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A review by dannafs
David Tung Can't Have a Girlfriend Until He Gets Into an Ivy League College by Ed Lin
3.0
David Tung Can't Have a Girlfriend Until He Gets into an Ivy League College is a delightful read. David Tung is an American-born Chinese living in bougie Shark Beach. His parents own the only Chinese restaurant in town, and while they are solidly middle-class, the Tungs operate in an economic class below the majority of Shark Beach's residents:
"Does Shark Beach High have the best coding classes because of the actual aptitude of the majority Asian population, or did the state allocate those resources to us because of the perceived aptitude of the majority Asian population? Hard to say. One thins is for sure, though. A lot of rich people live in Shark Beach. And rich people are always getting the best stuff out of the government."
Shark Beach High is David's battleground. He doesn't care as much about socioeconomic status or popularity as he cares about class ranking. David is determined to study his way to the top of his class so that he can get into medical school. He's been studying for the MCATs all year, literally carrying practice tests on his person at all times, and scored a 1550 on his SATs--and oh yeah, he's only a sophomore in high school.
Despite being on the fringes of dork and poor, David doesn't mind. Generally speaking, author Ed Lin makes David a nice kid who easily tunes out social drama:
"As I got closer to the bus stop, I slipped on my primary defensive weapon, my headphones. Avoiding human interaction is my primary goal each morning."
David has a loose group of friends, but no one he's incredibly close with since he spends all of his spare time studying, working at the restaurant, or attending Chinese weekend school. Until, yes, he gets distracted from that regimen by a female classmate. It's a cute romance--super innocent--and fun to watch develop. The love interest is a spitfire in her own right, which I appreciated.
There are a lot of references to Chinese-American culture, including a smaller focus on the immigrant experience and associated injustices. As a frequent reader of POC-centered novels, none of the content felt new to me, but it could provide cultural context for some readers.
My only complaint is that some the book, especially at the end, felt too nice, too simple, and too neatly wrapped up. So if you're in the mood for light reading, this is a great choice. Overall, recommended.
"Does Shark Beach High have the best coding classes because of the actual aptitude of the majority Asian population, or did the state allocate those resources to us because of the perceived aptitude of the majority Asian population? Hard to say. One thins is for sure, though. A lot of rich people live in Shark Beach. And rich people are always getting the best stuff out of the government."
Shark Beach High is David's battleground. He doesn't care as much about socioeconomic status or popularity as he cares about class ranking. David is determined to study his way to the top of his class so that he can get into medical school. He's been studying for the MCATs all year, literally carrying practice tests on his person at all times, and scored a 1550 on his SATs--and oh yeah, he's only a sophomore in high school.
Despite being on the fringes of dork and poor, David doesn't mind. Generally speaking, author Ed Lin makes David a nice kid who easily tunes out social drama:
"As I got closer to the bus stop, I slipped on my primary defensive weapon, my headphones. Avoiding human interaction is my primary goal each morning."
David has a loose group of friends, but no one he's incredibly close with since he spends all of his spare time studying, working at the restaurant, or attending Chinese weekend school. Until, yes, he gets distracted from that regimen by a female classmate. It's a cute romance--super innocent--and fun to watch develop. The love interest is a spitfire in her own right, which I appreciated.
There are a lot of references to Chinese-American culture, including a smaller focus on the immigrant experience and associated injustices. As a frequent reader of POC-centered novels, none of the content felt new to me, but it could provide cultural context for some readers.
My only complaint is that some the book, especially at the end, felt too nice, too simple, and too neatly wrapped up. So if you're in the mood for light reading, this is a great choice. Overall, recommended.