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3.76 AVERAGE
3.76 AVERAGE
This is a quirky book with a central character I could really relate to, though on the surface it wouldn’t be clear why. Joan is a 30-something ICU doctor living alone in NY. She was born in the US to Chinese parents. The book explores the ideas of feeling at home, purpose in life and the complex relationships with parents and siblings. This book left me wondering about a lot, but in a way that was satisfying (and not frustrating, which can often be the case with an ending that begs new questions instead of delivering tidy answers).
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
medium-paced
sad
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
Joan is Okay by Weike Wang is a quirky, introspective novel that makes you want to reexamine your connections with family, work, and everything in between. Joan is the daughter of Chinese immigrants. Joan is a single woman in her mid-thirties living in New York City. Joan is an ICU attending physician leading into the pandemic. Joan has recently lost her father. This novel is a sort of reckoning of all these identities, written in very stark language.
I liked the literalness of the title. Throughout the book, other characters are constantly trying to make sense of Joan in accordance with how they measure happiness or a ‘good life.’ (But Joan, don’t you want your own family one day? But Joan, don’t you miss your father? But Joan, don’t you want to take a vacation?) In the end, though they (or we as readers) might not understand her reasoning, we know Joan is going to be okay. I occasionally had a hard time feeling fully engaged (the stark language and a rainy winter day in NYC is not necessarily the best pairing), but overall I felt like the novel had excellent character development and a something new to say.
I liked the literalness of the title. Throughout the book, other characters are constantly trying to make sense of Joan in accordance with how they measure happiness or a ‘good life.’ (But Joan, don’t you want your own family one day? But Joan, don’t you miss your father? But Joan, don’t you want to take a vacation?) In the end, though they (or we as readers) might not understand her reasoning, we know Joan is going to be okay. I occasionally had a hard time feeling fully engaged (the stark language and a rainy winter day in NYC is not necessarily the best pairing), but overall I felt like the novel had excellent character development and a something new to say.
emotional
reflective
slow-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
dark
emotional
funny
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
informative
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
funny
informative
lighthearted
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
Great book! I absolutely love Wang's dark sense of humor and science nerdiness. This book was a light fun read, about family and the immigrant experience.