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4.0 AVERAGE
4.0 AVERAGE
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The characters in this book felt very flat. It felt like a bit of diversity bingo tied up in unnuanced lectures about being queer.
As an ace Asian American, I really wanted to like this book more, especially because I've been wanting to read it for so long. But it needed to have been better executed. I hate to say this, but Zhao explains she wrote the book during college, and it shows. Not to say that a college student can't write a good book, but the writing in here is so stiff and lecture-y. There are too many info-dumps in the story (we did not need nearly an entire page about Jo setting up her Google Slides), which limit it to superficial character development. Plus, the social media drama wasn't even funny—it was just flat-out mean.
Other notable criticisms:
-A dialogue tag of "I hiss" even though the speaker was most likely not hissing.
-Zhao will sometimes have characters identify strangers as East Asian, which is really problematic. I get that Asia is not a monolith, but there are plenty of Southeast Asians who aren't dark-skinned and look like East Asians. To assume that all light-skinned Asians are from East Asia is deeply problematic.
-Apparently declaring a major during your first year is early even though plenty of students do. And who on earth says their major isn't that important?
-At some point, the characters watch "a Studio Ghibli movie." Um, why not provide a title?
Other notable criticisms:
-A dialogue tag of "I hiss" even though the speaker was most likely not hissing.
-Zhao will sometimes have characters identify strangers as East Asian, which is really problematic. I get that Asia is not a monolith, but there are plenty of Southeast Asians who aren't dark-skinned and look like East Asians. To assume that all light-skinned Asians are from East Asia is deeply problematic.
-Apparently declaring a major during your first year is early even though plenty of students do. And who on earth says their major isn't that important?
-At some point, the characters watch "a Studio Ghibli movie." Um, why not provide a title?
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
slow-paced
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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:
Yes
I loved this book and it prompted many thoughts and conversations 🥹
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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:
No
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Really sweet! Made me giggle when Jo's brother came out as straight to her.
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
fast-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:
Complicated
I loved that the main characters for the book were both aspec. We need more platonic romcoms in media and I think this was excellent representation for new adults who are aspec or are just looking to learn more about the aspec community/be introduced to it!
There was just too many Taylor Swift mentions in here (she's inescapable and I would hate her less if I wasn't forced to hear about her absolutely everywhere).
There was just too many Taylor Swift mentions in here (she's inescapable and I would hate her less if I wasn't forced to hear about her absolutely everywhere).
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
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:
Yes
I am Sophie, Sophie is me.
A fun and relatable story, it's great to see some positive aroace representation. It's rare to find an lgbtqia+ book that isn't about the main character falling in love so I'm grateful for that.
The book does feel quite self-indulgent at times. You can tell the author wrote this for themself and wrote about the things and places they know, which is not necessarily a bad thing but it can get a bit much.
A fun and relatable story, it's great to see some positive aroace representation. It's rare to find an lgbtqia+ book that isn't about the main character falling in love so I'm grateful for that.
The book does feel quite self-indulgent at times. You can tell the author wrote this for themself and wrote about the things and places they know, which is not necessarily a bad thing but it can get a bit much.