matcha_pages's review against another edition
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Started off with a bang, but much like a counterfeit purse it didn't hold up toward the end. It was an easy read yet didn't deliver like I hoped it would. Even though Ava and Winnie are unreliable narrators and unlikeable characters, they're the portrait of modern scam artist. They ruthlessly used Asian/Asian American stereotypes to their advantage and weren't afraid to use people to get ahead.
I wanted more scam artist and less angry mother. I get that motherhood plays a big part in Ava's life, but the book leaned toward that side too much for my preference. There's a lot of telling not showing, which I think is due to the POV choice. The ending felt rushed and I think it was it a miss to not mention the scale of their operation.
I wanted more scam artist and less angry mother. I get that motherhood plays a big part in Ava's life, but the book leaned toward that side too much for my preference. There's a lot of telling not showing, which I think is due to the POV choice. The ending felt rushed and I think it was it a miss to not mention the scale of their operation.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic friendship
Moderate: Xenophobia
cristinareading's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Xenophobia and Death of parent
brandie_abbie19's review against another edition
dark
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Death, Gaslighting, Death of parent, Alcoholism, Addiction, Racism, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
Moderate: Xenophobia
bedtimesandbooks's review
hopeful
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
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Classism, Xenophobia, Death, and Ableism
Moderate: Alcoholism, Medical content, and Death of parent
kalehouse's review
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-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? It's complicated
3.0
(audio book) this was very middle of the road, nothing was super compelling characters or plot. actually, i really hated eva at first and the only thing that kept me listening was the hope that she couldn’t possibly be *that* annoying. she was redeemed towards the second half! still, this was pretty slow and i couldn’t relate much to eva.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Ableism, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Grief, and Alcohol
ukponge's review
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Xenophobia
Moderate: Infidelity
thenovelmaura's review against another edition
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
One of my favorite audiobooks of the year! This book was so entertaining; the characters were fun and morally gray, and I love a good "listen as I tell my side of the story, Detective" framing. Ava was sometimes frustrating but you had to respect her hustle, and I loved how the dynamic between Ava and Winnie evolved as time went on. Since the focus was mainly on these two women, they were solidly fleshed-out and I could relate to different elements of their lives and histories without supporting all of their decisions. There was a twist right at the point where the story starts to lag, so that was perfectly timed.
My one issue is that I don't understand how they made any money from the central scam of the book... how is it profitable to return an exact dupe and then sell the real handbag online and retail? It might be less risky but you're not making any additional money. Honestly, I mostly overlooked this detail because the storytelling was engaging and I was along for the ride!
My one issue is that I don't understand how they made any money from the central scam of the book... how is it profitable to return an exact dupe and then sell the real handbag online and retail? It might be less risky but you're not making any additional money. Honestly, I mostly overlooked this detail because the storytelling was engaging and I was along for the ride!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Xenophobia and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Racism
Minor: Terminal illness
wngwendy's review
lighthearted
- 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? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Gaslighting and Xenophobia
krys_kilz's review
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This book was a really fun and light read! I didn't find the twist all that shocking, but I also didn't entirely expect it. It kept me engaged the entire time and I thoroughly enjoyed it!
It was difficult to read about Ava's autistic coded son, Henri, at times. I don't think Chen handled it poorly, but the ableism from family members and the lack of support was hard to witness as an autistic person.
It was difficult to read about Ava's autistic coded son, Henri, at times. I don't think Chen handled it poorly, but the ableism from family members and the lack of support was hard to witness as an autistic person.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship and Xenophobia
Moderate: Ableism
Minor: Death of parent and Medical content
vaniavela's review
adventurous
funny
- 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? Yes
4.0
This is an easy read. The story begins with a first-person narration by Ava, who narrates her experiences with Winnie to the detective. Ava is not really likable, but she had good character development. That said, aside from her and Winnie, the other characters have no personality at all. They all seem really one dimensional.
Through this book we not only get an interesting premise, but insight into complex issues such as family expectations, consumerism, and labor exploitation.
Unfortunately it was a bit difficult to read because there were no quotation marks through most of the book. Being honest, I don't like that style of writing, especially since there is a lot of talking and no action.
Overall it was a great book, but I'm hoping for better!
tw: toxic friendship, toxic relationship, xenophobia, racism, alcoholism, medical content.
Through this book we not only get an interesting premise, but insight into complex issues such as family expectations, consumerism, and labor exploitation.
Unfortunately it was a bit difficult to read because there were no quotation marks through most of the book. Being honest, I don't like that style of writing, especially since there is a lot of talking and no action.
Overall it was a great book, but I'm hoping for better!
tw: toxic friendship, toxic relationship, xenophobia, racism, alcoholism, medical content.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Medical content, Racism, and Alcoholism