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bookishmillennial's review
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
disclaimer: I don’t really give starred reviews. I enjoy most books for what they are, & I extract lessons from them all. Everyone’s reading experiences are subjective, so I hope my reviews provide enough information to let you know if a book is for you or not. Find me on Instagram: @bookish.millennial or tiktok: @bookishmillennial
I thought this was such a sweet coming-of-age story for Pearl (Ever’s younger sister!). I love this series so much, though the present-tense writing was hard for me sometimes. However, it was still an absolute delight to follow her journey!
This takes place 7 years after the events of Loveboat, Taipei (Ever’s time on Loveboat) as Pearl goes when she is 17! Pearl & Ever’s dad passed away a few years ago, and as a result of Ever’s Loveboat scandal, their parents loosened up a bit and were much more flexible and open parents with Pearl. Pearl pursued music in playing the piano, and she has now performed all over the world as a concert pianist! She is all set to attend this prestigious music academy in the fall, Apollo, when a TikTok scandal leaves a bad taste in everyone’s mouth, including her academy, and they rescind her invitation to join them. Pearl’s agent/manager (I forget lol but something to this nature) Julie tells Pearl to lay low this summer, so this is when Pearl decides to accept her invitation to Chien Tan, and to embrace the Loveboat experience. This book takes place during the summer as Pearl re-discovers herself and her roots!
A big theme of this book is the connection to your culture, and your ancestry. Pearl researches her grandma’s history and finds out that her grandma played the pipa, and her prized pipa was lost during a war. Pearl contends with her cultural identity and how she wasn’t putting any intention or effort towards understanding more of her Chinese heritage, rather than simply letting herself be led by her American education and messaging. She meets friends — Iris and Hollis, siblings from Hawaii — who assist her in her journey to let loose and have fun this summer. She also meets other musicians through her Chinese music elective class — Ethan, world renowned kid wonder musician & Kai, brooding & grumpy musician who thinks Pearl has internalized her colonisation.
I absolutely loved the conversations that Pearl and Kai had about colonization, culture, museums, and what they want out of life! I liked this because it felt realistic that as a sheltered, keeps-to-herself musician, that these were the first times she was having this conversation and being challenged to think more critically about the choices she made, including her TikTok scandal. Kai really brought up so many important questions to get Pearl taking a second look at her behavior, internalized beliefs, and the way society operates. Pearl’s ties to the piano are also tied to her late father’s pride & affection, and they explore this a bit. I also really appreciated the sister dynamic between her & Ever. Their interactions throughout the book were sporadic but they were so meaningful!
Cameos are made by Sophie, Xavier, & Rick of course too! I thought this was the sweetest and most entertaining way to wrap up this series & I can’t wait to see this adapted on screen! (assuming it will be)
cw: internalized racism, sexism, feelings of abandonment, grief, death of a parent (off page)
I thought this was such a sweet coming-of-age story for Pearl (Ever’s younger sister!). I love this series so much, though the present-tense writing was hard for me sometimes. However, it was still an absolute delight to follow her journey!
This takes place 7 years after the events of Loveboat, Taipei (Ever’s time on Loveboat) as Pearl goes when she is 17! Pearl & Ever’s dad passed away a few years ago, and as a result of Ever’s Loveboat scandal, their parents loosened up a bit and were much more flexible and open parents with Pearl. Pearl pursued music in playing the piano, and she has now performed all over the world as a concert pianist! She is all set to attend this prestigious music academy in the fall, Apollo, when a TikTok scandal leaves a bad taste in everyone’s mouth, including her academy, and they rescind her invitation to join them. Pearl’s agent/manager (I forget lol but something to this nature) Julie tells Pearl to lay low this summer, so this is when Pearl decides to accept her invitation to Chien Tan, and to embrace the Loveboat experience. This book takes place during the summer as Pearl re-discovers herself and her roots!
A big theme of this book is the connection to your culture, and your ancestry. Pearl researches her grandma’s history and finds out that her grandma played the pipa, and her prized pipa was lost during a war. Pearl contends with her cultural identity and how she wasn’t putting any intention or effort towards understanding more of her Chinese heritage, rather than simply letting herself be led by her American education and messaging. She meets friends — Iris and Hollis, siblings from Hawaii — who assist her in her journey to let loose and have fun this summer. She also meets other musicians through her Chinese music elective class — Ethan, world renowned kid wonder musician & Kai, brooding & grumpy musician who thinks Pearl has internalized her colonisation.
I absolutely loved the conversations that Pearl and Kai had about colonization, culture, museums, and what they want out of life! I liked this because it felt realistic that as a sheltered, keeps-to-herself musician, that these were the first times she was having this conversation and being challenged to think more critically about the choices she made, including her TikTok scandal. Kai really brought up so many important questions to get Pearl taking a second look at her behavior, internalized beliefs, and the way society operates. Pearl’s ties to the piano are also tied to her late father’s pride & affection, and they explore this a bit. I also really appreciated the sister dynamic between her & Ever. Their interactions throughout the book were sporadic but they were so meaningful!
Cameos are made by Sophie, Xavier, & Rick of course too! I thought this was the sweetest and most entertaining way to wrap up this series & I can’t wait to see this adapted on screen! (assuming it will be)
cw: internalized racism, sexism, feelings of abandonment, grief, death of a parent (off page)
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief, Racism, Sexism, and Abandonment
Minor: Death of parent
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