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3.76 AVERAGE
3.76 AVERAGE
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
funny
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This is a quick but enjoyable read. A voice I could relate to as an Asian American with immigrant parents and raised in conflicting cultures. Growing up in an American society but with traditional Asian parents in itself is a challenge. Finally getting to read an Asian American adult POV is refreshing as I typically find myself relating to YA reads and my younger self as more POC are amazingly breaking out into the writing industry.
The book touches on a challenges Joan faces from stereotypes, racism, sexism, family expectations, etc. While the book doesn't have much of a dramatic flair, it still spoke volumes to me.
I could go on and on with how much I could relate to Joan, but I'm not looking to write a novel myself. :) So I'll just conclude with I like how the book ended. I will say no more to avoid spoiling!
The book touches on a challenges Joan faces from stereotypes, racism, sexism, family expectations, etc. While the book doesn't have much of a dramatic flair, it still spoke volumes to me.
I could go on and on with how much I could relate to Joan, but I'm not looking to write a novel myself. :) So I'll just conclude with I like how the book ended. I will say no more to avoid spoiling!
funny
reflective
sad
medium-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
With Weike Wang’s newest book, Rental House, just recently published, I realized I had meant to read her last and never did so I dove into the audio. The narrator was very good and it’s nice and short (6.5 hours). This is a character study of a doctor in New York grappling with the death of her father, familial expectations of her Chinese family, expectations of what it means to behave “normally” and, towards the end, the start of COVID. I love that Joan is authentically herself, even when those around her tell her she should act a certain way. It’s very quirky and funny and a bit sad all rolled together.
Thank you Penguin Random House Audio for the gifted audiobook.
Thank you Penguin Random House Audio for the gifted audiobook.
The GR book description hit every nail on the head by calling this book “witty, moving, [and] piercingly insightful.” Particularly, Joan’s family dynamic was so (maybe TOO) relatable, and I was overcome with poignancy from seeing my experience with Asian immigrant parent-child relationships to be put into words on a page. While eliciting nonstop chuckles, Wang also touched on topics like societal expectations of women and how the covid pandemic unleashed a wave of Asian hate and- from start to finish, it was simply brilliant writing.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 20%. Unlike Chemistry, which I enjoyed, the writing in this novel didn't really resonate with me. I found the dialogue dull and the beats of the novel boring. Perhaps if I was in a better state, I would've pushed through and enjoyed this more. Overall maybe a 2.5/5?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent
4 / 5
Just like Weike Wang's first book, Chemistry, the author has a very keen grasp on her writing style. It can read a bit like Twitter observations sometimes, but then you start to notice that they're layered, intertwined, and all add to the story. Though I will say that I wasn't ready for the inclusion of COVID taking a big chunk of the ending.
Just like Weike Wang's first book, Chemistry, the author has a very keen grasp on her writing style. It can read a bit like Twitter observations sometimes, but then you start to notice that they're layered, intertwined, and all add to the story. Though I will say that I wasn't ready for the inclusion of COVID taking a big chunk of the ending.
4.5 I really enjoyed this book, which surprised me a little bit based on the synopsis - medicine and all things related to the pandemic are not calling out to me right now, but the story is obviously so much more than that. The writing really resonated with me and I had a hard time not reading it through the night in a single day.