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3.84 AVERAGE
3.84 AVERAGE
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This was a classic summer “rich people behaving badly” read, with some nuanced cultural aspects and an interesting narrative frame (that didn’t always work for me). The pacing was off at a few points but this should definitely be on more of this year’s beach read lists.
Crazy rich Asians meets gossip girl... Feels like there could be a follow up book.
funny
mysterious
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:
Complicated
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
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:
Complicated
As a fan of Ahdieh’s young adult novels (as well as her outspoken activism), I was excited for this foray into adult fiction. While I do still prefer her more fantastical stories, I appreciated her writing here, especially the way in which she structured it with occasional chapters in which the reader is addressed directly by the “author”. I also enjoyed the characterization she did, and the inclusion of Korean American culture, although the plight of the ultra rich didn’t appeal to me as much.
medium-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:
Complicated
Just not connecting with this one. There’s something about the premise that isn’t pulling me in the way I’d hoped. Maybe I came into it with the wrong expectations; I thought it would have a certain energy, a spark of wit or playfulness that would make it more fun. Instead, it feels heavier, slower, or just less dynamic than I anticipated. Might come back to it, might not.