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3.21 AVERAGE
3.21 AVERAGE
Interesting book. I think if I knew a few more people who were truly living the Silicon Valley life, I might have gotten more out of it.
emotional
funny
lighthearted
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
Settling right in between two and three stars. The character development wasn’t bad, although I admit I have a harder time with a big cast of characters and got confused a few times. But the author could have ditched more than half of the confusing business talk and still gotten the same point across. Far too heavy on detailing in the business sector and did not add anything positive to the book in that regard. Use actual business language, by all means, but entire conversations about deals and passing of illegal money was overkill. A few aspects were particularly underdeveloped and shouldn’t have been included considering their tenuous connection to the story at hand. I guess, after writing all that, it really was closer to a two star book.
*** I received an advanced copy of the book from Librarything in exchange for my honest review
This was one of those books that starts out slow and quietly reels you in until you are invested in seeing how it ends. I didn't feel that it lived up to all of the hype that has been built up, but it was an enjoyable book with an interesting storyline. My one complaint was the way it just kind of dropped what happened to Mary (the wife), and how everyone dealt with the reality of how much money their father had really left everyone
This was one of those books that starts out slow and quietly reels you in until you are invested in seeing how it ends. I didn't feel that it lived up to all of the hype that has been built up, but it was an enjoyable book with an interesting storyline. My one complaint was the way it just kind of dropped what happened to Mary (the wife), and how everyone dealt with the reality of how much money their father had really left everyone
I received a free copy of this book by Harper Collins.
A good debut! I think my main complaints about the book is the lack of intrigue. I know we were supposed to be tangled in the messed up lives of his children and ex wife but their problems didn’t seem that hard. They also weren’t going to be fixed by money so the idea that the trust fund was actually important to the story isn’t there.
I wanted to be left on the edge of my seat but I wasn’t really. Even though I enjoyed where the story was going. It just wasn’t the kind of read you can’t put down and absolutely must know the end to.
I thought the story was about the father dying early and there was maybe a fight over the will or a puzzle to solve to get the money or a twist with how much money he actually had but it was really drawn out and the character don’t spend that much time together so the dynamic isn’t there. We also wait a long time before he actually dies and we find out what was in the will.
The end also felt a bit rushed. Lots of plots that we spent the whole book reading, gone in a few sentences.
But the book has a beautiful cover! I’m all in for more books with Chinese leads and I definitely feel this is a step in the right direction.
A good debut! I think my main complaints about the book is the lack of intrigue. I know we were supposed to be tangled in the messed up lives of his children and ex wife but their problems didn’t seem that hard. They also weren’t going to be fixed by money so the idea that the trust fund was actually important to the story isn’t there.
I wanted to be left on the edge of my seat but I wasn’t really. Even though I enjoyed where the story was going. It just wasn’t the kind of read you can’t put down and absolutely must know the end to.
I thought the story was about the father dying early and there was maybe a fight over the will or a puzzle to solve to get the money or a twist with how much money he actually had but it was really drawn out and the character don’t spend that much time together so the dynamic isn’t there. We also wait a long time before he actually dies and we find out what was in the will.
The end also felt a bit rushed. Lots of plots that we spent the whole book reading, gone in a few sentences.
But the book has a beautiful cover! I’m all in for more books with Chinese leads and I definitely feel this is a step in the right direction.
Compelling, fascinating story about family dynamics, with insight into Chinese American culture
very good portrayal of how complicated families can be. there's a lot of filler info about venture capital and firms and HBS terms, which makes sense since the author is an alum and it's relatively central to the careers of the main characters, but can be hard to grasp for the casual reader (i.e. me).
This book was filled with dreary people living very social climbing lives. There was so much focus on money and status and THINGS. And it made these people wholly uninteresting and unlikeable. I sympathized with no one except occasionally the mother.
I listened to it on audible so it was 14 hours of my life I wish I could get back.
I listened to it on audible so it was 14 hours of my life I wish I could get back.
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I grew up in San Jose--and, though I haven't actually lived there in over 25 years--I do enjoy reading books that take place in San Jose and the Bay Area in general. I am up there one or two times a year, so I'm no completely clueless about San Jose today.
———
In some ways this book very much reminded me of [b:The Nest|25781157|The Nest|Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1461354827s/25781157.jpg|45630747]--rich people want more more more. The multiple meanings of the titles is another similarity. And I struggle to care about characters who just want more. More money so they can do things they "can't afford"--like a back house or a house in Atherton. I find it very hard to relate to or care about characters (or real poeple lol) like this. The actual focus of these two books is quite different, however.
In Family Trust we meet siblings Kate and Fred, her husband and kids and his girlfriend, their immigrant mother and father, and his second wife (of 9 years). While Linda and Stanley worked hard to move to "a good address" before their divorce, Kate buys a dream dump and fixes it up over years, and Fred drams of being in a very expensive zip code. Both have good Silicon Valley jobs. Linda enjoys her nice home, friends, and doing what she wants. Stanley and Mary take expensive trips and so forth.
When Stanley is diagnosed with cancer, all of their focuses shift and all of their attitudes change. All want to live a little more happily and will take risks to do so.
————
There is interesting commentary on being Chinese/Asian in the US/Silicon Valley/Harvard Business School (advantages and disadvantages), as well as being a female executive.
Solid writing, decent story, some slurs and stereotypes. A fair read, but I doubt I'll remember it for long.
———
In some ways this book very much reminded me of [b:The Nest|25781157|The Nest|Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1461354827s/25781157.jpg|45630747]--rich people want more more more. The multiple meanings of the titles is another similarity. And I struggle to care about characters who just want more. More money so they can do things they "can't afford"--like a back house or a house in Atherton. I find it very hard to relate to or care about characters (or real poeple lol) like this. The actual focus of these two books is quite different, however.
In Family Trust we meet siblings Kate and Fred, her husband and kids and his girlfriend, their immigrant mother and father, and his second wife (of 9 years). While Linda and Stanley worked hard to move to "a good address" before their divorce, Kate buys a dream dump and fixes it up over years, and Fred drams of being in a very expensive zip code. Both have good Silicon Valley jobs. Linda enjoys her nice home, friends, and doing what she wants. Stanley and Mary take expensive trips and so forth.
When Stanley is diagnosed with cancer, all of their focuses shift and all of their attitudes change. All want to live a little more happily and will take risks to do so.
————
There is interesting commentary on being Chinese/Asian in the US/Silicon Valley/Harvard Business School (advantages and disadvantages), as well as being a female executive.
Solid writing, decent story, some slurs and stereotypes. A fair read, but I doubt I'll remember it for long.