Reviews with content warning for Death of parent - Paper Names

Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

Paper Names by Susie Luo

25 reviews

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.

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brynpemery's review against another edition

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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

4.25

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dixiecarroll's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad 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? No

3.5

I did not expect this book to be such a warm hug that also made me weep. This is a must read for everyone. It’s not perfect - parts of it are rushed (at only 288 pages that makes sense), but the characters are so fleshed out that I was heartbroken, in love, excited, etc for them at multiple points. Sneak this one in at the end of the year!!

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siobhanward's review

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emotional 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

3.0

This book was a solid 4* read for me, right until the ending. It felt as though Luo poured all her time into the first 90% of the book and just had to rush through the ending in half a day. The book built up so well. Unlike some books that move through time, Luo kept her timelines clear and easy to follow and I never found myself trying to catch up on what was happening. However, the ending felt rushed and so over the top. It just didn't fit with the rest of the book and that definitely impacted my enjoyment of the book. That, and a kind of sketchy relationship between two adults, but who had met when one was 9 and one was 26 just didn't sit right with me and heavily impacted my rating unfortunately.

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tfpjr492's review against another edition

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emotional inspiring reflective sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Tammy is the main character in the book “Paper Names.” She is a mere fourth-grader when her parents move the family of three from China to America. The parents struggle with limited income in their new life, and Tammy has a tempestuous relationship with her father.

There are times when Tammy suffers physical abuse from her father. She speaks about one incident.

“I didn’t cry. I didn’t even blink. I stared him down until he took a step backward.”

Tammy is no ordinary girl, and her father knows that she has special qualities.

“She had a ferocious curiosity beyond her years. And a stubborn will that impressed him as much as it ignited his temper.”

Tammy puts those skills to good use as she excels in school, attends Harvard, and gets a law degree. The journey is difficult, but the family pulls together despite the strains. It is in Tammy’s young adulthood that the story’s pace quickens and her personal challenges grow.

This book is a quick read. It is emotional, and it provides plenty of insights for reflection, particularly regarding social status. It is recommended for those readers, who enjoy a tale with strong family characters.

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cinderellasbookshelf's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

I really enjoyed it. I found the story to be personal and reflective in exploring identity, family, and the way things are tethered or tied together in unexpected ways or in ways we sometimes try to pull away from despite who we are and want to be. You need to know who are you before you can get to where you’re going.

I read a few reviews where some expected something else or that there are other books that develop the themes better, but I actually appreciate the author in telling the story she wanted to tell. It’s not perfect, but to me I empathized and connected with it.

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alexandracpedro's review

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adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious 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

4.0

"Paper Names" by Susie Lou shares the life stories of flawed characters. No one is perfect in this story, just like no one is perfect in real life. A person can be both aggressive and caring, both self-centred and unprejudiced, both liar and penitent. The flaws make them relatable, the redeemable characteristics make them likeable.
This book is a portal. It gives insight into what it is like to live in China and also as Chinese immigrants in New York. Yet, it goes beyond that, too. The honesty of the scenes and feelings portrayed is so deep that it transcends countries and nationalities. It is about home: losing it when we leave, and finding (or creating) it again wherever we arrive.
"Paper Names" also speaks of coming to terms with one's past, and about how everyone, in their own way, has to go through that process sooner or later. Only then are we able to find ourselves beyond material desires or toxic relationships.
The writing is easy-to-read and -understand, but sometimes I would have loved to have been able to follow the story in a more linear fashion. This doesn't take away from the story, though, only from the reading experience. Unless non-linear timelines are a no-no for you, I would still recommend that you give "Paper Names" a go!
I received the ebook "Paper Names" by Susie Lou as an ARC, but this is my candid opinion. I am extremely thankful for having had the opportunity to read it and to now review it for you, hoping that more people enjoy this timeless story.

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telepathyjmin's review against another edition

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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.

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oceanwriter's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad tense 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

3.0

Literary fiction with generational themes has been an unintentional go-to for me this year. I picked up Paper Names not long after reading Banyan Moon so it was fun to switch perspectives. While Banyan Moon followed mother/daughter/grandmother dynamics, Paper Names had more of a father/daughter theme to it.

Tony has only ever wanted the best life for his daughter Tammy. To him, that means leaving China and building a new life in America. It hasn’t been easy for him. He's afraid to venture from his small circle out of fear. It’s easier for Tammy as a first-generation American. She and her father tend to butt heads as she strives to lead her own American lifestyle where Tony is often stuck in the middle of the culture in which he was raised and the one he sought out for Tammy. After an accident, a man named Oliver comes into their lives, bringing his own perspective on what it means to be American.

I loved reading the scenes between Tony and Tammy as well as a lot of Tony’s chapters in general. I can’t say I was hooked on the story as a whole. Given what drew me to the book, it didn’t seem like Oliver’s perspective was entirely necessary. Otherwise, the writing style was strong for a debut aside from some pacing issues. The ending happened so quickly and predictable once the setup had been made.

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estam1's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

3.25

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