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vaekay's review against another edition
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Heavy groomer/borderline pedophilic (maybe not-so-borderline pedophilic) content. Stuck in extremely gross, misogynistic mens' point of views for the majority of the book. Bounces from the POV of a 9 year old Tammy to an adult Tammy having sex with her fiancee then back to a childhood Tammy. Lots of casual racism towards Black and brown people of color as well as other Chinese people. I understand that the internalized Sinophobia/racism is a plot point of the book, but myself and my Chinese partner were very disturbed by it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Body shaming, Classism, Death of parent, Child abuse, Xenophobia, Animal cruelty, Blood, Car accident, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gaslighting, Grief, Hate crime, Medical content, Misogyny, Murder, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, and Violence
Moderate: Bullying, Cursing, and Fatphobia
Minor: Gun violence, Deportation, Injury/Injury detail, and Islamophobia
telepathyjmin's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
reflective
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
3.5
For the most part, this was a pretty good read. I don't normally like books that change pov and show flashbacks/jump around, but i like the way it was done in this.
Lots of moments showing morally ambiguous characters, which i always find interesting to see.
The main reason i didn't give this a higher rating is for the last part of the book.
The pacing was pretty steady for most of the book, but all of a sudden all these major plot points start happening. Tony's dad dying, Kip running over Tony, Oliver hiding it all from Tammy etc.
I wish we would've gotten to see more of Tammy visiting China after her father's death, as i feel that would had provided a more satisfying(?) ending.
Lots of moments showing morally ambiguous characters, which i always find interesting to see.
The pacing was pretty steady for most of the book, but all of a sudden all these major plot points start happening. Tony's dad dying, Kip running over Tony, Oliver hiding it all from Tammy etc.
I wish we would've gotten to see more of Tammy visiting China after her father's death, as i feel that would had provided a more satisfying(?) ending.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Car accident and Death of parent
Moderate: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Xenophobia
Minor: Alcohol, Cultural appropriation, Drug use, Medical content, and Physical abuse
ghostnaps's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-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
2.0
I wanted to love this more than I did but it unfortunately didn’t have the substance I wanted it to. My biggest gripe is that I did not at all enjoy the relationship between Oliver and Tammy. I’m not sure why it was added when we simply could’ve left it at him being a family friend? Oliver’s character also wasn’t explored well enough for me to see him as anything but a groomer from the second he meets Tammy… The detail in which Luo explores the Asian-American experience between two different generations is well done. Out of all the POVs, I enjoyed Tony’s the most. Tammy’s characterization always seemed in relation to men in her life whether Tony, Oliver, or Vince. Not to say we aren’t influenced by loved ones but it feels like the women in the story are only explored in the sense of their dynamic with men.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t find myself attached to the characters and there was no driving element to the story to sustain interest as they go about their own lives. However, I recognize some people may enjoy the book more for how it approaches the American dream and what it means to people of different backgrounds.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t find myself attached to the characters and there was no driving element to the story to sustain interest as they go about their own lives. However, I recognize some people may enjoy the book more for how it approaches the American dream and what it means to people of different backgrounds.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Death of parent, and Pedophilia
Minor: Drug use and Xenophobia
christineazopf's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship and Xenophobia
amandalorianxo's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
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
3.0
Re-read : Feb ‘24 - I am not as enamored with this book as I was last year. There were some touching moments that reminded me of my own immigrant parents in addition to my relationship with my first generation American feelings vs my relationship with my parents. If this wasn’t so disjointed with the timeline - I think I would have been ok but the way Oliver feels about Tammy was not … sitting right with me. The ending still tore me apart.
I loved this book so much ! The late 90’s Chinese immigrant experience is told from two POV’s - the father Tony (which he rarely hear from) and his 9 year old daughter Tammy. Oliver is another POV who gets entangled with Tammy later on when she is older. But I was so attached to Tony & Tammy, the ending was quietly powerful.
I loved this book so much ! The late 90’s Chinese immigrant experience is told from two POV’s - the father Tony (which he rarely hear from) and his 9 year old daughter Tammy. Oliver is another POV who gets entangled with Tammy later on when she is older. But I was so attached to Tony & Tammy, the ending was quietly powerful.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Xenophobia
Minor: Death, Abandonment, and Sexual content
hilaryreadsbooks's review against another edition
3.0
Lives collide in unexpected ways in Susie Luo’s PAPER NAMES. Tony, a Chinese-born engineer turned Upper West Side Manhattan doorman, makes a heroic rescue when one of the building’s famous residents is mugged. Oliver, a handsome white lawyer, witnesses the rescue and, upon meeting Tony’s daughter, Tammy, begins to teach her piano—a relationship that continues into Tammy’s adolescence and adulthood. Tammy herself, a first-generation American, is stubborn, bold, and independent; traits that clash with Tony’s memories of a stern and sometimes violent upbringing at the hand of his own father.
Parental expectations, inherited trauma, immigrant narratives, silence in love—these are all themes in PAPER NAMES I resonated with a lot. The book plays with coincidental intertwining in a way I found interesting; in many ways, the plot took twists I didn’t expect but came together at the end in a shocking conclusion. I don’t think PAPER NAMES had the same emotional impact on me as other books I’ve read with similar themes; it’s hard to pin down exactly why. Perhaps it was in part due to including so much of Oliver, whose presence brings a lot into the discussion of whiteness and power, but maybe takes away attention from Tammy’s emotional connection with her father.
[Thanks to the publisher for a gifted copy]
Parental expectations, inherited trauma, immigrant narratives, silence in love—these are all themes in PAPER NAMES I resonated with a lot. The book plays with coincidental intertwining in a way I found interesting; in many ways, the plot took twists I didn’t expect but came together at the end in a shocking conclusion. I don’t think PAPER NAMES had the same emotional impact on me as other books I’ve read with similar themes; it’s hard to pin down exactly why. Perhaps it was in part due to including so much of Oliver, whose presence brings a lot into the discussion of whiteness and power, but maybe takes away attention from Tammy’s emotional connection with her father.
[Thanks to the publisher for a gifted copy]
Content Warnings
Graphic: Xenophobia, Child abuse, Murder, Death of parent, and Adult/minor relationship
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