A review by inkedlibrary
I Guess I Live Here Now by Claire Ahn

emotional hopeful sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.25

Book Feels

I kinda have mixed feelings about this book. While reading it, there's this voice in my head saying, “It's kinda cliché,” because, well, is it? I don't know, but that's how I feel while going through the book. But on the other hand, I also feel and understand the meaning of “home” that people often seek, right? The warmth in some parts of this book can really reach and touch my feelings. Overall, everything just seems to fall into place.

Overall Review

When I first dove into I Guess I Live Here Now, it was all chill at the start, but as I delved into the surface-level issues sprinkled by the author, I couldn't help but think, “Is this like a K-Drama or what?” It's not really that dramatic, to be honest. Maybe a tad bit, if you ask me. Ever read a novel while picking up some knowledge along the way? Well, this one falls into that category. The author indirectly sheds light on traditions, culture, or anything Korea-related on the surface. And the recurring theme here is Hanok—I won't dive into Hanok, so you can Google it yourself—but the surface-level knowledge about Hanok broadened my horizons as I read this. The author also touches on other aspects related to Korean culture, but I'll mention just one. Skipping that, let's talk about character development and characterization, and what I wanna highlight here is; Melody Solmi Lee. You know how adults always say, “You'll understand when you're older or mature enough,” or “You don't need to know all the adult issues,” well, that's kinda the gist of this book. Being 16 years old (internationally, 18 in Korea) is indeed the golden age for curiosity, right? Including diving into matters that aren't in your realm but making them your own at will or, in other words, meddling. It's okay to seek answers, but being too eager to know before the right time isn't ideal; there's always a perfect moment for closure; that's the message I got from the author to the readers, how I interpreted it while reading and understanding the characteristics of the FMC. For me, Melody embodies the traits of a curious and stubborn teenager. She's super headstrong, lacks self-awareness too. I got annoyed by Melody's behavior and these traits, but towards the end of the book, I kinda understood her, seeing how her life suddenly changed, and she needed to know why? It's a whole different ball game from her previous life. The ups and downs of self-discovery, especially for those with dual cultures or nationalities, the search for the definition of “home” and comfort within family, friends, close companions, even one's own culture, family pressures, this book covers it all. Honestly, this book is quite enjoyable, everything's well-balanced; the family dynamics, friendship elements, dreams, and hopes, all blend in nicely without going overboard. The pacing may feel a bit slow and repetitive, but it's probably intentional to unveil the final piece of the puzzle in the life of the main character, Melody. You won't get bored as you'll find yourself getting all giddy with the teenage romance scenes, delving into intense emotional feelings of romance with an idealized love object; so, the story's focus isn't solely on that. The ending is pretty clear, although it doesn't need a lengthy explanation by the author, I felt satisfied with the ending, which, to be honest... was kinda predictable? Well, something like that, more or less.