lunaure 's review for:

The Leftover Woman by Jean Kwok

2.0

---

I could not get past the overwhelming implausibility of the entire last third of the plot. Kind of felt like Kwok dropped the ball by spinning a concept with strong potential into a poorly fabricated cheap thrill... that failed to thrill. I actually laughed out loud at the ending. Even more disappointingly, I'd probably have been able to just casually enjoy this book if it wasn't also trying to present the whole "white woman eventually says Sorry! for her white savior complex" narrative. Because unless you're a a Rebecca, the racial commentary was far from incisive -- it has all been said and done much better elsewhere. As a consequence, major plot events and character development felt entirely stilted and disingenuous to me. I can appreciate the intention, but I never felt that the book successfully juggled its heavier topics with the unhinged, domestic soap opera unfolding.

It didn't help that I could barely tolerate Kwok's writing style. She really pulled an "I saw someone scary. But then I realized!!! I was looking in a mirror :O... She's me!!!" type of line and it was not doing it for me.