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3.88 AVERAGE
3.88 AVERAGE
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Grief
Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Genocide, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual violence
Minor: Cursing, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Sexual harassment, War, Injury/Injury detail
emotional
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Grief
Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault
Minor: Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Murder, Sexual harassment
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
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
emotional
sad
medium-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
challenging
emotional
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Others Were Emeralds is a novel detailing the story of Ai, who is a child of Cambodian refugees, as she bulldozes through high school with her group of friends, but everything changed the moment they encountered vile men who clearly depicted several acts of racist cruelty. Most of the characters here are not exactly lovable, and I did find them to be annoying to an extent—clearly not thinking much about the consequences of their own actions. However, they were flawed, and they had their own opinions about politics; some are unsure, some are cowardly, and some are straightforward about it. I would've liked the story more had there not been a scene that I couldn't tolerate.
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship
Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse
Minor: Addiction, Drug abuse, Rape
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
Others Were Emeralds by Lang Leav is a book that I had never heard of until a friend recommended it to me, and I am so grateful that she did. I don’t think she could have picked a more perfect recommendation. A coming-of-age novel set in the 90s featuring an Asian-Australian protagonist? Say no more.
I can’t remember the last time a book made me *feel* this much. I was completely swept up in Ai’s story. When she fell in love, I was taken right back to my own high school relationship. As she grappled with feelings of inadequacy and jealousy, I ached for her. When she experienced betrayal, I felt betrayed. When she grieved, I grieved. Lang Leav expertly unravels this story in a way that is unputdownable and keeps the reader on their toes.
I don’t want to say too much more, as I think this book is best appreciated with little to no knowledge going into it. But I hope that if you pick it up, you love it as much as I did.
I can’t remember the last time a book made me *feel* this much. I was completely swept up in Ai’s story. When she fell in love, I was taken right back to my own high school relationship. As she grappled with feelings of inadequacy and jealousy, I ached for her. When she experienced betrayal, I felt betrayed. When she grieved, I grieved. Lang Leav expertly unravels this story in a way that is unputdownable and keeps the reader on their toes.
I don’t want to say too much more, as I think this book is best appreciated with little to no knowledge going into it. But I hope that if you pick it up, you love it as much as I did.