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epeolatrist's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
Graphic: Mental illness and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Sexual assault and Drug use
Minor: Eating disorder, Cancer, Bullying, and Stalking
dairyfreemozzarella's review against another edition
- 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
3.75
This book was very complicated for me to take in and process. Mainly because… there’s is no escapism. It was like stepping out of my own mind into a mirrored version of it. The depth in which we fall into Pablo’s depression was hard for me to deal with, but the “reckoning”/recovery section that followed was my favorite part of the entire book.
In the beginning, all the introspection was annoying to me, as I was marketed this book as a full blown romance (it was not). But when we got to the romance… I couldn’t bring myself to care too much. Lee was not really a character I could get behind until her final monologue in Seoul, and by then…
In conclusion, I liked this. A bit too heavy for me, well written, marketed oddly, and not my favorite of Chois books.
Graphic: Mental illness
Minor: Xenophobia and Racism
anniefwrites's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Graphic: Toxic relationship and Mental illness
Moderate: Alcohol, Cursing, and Drug use
Minor: Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, and Stalking
lovleephtogrl's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Mental illness
whatellisreadnext's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Mental illness
alimoo511's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
DO NOT GO INTO THIS WITH EMERGENCY CONTACT ON YOUR MIND.
I loved Pablo I loved how selfish and negative he could be and I loved how completely insane he is about being that careless with himself.
Rain is the best heads down
I loved Lee the little I felt we saw her. She reminds me a lot of myself someone who feels like they can't escape the box of those controlling but more like too scared to take the plunge.
Of course Mary H.K. Choi is the best at writing flaw real characters and I cannot wait to read Yolk whenever I can.
Ranking though Emergency Contact is my everything.
Graphic: Sexual assault
Moderate: Mental illness
Minor: Eating disorder
They go into diet culture a lot and there is mentions of grooming.invaderlinz's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Moderate: Bullying and Drug use
Minor: Cancer, Death of parent, Mental illness, Sexual assault, and Stalking
sarah_d's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Mental illness
Minor: Drug use
azrah786's review against another edition
4.5
**I was provided with an ARC through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**
Take my word for it, this story is so much more than just a “secret romance” as the synopsis sets it out to be.
Permanent Record is all about Pablo Neruda Rind whose life is a mess. He’s dropped out of NYU, has moved out of his family home and is sharing an apartment with friends. For a year he’s been working at a health food store with the hopes of earning enough to get back into school, while monthly rent payments and various bills that are piling up in his bedroom drawer watch on.
Enter Leanna Smart - childhood star and now a major celebrity, who one night stumbles into the store on Pablo’s shift. The two hit it off and Pablo finds a new excuse to push away his problems by allowing himself to be swept up into Leanna’s world. But it’s not long before his problems come racing to catch up with him.
This was the first book I’ve read by Choi and I quite liked her writing style. Not being American myself I didn’t understand all the references used, but her inclusion of pop culture, social media and slang/lingo within the narrative really helped to voice Pablo’s character, as well as set the scene. At first I was surprised to find that this book wasn’t written in a dual perspective, but it became clear quite quickly that this was very much Pablo’s story.
At the centre is the theme of adulthood, or more specifically being new to adulthood and it sure hit closer to home than I expected. Through the various relationships Pablo has with his family, his friends, his employers and even Leanna, Choi touches on the societal and familial pressures that are present in today’s world when it comes to education, finances and life in general. As the story progresses you really start to get a glimpse of how dire Pablo’s situation is.
The romance between Pablo and Leanna played more of a supporting role in the story and I thought it was great that their relationship didn’t overpower the primary narrative at any point. Their joint personalities and interests made their relationship feel natural and realistic however, it also highlighted the contrasts in their lives.
The friendship and family dynamics present in the story were also superbly written, the latter probably being my favourite part. The various elements of Pablo’s identity – being the eldest child in a biracial Asian and broken family, being an older sibling, being a child of diaspora – were handled beautifully. It gave light to some really important and thought-provoking discussions on culture, identity, privilege and race.
Now my life may not be as much of a mess as Pablo’s but I related to his character so much and really enjoyed his character arc. I really appreciated the underlying message that it is okay to not be sure about where life is going and that it is okay to mess up. That growing up doesn’t mean you have to isolate yourself from others in difficult times.
Overall, I just love how unapologetically hones this book is and I am so glad I picked it up. I look forward to picking up Choi’s debut, Emergency Contact as well as any of her future works.
Final Rating - 4.5/5 Stars
Moderate: Mental illness, Drug use, and Sexual assault