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3.76 AVERAGE
3.76 AVERAGE
slow-paced
emotional
informative
reflective
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
informative
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
this was an unexpected delight that i picked up mainly due to its short length (224 pages). however, it left a lasting impression on me. i finished it in two sittings, captivated by its beautiful writing. Joan’s quirky, direct way of communicating was endearing and the scenes with her overbearing neighbour made me both laugh and cringe. the familial relationships esp the touching reflections abt her father, were compelling.
Wang skilfully transitioned Joan’s inner monologue from playful to serious, keeping me engaged throughout. the book was both lighthearted and deeply existential. the open-ended conclusion felt right, even though i wished i could keep reading abt Joan’s life.
the COVID-19 pandemic is also a feature of this story towards the end but it wasnt a huge focus and was treated with care within the story.
Wang skilfully transitioned Joan’s inner monologue from playful to serious, keeping me engaged throughout. the book was both lighthearted and deeply existential. the open-ended conclusion felt right, even though i wished i could keep reading abt Joan’s life.
the COVID-19 pandemic is also a feature of this story towards the end but it wasnt a huge focus and was treated with care within the story.
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This was an exceptional book. The beginning and set up was just a little slow but once we got acquainted with Joan and what her life was like I loved it. I dog-eared so many pages (something I don't usually do) to go back and think about what she said. Thoughts like what is home?
Her neighbor kept giving her things so that her apartment and life weren't so empty as he saw it.
"But not being steeped in the same culture as he was did not make me someone who needed his help, and that he'd acted like it was his job to improve me was both presumptuous and wrong."
Another favorite part was then her male colleague was patronizingly mansplaining to Joan why men need a legacy and women don't because they could have children and they become their legacy. He was quick to say he wasn't talking about her, just an abstract woman. She said that she imagined that when this abstract woman met her abstract man she would tell him to fuck right off.
It may sound like this book was man bashing throughout but it wasn't. Those were just two of the passages I particulary liked. :)
Her neighbor kept giving her things so that her apartment and life weren't so empty as he saw it.
"But not being steeped in the same culture as he was did not make me someone who needed his help, and that he'd acted like it was his job to improve me was both presumptuous and wrong."
Another favorite part was then her male colleague was patronizingly mansplaining to Joan why men need a legacy and women don't because they could have children and they become their legacy. He was quick to say he wasn't talking about her, just an abstract woman. She said that she imagined that when this abstract woman met her abstract man she would tell him to fuck right off.
It may sound like this book was man bashing throughout but it wasn't. Those were just two of the passages I particulary liked. :)
emotional
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
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
Weike Wang’s newest novel, Joan is Okay, is an exploration in being oneself.
Joan is settled in her life, a career in medicine, single, content. Everyone around her - coworkers, bosses, family, her new neighbor - all wants something else for her, but Joan is Okay.
The novel follows Joan through the loss of her father and the onslaught of Covid-19 hitting New York. With those two major events in play, the novel reads surprisingly calm. The depiction of a covid world was surprising, I hadn’t prepared for a covid novel and had to put the book down for a bit, but Wang adds a great perspective.
Joan is a great character, her family, friends, and coworkers are so well written they felt real.
Joan is settled in her life, a career in medicine, single, content. Everyone around her - coworkers, bosses, family, her new neighbor - all wants something else for her, but Joan is Okay.
The novel follows Joan through the loss of her father and the onslaught of Covid-19 hitting New York. With those two major events in play, the novel reads surprisingly calm. The depiction of a covid world was surprising, I hadn’t prepared for a covid novel and had to put the book down for a bit, but Wang adds a great perspective.
Joan is a great character, her family, friends, and coworkers are so well written they felt real.