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3.35 AVERAGE
3.35 AVERAGE
funny
reflective
slow-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
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Delightful find. Set in Hong Kong in the late 2010s, Ava's quippy narration and cracks about Irish-British relations and Brexit made the story an entertaining romp through 20-something expat life. An unusual love triangle and slightly unsavory, odd characters kept things the right amount of awkward without being too cringey.
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
challenging
emotional
funny
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-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
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Reminded me quite a bit of Sally Rooney’s work. I found myself getting bored with the characters’ relatively stagnant dynamics and with Ava’s self-loathing though.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Toxic relationship
Minor: Biphobia
dark
funny
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
What a roller coaster. Almost have up on this book but then it got here mid way through, only to crash with a terrible ending.
This was the perfect time to read this book.
This book is well-written and has an interesting ex-pat premise/self-aware class dynamics that I enjoyed reading, but I wasn't dying to pick it up or devour it. Maybe I'm just (thankfully) past this messy phase that the main character was going through. The self-loathing, sexual confusion, and the protective way she kept her wants and dreams small was visceral. I kept reading the story like a mom on the sidelines going, "oh, honey, no."
funny
lighthearted
slow-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
This story follows Ava, a recent graduate who heads to Hong Kong to teach English. Here she meets both Julian and Edith; one offers a complacent lifestyle without asking for much in return, whilst the other offers her exactly what she longs for. Ava must decide if she prefers comfortability or adventure.
I thought the book was incredibly realistic. Often we are faced with these decisions ourselves, do we stick to what we know and enjoy normality, or do we step out of our comfort zone for something risky but joyous? Whilst I enjoyed the plot and the progression, it just felt a little flat for me. It was slow and meandering, but that made me very aware of how real the book felt. Often we want instantaneous changes, we expect decisions to be made too quickly and they turn out to be rash and uncharacteristic. Much like Ava towards the end of the book, we can quickly realise that our bold choices may not always be correct, but we can always have the opportunity to correct ourselves and grow.
I thought the book was incredibly realistic. Often we are faced with these decisions ourselves, do we stick to what we know and enjoy normality, or do we step out of our comfort zone for something risky but joyous? Whilst I enjoyed the plot and the progression, it just felt a little flat for me. It was slow and meandering, but that made me very aware of how real the book felt. Often we want instantaneous changes, we expect decisions to be made too quickly and they turn out to be rash and uncharacteristic. Much like Ava towards the end of the book, we can quickly realise that our bold choices may not always be correct, but we can always have the opportunity to correct ourselves and grow.