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
an interesting premise, but I found the storytelling to be a bit uneven and far-fetched.
Kwok’s first novel, Girl in Translation, is still my overwhelming favorite of hers, and maybe I am searching for another novel like that one. While overall this book was fine, I felt like she was trying out mystery/suspense elements with the storylines and they didn’t always hit for me.
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Well written, carefully crafted, there are surprises in this book that caught me off guard. Jasmine paid snakeheads to get her to America from China, seeking the daughter that was taken from her. She is desperate to hide from Wen and his abuse. Alternating chapters introduce Rebecca, who seems to have it all on the surface, but is struggling after a scandal threatens her career as a publisher. Married to Brandon, a handsome professor, Rebecca and Brandon adopted Fiona, a child from China. The book has quite a few surprises, and is one I couldn’t put down. Highly recommended. Thanks to Edelweiss for the ARC.