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A review by fonkun
Boys I Know by Anna Gracia
5.0
A solid 4.5 stars.
When I read the author's note at the beginning -- "It is my hope that reading about June's experiences might spare some girls the hurt of learning these lessons firsthand, even if they don't share her exact background" -- I knew that I'd love this book. And I did. And I loved it even more when the main character quoted Grey's Anatomy -- "Don't let what he wants eclipse what you need. He is very dreamy but he is not the sun. You are."
Boys I Know reminded me of [b:Queenie|36586697|Queenie|Candice Carty-Williams|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1539882662l/36586697._SY75_.jpg|58334513] but for teens. Boys I Know follows June Chu, a Taiwanese-American teenager, through her senior year of high school as she figures out where to attend college, while dealing with overbearing parents and the many toxic "relationships" she finds herself in. I found June's story realistic and genuine -- June is the "just good enough" girl in academics and to her parents and love interests. June's coming-of-age journey moved me and in all honesty it's a book I'd have loved to have when I was younger when I struggled with self-esteem issues and strict parents. Despite being YA, Boys I Know tackles hard-hitting topics that affect teens but which parents rarely talk about with them, including Asian fetishization, the concept of being in love with the idea of a person instead of the actual person, and the feeling of not being "Asian" enough.
There's alot to love about Boys I Know, but what tugged at my heartstrings the most is the author's discussion of how "tiger parenting," albeit well-intentioned, affects children's self-esteem and, in turn, relationships.
"Who would I be if I had different parents? Would I be happier? My parents' constant criticism affected me in ways I was only starting to fully understand. If I'd felt more loved and accepted at home, maybe I wouldn't have spent so much time trying to find it in other places. Their impossible standards made me desperate to please everyone but myself, hiding my own pain just to preserve the pretense that I was doing okay so I wouldn't be rejected again."
I've been mulling over this for quite some time and this is the first time I've read a fiction book that addresses this, so thank you Anna for bringing this book into the world. I can't wait for the physical copy to have a place on my bookshelf!
Disclaimer: I received an ARC from the publisher, Peachtree Teen, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
When I read the author's note at the beginning -- "It is my hope that reading about June's experiences might spare some girls the hurt of learning these lessons firsthand, even if they don't share her exact background" -- I knew that I'd love this book. And I did. And I loved it even more when the main character quoted Grey's Anatomy -- "Don't let what he wants eclipse what you need. He is very dreamy but he is not the sun. You are."
Boys I Know reminded me of [b:Queenie|36586697|Queenie|Candice Carty-Williams|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1539882662l/36586697._SY75_.jpg|58334513] but for teens. Boys I Know follows June Chu, a Taiwanese-American teenager, through her senior year of high school as she figures out where to attend college, while dealing with overbearing parents and the many toxic "relationships" she finds herself in. I found June's story realistic and genuine -- June is the "just good enough" girl in academics and to her parents and love interests. June's coming-of-age journey moved me and in all honesty it's a book I'd have loved to have when I was younger when I struggled with self-esteem issues and strict parents. Despite being YA, Boys I Know tackles hard-hitting topics that affect teens but which parents rarely talk about with them, including Asian fetishization, the concept of being in love with the idea of a person instead of the actual person, and the feeling of not being "Asian" enough.
There's alot to love about Boys I Know, but what tugged at my heartstrings the most is the author's discussion of how "tiger parenting," albeit well-intentioned, affects children's self-esteem and, in turn, relationships.
"Who would I be if I had different parents? Would I be happier? My parents' constant criticism affected me in ways I was only starting to fully understand. If I'd felt more loved and accepted at home, maybe I wouldn't have spent so much time trying to find it in other places. Their impossible standards made me desperate to please everyone but myself, hiding my own pain just to preserve the pretense that I was doing okay so I wouldn't be rejected again."
I've been mulling over this for quite some time and this is the first time I've read a fiction book that addresses this, so thank you Anna for bringing this book into the world. I can't wait for the physical copy to have a place on my bookshelf!
Disclaimer: I received an ARC from the publisher, Peachtree Teen, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.