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A review by mcz_reads
Fiona and Jane by Jean Chen Ho
dark
funny
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I enjoyed Fiona and Jane enough that I finished it in one sitting. I enjoyed the titular characters and the reflective nature of the stories. However, I don't think the marketing for this book fits the final product. It didn't feel like a full collection of short stories, and Fiona and Jane's relationship didn't feel like the main focus.
There are creative choices in this book that feel baffling; not bad, but not serving any noticeable purpose. Jane's stories are narrated in first person, and Fiona's in third. I thought this would become significant by the end of the book. I anticipated something like The Last Five Years where their perspectives would switch at some point, or that they'd become they same once the characters reunited. The one short story told from both of their perspectives is told in third person... but it's the penultimate story, and the the last chapter is told first person. This could represent how they grow apart again later in life, but the impact of the stylistic choice is minimal. The only obvious effect is that is makes the narrators easier to tell apart.
Although this is billed as a collection of short stories, not all of them feel like they can stand alone. Some of the stories don't feel like they'd be as meaningful if not for the context of the book. I also would have liked to see more stories about the characters in their youth so their bond as separated adults would feel more significant. I feel like the relationships shown between them and other friends and lovers were more powerful.
This book does nail a very millennial emotion of not-quite-nostalgia: an unshakeable longing for a past that no longer exists or wasn't suited for us in the first place along with a permanent feeling of being lost or catching up as adults. This emotion permeates the entire book and was what kept me reading. The gaps in time and the changing subjects between each story add to this disjointed feeling. I appreciated the complexity of Fiona and Jane, and how they viewed themselves and others.
There are creative choices in this book that feel baffling; not bad, but not serving any noticeable purpose. Jane's stories are narrated in first person, and Fiona's in third. I thought this would become significant by the end of the book. I anticipated something like The Last Five Years where their perspectives would switch at some point, or that they'd become they same once the characters reunited. The one short story told from both of their perspectives is told in third person... but it's the penultimate story, and the the last chapter is told first person. This could represent how they grow apart again later in life, but the impact of the stylistic choice is minimal. The only obvious effect is that is makes the narrators easier to tell apart.
Although this is billed as a collection of short stories, not all of them feel like they can stand alone. Some of the stories don't feel like they'd be as meaningful if not for the context of the book. I also would have liked to see more stories about the characters in their youth so their bond as separated adults would feel more significant. I feel like the relationships shown between them and other friends and lovers were more powerful.
This book does nail a very millennial emotion of not-quite-nostalgia: an unshakeable longing for a past that no longer exists or wasn't suited for us in the first place along with a permanent feeling of being lost or catching up as adults. This emotion permeates the entire book and was what kept me reading. The gaps in time and the changing subjects between each story add to this disjointed feeling. I appreciated the complexity of Fiona and Jane, and how they viewed themselves and others.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol
Minor: Sexual assault