A review by nostarsleftinthesky
If You Still Recognise Me by Cynthia So

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted relaxing sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

5.0

When I tell you this book was written for me I'm literally not lying. With every new character and every new development was something new that resonated with me so deeply I almost refused to believe this book was real. The cast of characters is so diverse (every character is some combination of trans, queer and being a person of colour), and not just for the sake of diversity, and the arcs and growth of each character are so well crafted. When the (aro)acespec side character had their little discovery arc it was blended so well with the main plotline. (plus all of the subplots and main plots in general)

At its core, this book is a study of Hong Kong to England immigrant families, which definitely made it hard hitting for me at times but it's written so hopefully and dove into all of the good and bad and in-between of growing up in a household such as Elise or Joan's. At the end of the day I just want to give all of the characters (especially the Chinese ones) a hug:( 

Cynthia really sets the example for writing something that can resonate with everyone no matter if you're queer, Chinese, affected by generational trauma or not. Because at the end of the day, the bonds between the characters really make this book, and I love any media that reminds me how beautiful love of all kinds can be.
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