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A review by krystalgaia
Permanent Record by Mary H.K. Choi
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
First, the blurb doesn’t do this book justice! I know blurbs are usually written by the marketing team, so I’m not going to include the blurb in my review (I never did for other books anyway). Just wanted to point that out because the romance in this novel is just, I dare say, a subplot. The story focuses more on Pablo’s coming-of-age journey and, although Lee is the biggest catalyst in his life, she’s not the only one. I honestly almost did not pick up this book because of the blurb, but I’m so happy I gave this a chance anyway!
That said, I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Think Norwegian Wood funnier, way way WAY more lighthearted, and also incredibly quiet. I read this as a character study of Pablo and by extension every person he’s meant to represent. Choi hit the nail in the head in showing us what it means to be lost in your early twenties and that sometimes, even adults don’t know where they’re headed, and that “life isn’t a destination” but an accumulation of regular events that teach us how to live.
The writing style is easily digestible, and its wordiness fits Pablo’s overthinking tendencies. This is also very detailed and Choi has done a great job building the world for non-New Yorker readers.
The plot was a little slow in the beginning because I expected them to meet right away on the first chapter (again, it was marketed as a romance book), but it slowly dawned on me that this is not about Pablo and Lee. It’s about Pablo with Lee. And I loved how everything led to the climax! It’s so believable and Choi’s specificity paid off.
Overall, five stars!
That said, I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Think Norwegian Wood funnier, way way WAY more lighthearted, and also incredibly quiet. I read this as a character study of Pablo and by extension every person he’s meant to represent. Choi hit the nail in the head in showing us what it means to be lost in your early twenties and that sometimes, even adults don’t know where they’re headed, and that “life isn’t a destination” but an accumulation of regular events that teach us how to live.
The writing style is easily digestible, and its wordiness fits Pablo’s overthinking tendencies. This is also very detailed and Choi has done a great job building the world for non-New Yorker readers.
The plot was a little slow in the beginning because I expected them to meet right away on the first chapter (again, it was marketed as a romance book), but it slowly dawned on me that this is not about Pablo and Lee. It’s about Pablo with Lee. And I loved how everything led to the climax! It’s so believable and Choi’s specificity paid off.
Overall, five stars!