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margosobel 's review for:
Free Food for Millionaires
by Min Jin Lee
I can’t decide if this book was a tad bit too long, or just right. Min Jin Lee takes you through the story of Casey and her supporting characters along her post-college years after Princeton, making all of the wrong decisions, some right ones, and some decisions that made me question why I judge people’s decisions.
In short, I loved it. In long, I was blown away by the realistic but beautiful prose of the story. I savored the book’s reflection of the humanness of being in your 20s (and 40s… and 50s…) and feeling completely behind, confused, but living life regardless. I loved the Korean family and identity aspect of the book, from Jay & Casey to Unu to Hugh to Ella & Ted. The experience of being in a community connected to identity is relatable, and the author did a spectacular job of making me feel like I could understand what Casey was going through with her parents, her relationships, her professional life, and herself.
At certain points I felt like the book had run its course. Around page 300 something, I was like, are we really introducing a new subplot? Are we really still doing this? But by the end, I understood why we needed all of the book. We needed character development for everyone (except, pointedly, Joseph Hong - but maybe that was a purposeful choice).
My biggest takeaway from Free Food for Millionaires is that you can’t predict how life will happen, which people will come in and out of your life, how money will affect you forever, or how your sense of self may change. I would never want to be Casey, but I’ve learned a lot from her, and want to take on the parts of her I admire - her non judgment, her pointed selfishness, and her ability to let life happen and live in the moment. I will not take on her addiction to hats.
Would definitely recommend to a friend, but you need to stay in it. 560 pages later, and I’m ready for something a little breezier!
In short, I loved it. In long, I was blown away by the realistic but beautiful prose of the story. I savored the book’s reflection of the humanness of being in your 20s (and 40s… and 50s…) and feeling completely behind, confused, but living life regardless. I loved the Korean family and identity aspect of the book, from Jay & Casey to Unu to Hugh to Ella & Ted. The experience of being in a community connected to identity is relatable, and the author did a spectacular job of making me feel like I could understand what Casey was going through with her parents, her relationships, her professional life, and herself.
At certain points I felt like the book had run its course. Around page 300 something, I was like, are we really introducing a new subplot? Are we really still doing this? But by the end, I understood why we needed all of the book. We needed character development for everyone (except, pointedly, Joseph Hong - but maybe that was a purposeful choice).
My biggest takeaway from Free Food for Millionaires is that you can’t predict how life will happen, which people will come in and out of your life, how money will affect you forever, or how your sense of self may change. I would never want to be Casey, but I’ve learned a lot from her, and want to take on the parts of her I admire - her non judgment, her pointed selfishness, and her ability to let life happen and live in the moment. I will not take on her addiction to hats.
Would definitely recommend to a friend, but you need to stay in it. 560 pages later, and I’m ready for something a little breezier!