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2.98 AVERAGE
2.98 AVERAGE
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Page by page, I liked this book. She has lots of clever insights, and took familiar concepts (the immigrant experience, loss, complicated relationships) and presented them in a fresh way. I found myself really relating to parts of it, and taking pictures of passages that spoke to me.
But, I’m left conflicted about how it all came together. I was tempting to chalk it up to me not reading carefully enough, just not getting it, but other reviews make me think that maybe it wasn’t me. There were lots of different layers to this story that just didn’t quite come together in the end. I also didn’t love the parts that detailed all the lab animals, despite the fact that I’ve spent lots of time in research labs myself.
Ultimately, I enjoyed reading this one, and think there is definitely something here despite the ending leaving me wanting more.
Also, the cover is beautiful!
But, I’m left conflicted about how it all came together. I was tempting to chalk it up to me not reading carefully enough, just not getting it, but other reviews make me think that maybe it wasn’t me. There were lots of different layers to this story that just didn’t quite come together in the end. I also didn’t love the parts that detailed all the lab animals, despite the fact that I’ve spent lots of time in research labs myself.
Ultimately, I enjoyed reading this one, and think there is definitely something here despite the ending leaving me wanting more.
Also, the cover is beautiful!
The author discards trite immigrant tropes for a more nuanced portrait of flawed people navigating an unfriendly society. While I appreciate this aspect of the book, it just isn’t a fun or compelling read: there is little love or joy, neither within nor between characters nor from the author to her subject(s). The protagonist seems to consistently make the wrong choice to no particular effect. This book feels in some ways like a watered-down version of Elaine Hseih Chou’s Disorientation.
Thank you SJP Lit and NetGalley for early access to this debut novel.
Thank you SJP Lit and NetGalley for early access to this debut novel.
A Quitter's Paradise is a debut novel by Elysha Chang that follows Eleanor Liu who is struggling to come to terms with her mother's death. Her grief starts to unravel all parts of her life - her marriage, her career, and her relationships with her estranged family. The novel in parallel follows both Eleanor's current struggle with grief over the death of a mother she never truly knew, and flashbacks of how her parents immigrated to America from the military villages of Taipei. Elysha Chang beautifully interweaves these stories and alternates between points of views throughout the novel.
I loved the writing and found the non-linear timelines very engaging. I found the exploration of Eleanor's complicated relationship with her parents to be the highlight of the novel. We see how Eleanor's childhood affects her present life, through her complicated relationship with her husband and her propensity to hide parts of herself in order to please others (even though in the long-run it only negatively affects her and the people around her who care for her). Despite the occasional disconnection caused by the abrupt time jumps at times, the book is an enjoyable read, highlighting Chang's remarkable writing skills and I am excited to read more from her!
Thank you to NetGalley and Zando Projects for providing me with a digital arc in return for an honest review.
A Quitter's Paradise comes out June 6th!
I loved the writing and found the non-linear timelines very engaging. I found the exploration of Eleanor's complicated relationship with her parents to be the highlight of the novel. We see how Eleanor's childhood affects her present life, through her complicated relationship with her husband and her propensity to hide parts of herself in order to please others (even though in the long-run it only negatively affects her and the people around her who care for her). Despite the occasional disconnection caused by the abrupt time jumps at times, the book is an enjoyable read, highlighting Chang's remarkable writing skills and I am excited to read more from her!
Thank you to NetGalley and Zando Projects for providing me with a digital arc in return for an honest review.
A Quitter's Paradise comes out June 6th!
dark
emotional
sad
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
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
So confused - the whole time I was trying to figure out what was going on. Seemingly all over the place. By the end I barely had a grasp on who the characters were and how they were related. It was easy to read and good fiction writing but I couldn't get behind the plot or really understand what was happening and why.
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
adventurous
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes