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3.21 AVERAGE
3.21 AVERAGE
I enjoyed parts of this book and I was curious enough about how everything would wrap up that I kept reading it, but it fell a little short for me. I never cared about the characters as much as I would have liked and to me the story felt a little to light and flimsy.
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Patriarch Stanley Huang is dying, and continues talking up his wealth but simultaneously refuses to give his family any details, while his children and ex-wife navigate their community of moneyed Chinese-Americans in Silicon Valley.
Tediously cliché on every level with so much missed potential. Halfway through I was bored, not particularly invested in any of the characters and should have stopped reading.
Tediously cliché on every level with so much missed potential. Halfway through I was bored, not particularly invested in any of the characters and should have stopped reading.
2-1/2 stars. Somewhat entertaining, but I couldn't really make myself care about the characters much.
emotional
funny
sad
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
This book was slow for me. So much going on and sooo many details. I was legit excited to read about Chinese family in the Bay Area that was so recognizable to me: Stanley and his ex-wife Linda are in their 70s when Stanley is diagnosed with cancer, while their two adult children, Fred and Kate, face life changes of their own. The premise of each character’s storyline is great - Linda’s possibly predatory online boyfriend, Fred’s career crisis, Kate’s crumbling marriage, and the underlying thread of Stanley’s will. BUT, did we need to hear the details of Linda’s retired friends, Fred’s venture capital retreat, Kate’s work conference and more? This needed some serious editing and I struggled to keep my eyes open at times. Meanwhile, Wang glosses over the emotional impact of some pretty big trauma that occurs. This had the makings of a great book and there were many enjoyable parts, but ultimately it missed the mark for me.
Family Trust is an entertaining family drama that reflects on its title as both a noun and a verb. As Stanley, patriarch of the Huang family, is dying of pancreatic cancer, his children Kate and Fred from his first marriage, his ex-wife Linda, and his young second wife Mary squabble over the contents of his will. Meanwhile, their own lives are all imminent train wrecks from finance frauds to dating disasters. Wang expertly navigates family loyalties as she examines who (if anyone) truly wants the best for Stanley’s final days. Family Trust is well-written and engaging, and I enjoyed the astute social commentary. It could have used some serious trimming though, as I felt it was at least 100 pages too long
3.5 stars for me - I loved the format, but the story was kind of all over the place at times, making it difficult to follow.