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grxcezhxng's review
2.0
Most of this book is recounting everyday happennings. The repetitive back-and-forth conversations with Lin’s parents and the long monologues about health topics = lots of slow scenes. It delves into the mundane details and humor of each day, moment by moment, without relying on much of a narrative arc or higher message. This fosters an unconditional acceptance that it's alright to live a boring, ordinary life - which is kind of comforting.
Other than that, I didn't like the rest of the book. While at first the writing seems satirical, it becomes clear that this book is autofiction. Li the MC is really just Lin. As a chronic pain patient repeatedly failed by the pharmaceutical and medical industry, Li harbors a deep distrust towards society and holds many non-mainstream beliefs. His preoccupations with his diet, drugs, and existentialist new-age thought models come from this. Li persistently inundates his family with this kind of information and tries to persuade them to "leave society" with him. The cyclical nature of his thoughts, his conversations with his family, his behavioral patterns feel very tunnel vision and isolating.
The only possibly balancing perspective is his mom, when she says, "Leaving is not good. It's better to talk." But characters pretty much only exist to praise Li, and are not independent of themselves. So she's not ever fleshed out enough for her voice to be strong enough. Overall, ends up reading like a drug addict's diary that's almost completely divorced from reality.
Other than that, I didn't like the rest of the book. While at first the writing seems satirical, it becomes clear that this book is autofiction. Li the MC is really just Lin. As a chronic pain patient repeatedly failed by the pharmaceutical and medical industry, Li harbors a deep distrust towards society and holds many non-mainstream beliefs. His preoccupations with his diet, drugs, and existentialist new-age thought models come from this. Li persistently inundates his family with this kind of information and tries to persuade them to "leave society" with him. The cyclical nature of his thoughts, his conversations with his family, his behavioral patterns feel very tunnel vision and isolating.
The only possibly balancing perspective is his mom, when she says, "Leaving is not good. It's better to talk." But characters pretty much only exist to praise Li, and are not independent of themselves. So she's not ever fleshed out enough for her voice to be strong enough. Overall, ends up reading like a drug addict's diary that's almost completely divorced from reality.
katellison's review
4.0
i had to read this very slowly over several months bc tao's prose style triggers my ocd. i liked the book a lot.
my favorite section was when tao starts fucking again and my favorite part was when yuka rubs clay on tao's butt rash and then tao can't say "i love you too" normal.
i felt sad to learn dudu has a traumatic past.
minus one star bc abolish autofiction!!!
my favorite section was when tao starts fucking again and my favorite part was when yuka rubs clay on tao's butt rash and then tao can't say "i love you too" normal.
i felt sad to learn dudu has a traumatic past.
minus one star bc abolish autofiction!!!
msdinola's review
funny
informative
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
garni's review
4.0
this is so me (being a weird hermit and hanging out with m y parents a lot, keeping secrets from them and then confessing when i get stressed oUt)
sunnyd123's review
5.0
“Taipei” but hopeful and healthy. Change from a posture of boredom to one of awe :) it’s just a tiny leaf
willdinola's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
fast-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
4.75
pharmadelica's review
4.0
as a reading experience:
extremely cozy and tao's characterization in this is better than anything he's ever done. i feel so much sympathy for every member of his family (even mike) and the degree of personality he manages to give dudu is hilarious.
there's also more emotional range, which is deeply perceptible but also kept flat by the single tone tao sticks with through the whole thing. it's almost like a literary depiction of what "mindfulness" is supposed to be like.
as a piece of rhetoric:
eh. it's kind of like a less convincing Trip, which was not very convincing itself. i do agree that a lot of what we consume and take for granted now is probably not very good for us. that said, there aren't many tips here on how people who aren't tao lin should be living their lives. (purchase property in hawaii to airbnb so you can have the income to "leave society" lol)
makes for a funny alternative reading experience if you imagine Li as an ignatius j reilly type character.
overall:
like not much i've read before, and something i really enjoyed. better than all of lin's past stuff for sure. very interested to see where he goes next.
extremely cozy and tao's characterization in this is better than anything he's ever done. i feel so much sympathy for every member of his family (even mike) and the degree of personality he manages to give dudu is hilarious.
there's also more emotional range, which is deeply perceptible but also kept flat by the single tone tao sticks with through the whole thing. it's almost like a literary depiction of what "mindfulness" is supposed to be like.
as a piece of rhetoric:
eh. it's kind of like a less convincing Trip, which was not very convincing itself. i do agree that a lot of what we consume and take for granted now is probably not very good for us. that said, there aren't many tips here on how people who aren't tao lin should be living their lives. (purchase property in hawaii to airbnb so you can have the income to "leave society" lol)
makes for a funny alternative reading experience if you imagine Li as an ignatius j reilly type character.
overall:
like not much i've read before, and something i really enjoyed. better than all of lin's past stuff for sure. very interested to see where he goes next.
smeixkye92's review
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25