Reviews

Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng

iggyforenigma's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

mikaelaw's review against another edition

4.0

3.5 stars rounding up. I enjoyed the simplicity of the story, as well as the elegance of how everything became understood once the layers of projection were held and contained. Ng beautifully captures the dynamic between the family members in a nuanced manner, describing subtleties of relationship, identity, and power. I particularly appreciated the relationship between the siblings and Ng’s exploration of their dynamic across time.

sophiabenton's review against another edition

emotional mysterious reflective sad 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? Yes

4.0

i was hooked in this book right from the start, though the mood of it is different to a lot of books i read. in the beginning it felt almost depressy (not in a bad way?) — a kind of mix of little fires everywhere (with the perspective change and finding out each characters’ experience and thoughts), and 13 reasons why. from about half way in i felt that dark undertone shift, probably due to readers having a deeper understanding of the characters, and seeing lydia’s story unfold. overall a really enjoyable read, prompting lots of reflection on relationships and communication. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death

Moderate: Racism, Racial slurs, and Infidelity

Minor: Pregnancy

vera_baetas's review against another edition

4.0

Uma família que tem de lidar com uma tragédia. Um livro que retrata os problemas familiares e como as expectativas dos pais podem atrapalhar a vida dos filhos. Um livro que explica como amor demais é uma forma de maus tratos. Estou destroçada né angustiada. Um livro muito difícil de ler.

amaka_efadk's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad 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? It's complicated

4.25

alxrads1350's review against another edition

4.0

I enjoyed this book it’s a good story , unfortunately it didn’t keep me wanting to read it desperately it took me about 2 weeks to finish it , although I think at the end thinking about everything it’s a really good book :)

edgarallanfoe's review against another edition

4.0

4.5*

jcubifer's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

3.5

scally_m's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

5.0

heatherloureads's review against another edition

emotional tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

While this was a beautifully written deep-dive into the Lee family, I couldn't stand either parent. I felt sorry for Lydia and her siblings. Understandably, the parents wanted their kids to be successful, but they were both selfish. I wanted to shake them. 

Lydia has died, and this story flashes back in time to analyze what happened to her. Months leading up to her death, the author takes you through the thoughts and motions of the Lee family. Lydia is the favorite child of her parents. Both parents put a lot of pressure on her and her siblings to be successful and to be popular. But both parents are also completely oblivious to their children's actual lives. 

Nath feels like he must be perfect and take care of his siblings. Lydia is struggling and can't tell her parents because she wants them to be proud of her. Hana is completely ignored by both parents and has mastered the art of being invisible. 

How the parents handled Lydia's death was infuriating but realistic. And then to find out how Lydia felt and just wanted her parents to be proud of her... I felt for all the kids in this book.