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emendez96's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
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? Yes
5.0
ccgrassie's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-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
4.0
catberine's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
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
3.75
kristalall's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
blairfrank's review against another edition
4.0
Very different than my typical choices, but I loved the writing style.
stuckinafictionaluniverse's review against another edition
4.0
How had it begun? Like everything: with mothers and fathers. Because of Lydia’s mother and father, because of her mother’s and father’s mothers and fathers.
If you have ever wondered why some parents seem to live vicariously through their children, this book answers that question. I suspect Celeste Ng has studied the family systems theory. To me, this book is the most fitting example to describe this philosophy, which is used in many research fields, including social work (which is where I've learned it). It is ''a theory of human behavior that defines the family unit as a complex social system in which members interact to influence each other's behavior. Family members interconnect, making it appropriate to view the system as a whole rather than as individual elements.'' If a dramatic change happens to one of the system's units, it causes a ripple effect that throws the whole system off balance. This is what happens when the golden child of the Lee family is found dead.
The story is told through each family member's perspective, where we see their life before Lydia passed away and how her death affects their family dynamic. Ng describes these changes in a subtle way, and it becomes clear that Lydia's death was the final blow to this already fragile home. As we go back and forth in time, we start to see the signs of the deteriorating Lee family. It is the father ridiculing his son's interest because he wishes he would spend time with friends instead of reading. It is the youngest child practicing how to say surprise at a birthday party, repeating it under her breath until it sounds perfect. It tenderly describes how adults see reflections of themselves in their children, and the pressure that they put on their kids.
It took me nearly a month to finish this book, not for lack of enjoyment but because I wanted to savor this story, these words that so perfectly explained a family in crisis, while intertwining the struggles they faced as an interracial Asian-American family. I think it was absolutely stunning and heartwrenching.
If you have ever wondered why some parents seem to live vicariously through their children, this book answers that question. I suspect Celeste Ng has studied the family systems theory. To me, this book is the most fitting example to describe this philosophy, which is used in many research fields, including social work (which is where I've learned it). It is ''a theory of human behavior that defines the family unit as a complex social system in which members interact to influence each other's behavior. Family members interconnect, making it appropriate to view the system as a whole rather than as individual elements.'' If a dramatic change happens to one of the system's units, it causes a ripple effect that throws the whole system off balance. This is what happens when the golden child of the Lee family is found dead.
The story is told through each family member's perspective, where we see their life before Lydia passed away and how her death affects their family dynamic. Ng describes these changes in a subtle way, and it becomes clear that Lydia's death was the final blow to this already fragile home. As we go back and forth in time, we start to see the signs of the deteriorating Lee family. It is the father ridiculing his son's interest because he wishes he would spend time with friends instead of reading. It is the youngest child practicing how to say surprise at a birthday party, repeating it under her breath until it sounds perfect. It tenderly describes how adults see reflections of themselves in their children, and the pressure that they put on their kids.
It took me nearly a month to finish this book, not for lack of enjoyment but because I wanted to savor this story, these words that so perfectly explained a family in crisis, while intertwining the struggles they faced as an interracial Asian-American family. I think it was absolutely stunning and heartwrenching.
michellechien930's review against another edition
4.0
I just finished Celeste Ng's Everything Never Told You today! I never really thought about reading this book before, but I recently fell in love with Celeste's other novel Little Fires Everywhere, so I immediately ordered this online. Funny thing is that I read a lot of the same genre of books in the same period of time. I guess that there is some sort of gravitation that pulls me towards likewise books when I really enjoy them. And there are some similarities between Celeste's two books; both are roughly set in the 70's and portray families of different ethnics. Both books weigh heavily on the mother-daughter relationship. In Everything Never Told You, Marilyn has a complicated and unresolved relationship with her own traditional mother, resulting in her fragmented relationship with her own daughter Lydia.
One thing I really love about Celeste's novels is how much I, myself, can relate. It is difficult to be different among a group of people who look the same. Immigrants of different cultures have always felt like they didn't belong, even if it is now the 21st century. In fact, it was much more difficult in an earlier era where there weren't as many people of different ethnics. I really felt for their family and how they didn't ever feel like they fit in. The writing was also phenomenal, and I really liked how each family member had their own thoughts and dialogue, and how the story wasn't just told from one person's perspective. Each family member had their own problems and dynamics with each other, and they each ponder what it is that pushed Lydia over the edge. The ending feels melancholy, which I suppose is quite fitting. The characters don't necessarily get closure, but there is a feeling of quiet calm that permeates the atmosphere. I really liked this book!
One thing I really love about Celeste's novels is how much I, myself, can relate. It is difficult to be different among a group of people who look the same. Immigrants of different cultures have always felt like they didn't belong, even if it is now the 21st century. In fact, it was much more difficult in an earlier era where there weren't as many people of different ethnics. I really felt for their family and how they didn't ever feel like they fit in. The writing was also phenomenal, and I really liked how each family member had their own thoughts and dialogue, and how the story wasn't just told from one person's perspective. Each family member had their own problems and dynamics with each other, and they each ponder what it is that pushed Lydia over the edge. The ending feels melancholy, which I suppose is quite fitting. The characters don't necessarily get closure, but there is a feeling of quiet calm that permeates the atmosphere. I really liked this book!
vstephina's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
mysterious
tense
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? It's complicated
3.5
caseytierney1's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0