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izzys_internet_bookshelf's review
2.0
2.5/5
I found the book to be alright. It became slow after the first hundred pages but the plot was fun to read.
I found the book to be alright. It became slow after the first hundred pages but the plot was fun to read.
melbsreads's review against another edition
lighthearted
reflective
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
3.0
Content warnings: cyberbullying, mental health, body shaming, disordered eating, mentions of suicide
So I wanted to love this. I really did. Teenage girl gets picked up by a K-Pop training centre? What's not to love?! Well. What's not to love was, in fact, the protagonist. Alice was...kind of a brat? She's so used to being the best singer in her American high school that it doesn't occur to her that she's been put into a school with kids who've been training their whole lives for this. It doesn't occur to her that her group mates are trying to befriend her, so she spends the whole time sulking about how she has no friends. She seemingly makes no attempts at understanding Korean society or culture and is then shocked when she makes faux pas regularly. She has zero understanding of the consequences of her actions and, like, I get that she's a teenager and that's what teenagers are like. I understand. I work with hundreds of them on a daily basis. But she's in the public eye and still nothing seems to sink in.
Anyway. I liked the side characters a lot more than I liked the protagonist, so that saved this from being a big ol' flop. I kind of wish it had been a split narration so that we could see what some of the other characters in her group were thinking about Alice. The ending was abrupt, but by that point I didn't really care any more. In summary: SHRUG.
So I wanted to love this. I really did. Teenage girl gets picked up by a K-Pop training centre? What's not to love?! Well. What's not to love was, in fact, the protagonist. Alice was...kind of a brat? She's so used to being the best singer in her American high school that it doesn't occur to her that she's been put into a school with kids who've been training their whole lives for this. It doesn't occur to her that her group mates are trying to befriend her, so she spends the whole time sulking about how she has no friends. She seemingly makes no attempts at understanding Korean society or culture and is then shocked when she makes faux pas regularly. She has zero understanding of the consequences of her actions and, like, I get that she's a teenager and that's what teenagers are like. I understand. I work with hundreds of them on a daily basis. But she's in the public eye and still nothing seems to sink in.
Anyway. I liked the side characters a lot more than I liked the protagonist, so that saved this from being a big ol' flop. I kind of wish it had been a split narration so that we could see what some of the other characters in her group were thinking about Alice. The ending was abrupt, but by that point I didn't really care any more. In summary: SHRUG.
kategabbitas's review
emotional
lighthearted
fast-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
4.0
mehsi's review against another edition
5.0
This was oodles and oodles of fun! I loved seeing Alice grow and get better and better!
emmie1507's review
2.0
This book was... all right. It wasn't for me though. I feel like overall it was just plain cringey. The characters and their conversations were overly cheesy and just very stereotypical.
sophiebalophy's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
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
4.0
REALLY GOOD FOR WHAT IT WAS OMG!! Stayed up super late to finish it. lol I cried like at least 5 times while reading, I think it's probably just because I was super tired and ig I could also see myself in some characters???? Ughhh I really liked it though, the one thing was I kept on yelling mentally at the MC bc she kept on being so stupid (probably the only character that I didn't really like that much? Idk she was okay but idk she just kind of kept on pushing other people away??)
ceryni's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.5
animelanie's review
3.0
Book for Review:
This debut contemporary novel, set in the popular world of K-Pop, is well written, with relatable characters. Fans of K-dramas and K-pop will love this YA set in Seoul, with frequent references to Korean culture. With a nice steady pace through the whole novel, this book is easy to read. Told from Alice's perspective, with infrequent 'Idol Gossip' littered throughout - in the form of an anonymous K-pop blog run by 'V'. Though set in South Korea, there is little interaction with the setting, due to the nature of K-Pop training - which is where the description comes in. Readers will find this an enjoyable read, trusting they are interested in Korean culture. As a fan of K-Pop and K-Dramas myself, I found the book quick and easy to read.
Themes: Contemporary; South Korea; K-Pop; Relationships; Music; Commitment; Passion.
This debut contemporary novel, set in the popular world of K-Pop, is well written, with relatable characters. Fans of K-dramas and K-pop will love this YA set in Seoul, with frequent references to Korean culture. With a nice steady pace through the whole novel, this book is easy to read. Told from Alice's perspective, with infrequent 'Idol Gossip' littered throughout - in the form of an anonymous K-pop blog run by 'V'. Though set in South Korea, there is little interaction with the setting, due to the nature of K-Pop training - which is where the description comes in. Readers will find this an enjoyable read, trusting they are interested in Korean culture. As a fan of K-Pop and K-Dramas myself, I found the book quick and easy to read.
Themes: Contemporary; South Korea; K-Pop; Relationships; Music; Commitment; Passion.