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lurker_stalker's review against another edition
5.0
I absolutely loved this book. It's not fast paced or filled with excitement but it's filled with characters who felt real - so very real - and we were allowed into their heads during some pretty hard times.
I didn't think I'd like this book nearly as much as I did but it really moved me. I'm sad to be done with it.
I recorded a video review on my website where I say pretty much the same thing.
http://reviews.c-spot.net/archives/5348
I didn't think I'd like this book nearly as much as I did but it really moved me. I'm sad to be done with it.
I recorded a video review on my website where I say pretty much the same thing.
http://reviews.c-spot.net/archives/5348
drjoannehill's review against another edition
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This is one of my sister's top 5 books ever so she lent it to me.
A family comes to terms with the death of the eldest daughter Lydia amid commentary on racial prejudice for American-born Chinese, mixed-race families, sexism and The Problem That Has No Name, in mid-century Ohio.
At first this book was really annoying because the characters dig their own holes on everything, it's a car crash in slow motion, I didn't like these people and I wanted to quit quite a few times. Later, it was a bit uncomfortable as I saw myself in Lydia, regarding the way she was treated by people she wanted to be friends with. The interweaving of the present (May 1977) with the past - from 1957 to 1977 - is done quite well to reveal Lydia's thoughts and actions; she doesn't stay silent. Everything that happens would be better if people just spoke to each other, is the moral.
A family comes to terms with the death of the eldest daughter Lydia amid commentary on racial prejudice for American-born Chinese, mixed-race families, sexism and The Problem That Has No Name, in mid-century Ohio.
At first this book was really annoying because the characters dig their own holes on everything, it's a car crash in slow motion, I didn't like these people and I wanted to quit quite a few times. Later, it was a bit uncomfortable as I saw myself in Lydia, regarding the way she was treated by people she wanted to be friends with. The interweaving of the present (May 1977) with the past - from 1957 to 1977 - is done quite well to reveal Lydia's thoughts and actions; she doesn't stay silent. Everything that happens would be better if people just spoke to each other, is the moral.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide
chrstelg's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-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? Yes
4.0
bookber's review against another edition
4.0
This book was beautifully written. I loved the omniscient/omnipresent narrative style in this book, I feel like it was the perfect writing style for this kind of story. It reminded me a lot of the writing style of The Lovely Bones which is one of my all time favourite books.
I loved how Celeste Ng portrayed loss and grief in a very real way, and depicted family life in one of the most relatable ways I’ve ever read about. There’s a lot of discussion about parental pressures, sibling arguments, and how comments and attitudes from other family members can really shape you as a person. I also really appreciated how even when certain characters did or thought something I disagreed with, I felt like all the characters were so fully realised that you could always understand where they were coming from or why they acted in those ways.
There’s also a great portrayal of the issues that come with being mixed-race, such as racism and fitting in, being seen as an “other” and fighting against cultural differences both outside and inside the family. As a white person, I don’t know a lot about the experience of being mixed-race but I think this book did an excellent job at exploring these issues.
This book has so many great themes and discussions all packed into a relatively short book, so I would definitely recommend this if you want a book that is very thought-provoking and has a lot of substance.
I loved how Celeste Ng portrayed loss and grief in a very real way, and depicted family life in one of the most relatable ways I’ve ever read about. There’s a lot of discussion about parental pressures, sibling arguments, and how comments and attitudes from other family members can really shape you as a person. I also really appreciated how even when certain characters did or thought something I disagreed with, I felt like all the characters were so fully realised that you could always understand where they were coming from or why they acted in those ways.
There’s also a great portrayal of the issues that come with being mixed-race, such as racism and fitting in, being seen as an “other” and fighting against cultural differences both outside and inside the family. As a white person, I don’t know a lot about the experience of being mixed-race but I think this book did an excellent job at exploring these issues.
This book has so many great themes and discussions all packed into a relatively short book, so I would definitely recommend this if you want a book that is very thought-provoking and has a lot of substance.
alicebme's review against another edition
3.0
Vacation/plane read. Will read any future books this author writes. Solid. Satisfying.
savmarie22's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Such an amazing book
anawalt's review against another edition
3.0
A good read and a complex issue. There are secrets everywhere, and no one can see anyone else beyond their own projections.
Maybe make sure you’re in a resilient place with empathy to give, otherwise the grief and anguish may wring you out dry.
Maybe make sure you’re in a resilient place with empathy to give, otherwise the grief and anguish may wring you out dry.
bevinmkelly's review against another edition
3.75
this book was very well written and rly made me think like it was so intricate and everything related and made sense by the end like it all tied together. it was a beautifully written piece of work to show how our society can truly break a family. deeply generation racism tears the love of this family apart and it is so fucking sad
catweeena's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
mysterious
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
3.75