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3.57 AVERAGE
3.57 AVERAGE
adventurous
informative
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I felt like the characters were all interchangeable so it was really difficult to understand them and get behind their actions. I was confused for most of the book between the boys…
Oceans 11 meets The Bling Ring in this thriller about 5 Chinese American college kids hired by a Chinese billionaire to steal 5 bronze zodiac heads looted from The Old Summer Palace during the Second Opium War for $50 million.
The heist of it all was kinda bonkers and the weakest part of the story for me. What I loved was how each of them had to reconcile the pressures of filial duty and the expectations of the model minority with their own experiences as diaspora because despite all of them being ethnically Chinese, they are not the same.
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Alex and Irene are everything to me. Full review coming soon!
So many mixed feelings about this book! I wish I could give it 3.5 stars. For things I liked: I loved the perspective of all 5 characters and their different experiences being Asian-American. While they had similarities, their stories were so different and I loved that. I also liked the little twist at the end. I think the writing style wasn’t really for me. It felt a little too prose-y and repetitive. I also found certain parts very unrealistic. But overall I’m really glad I got to read the stories of these characters.
FULL REVIEW: https://meganprokott.com/2022-books//portrait-of-a-thief-grace-d-li
This book touched my HEART. It is so beautifully written with all the passion this author has towards Chinese culture laid completely bare for the reader. And yet? Incredibly entertaining with excellent pacing. Read this book immediately. If you love art, especially read this immediately.
This book touched my HEART. It is so beautifully written with all the passion this author has towards Chinese culture laid completely bare for the reader. And yet? Incredibly entertaining with excellent pacing. Read this book immediately. If you love art, especially read this immediately.
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
3.5 stars.
It was good, I was waiting for it to be great.
5 stars for the themes and discussion around looted art, cultural diaspora, etc.
3 stars for plot, characters, writing.
It was good, I was waiting for it to be great.
5 stars for the themes and discussion around looted art, cultural diaspora, etc.
3 stars for plot, characters, writing.