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A review by ninetalevixen
Family Trust by Kathy Wang
4.0
(Won through a Goodreads giveaway! Thank you to William Morrow for sending me a free ARC.)
3.5 stars.
The Crazy Rich Asians comparisons are inevitable, but despite surface similarities (Asian characters and culture, some discussion of class and business, family in-fighting over money and pride; in this case, an upper middle-class Silicon Valley family with a dying patriarch) it’s a very different kind of story. Unlike CRA, Family Trust (a fitting and clever play on words, including both the explicit and implicit themes that lay within - both the financial and the emotional) is as much about interpersonal relationships as it is individual struggles, its cultural values (filial duty, frugality, etc) not in-your-face but still very much present. It also touches on other, more Western topics, particularly through Fred’s and Kate’s eyes — #MeToo (though not in those words), millenial culture in general, diversity quotas, bro culture, various models of family and of romantic relationships, racial discrimination in dating, ambition, creativity and intellectual property — which gives it an Asian-American perspective that I liked.
The book seemed equally plot- and character-driven, which left me feeling a little lukewarm. To be quite honest, I sympathized with but couldn’t really relate to any of the characters, even though the locations mentioned and several of the situations are quite familiar: San Jose, Kaiser Permanente, Asian (grand)mother network, just to name a few. (Points for the super strong sense of setting, though! Each familiar name is like a friendly little smile and wave from home.)
As a Taiwanese-American girl who grew up in the Silicon Valley/SF Bay Area, I was definitely super excited to read this book, and I wasn’t disappointed.
3.5 stars.
The Crazy Rich Asians comparisons are inevitable, but despite surface similarities (Asian characters and culture, some discussion of class and business, family in-fighting over money and pride; in this case, an upper middle-class Silicon Valley family with a dying patriarch) it’s a very different kind of story. Unlike CRA, Family Trust (a fitting and clever play on words, including both the explicit and implicit themes that lay within - both the financial and the emotional) is as much about interpersonal relationships as it is individual struggles, its cultural values (filial duty, frugality, etc) not in-your-face but still very much present. It also touches on other, more Western topics, particularly through Fred’s and Kate’s eyes — #MeToo (though not in those words), millenial culture in general, diversity quotas, bro culture, various models of family and of romantic relationships, racial discrimination in dating, ambition, creativity and intellectual property — which gives it an Asian-American perspective that I liked.
The book seemed equally plot- and character-driven, which left me feeling a little lukewarm. To be quite honest, I sympathized with but couldn’t really relate to any of the characters, even though the locations mentioned and several of the situations are quite familiar: San Jose, Kaiser Permanente, Asian (grand)mother network, just to name a few. (Points for the super strong sense of setting, though! Each familiar name is like a friendly little smile and wave from home.)
As a Taiwanese-American girl who grew up in the Silicon Valley/SF Bay Area, I was definitely super excited to read this book, and I wasn’t disappointed.