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A review by kaynova
If You Still Recognise Me by Cynthia So
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- 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
There was a moment in the book where I was close to DNF'ing because the main character was very self centered, but I am glad I kept pushing forward because the romances and storylines outside of the main character were too compelling to stop.
I still do believe the main character, Elsie, is self-centered and never really regards her friends in the best manner. The scene that made me almost DNF was near the beginning when they were planning a trip and she didn't even consider her friend's thoughts or feelings, just loading more on her on why she should do things for Elsie. It annoyed me so much and the main reason she is in search of reconnecting a lost connection BETWEEN PEOPLE SHE DOES NOT KNOW is because she wants to believe she can also fall in love. If that's not self-centered, I don't know what is. I wanted to believe she had good intentions, but at some point, she neglected other people's opinions and didn't even tell Ada what she was doing when it involved ADA'S LIFE. I didn't like that part of the plot, but I will say that I love seeing two people reconnect again and are able to be in love even if they haven't talked in decades.
I found the family dynamics more compelling and riveting that Elsie and Joan's relationship. I believe Joan has feelings for Elsie, but Elsie...not so much. I think a lot of the time as I reading she saw herself in Joan and wanted to reclaim that as well as reclaim her old childhood friend. She didn't even really think about her feelings until someone else told her to look in front of her. Whereas with Joan, I always felt it with her, like she had feeligns for Elsie, it was kind of hinted in the beginning when they reconnected, too.
Back to the family issues, I loved reading the complexity of coming out to parents who are stuck in their ideologies even if the rhetoric is so outdated. I also love the author didn't force a quick remedy on broken bonds, because realistically, it's not always going to be better from one conversation and in this book, it is repeated that failed connections take time to repair. I enjoyed Uncle Kevin, Elsie's mom, and even Po Po. They made the book (even Ada, who is a gem, though she is not related to Elsie).
I think if Elsie wasn't so self-centered at times, I would've liked this more, but alas, the subplots made this enjoyable to me.
I still do believe the main character, Elsie, is self-centered and never really regards her friends in the best manner. The scene that made me almost DNF was near the beginning when they were planning a trip and she didn't even consider her friend's thoughts or feelings, just loading more on her on why she should do things for Elsie. It annoyed me so much and the main reason she is in search of reconnecting a lost connection BETWEEN PEOPLE SHE DOES NOT KNOW is because she wants to believe she can also fall in love. If that's not self-centered, I don't know what is. I wanted to believe she had good intentions, but at some point, she neglected other people's opinions and didn't even tell Ada what she was doing when it involved ADA'S LIFE. I didn't like that part of the plot, but I will say that I love seeing two people reconnect again and are able to be in love even if they haven't talked in decades.
I found the family dynamics more compelling and riveting that Elsie and Joan's relationship. I believe Joan has feelings for Elsie, but Elsie...not so much. I think a lot of the time as I reading she saw herself in Joan and wanted to reclaim that as well as reclaim her old childhood friend. She didn't even really think about her feelings until someone else told her to look in front of her. Whereas with Joan, I always felt it with her, like she had feeligns for Elsie, it was kind of hinted in the beginning when they reconnected, too.
Back to the family issues, I loved reading the complexity of coming out to parents who are stuck in their ideologies even if the rhetoric is so outdated. I also love the author didn't force a quick remedy on broken bonds, because realistically, it's not always going to be better from one conversation and in this book, it is repeated that failed connections take time to repair. I enjoyed Uncle Kevin, Elsie's mom, and even Po Po. They made the book (even Ada, who is a gem, though she is not related to Elsie).
I think if Elsie wasn't so self-centered at times, I would've liked this more, but alas, the subplots made this enjoyable to me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia