A review by rachreads925
Joan Is Okay by Weike Wang

emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

This is a study of a character who doesn't quite fit in socially, is blunt, focused, and definitely quirky. The daughter of Chinese immigrants, she becomes a doctor and is an attendant in the ICU at a hospital in New York City as the book opens in late 2019. The story isn't quite linear, with memories of her childhood and younger years popping up throughout. The book unfolds as Joan deals with grief, her shifting family dynamics, feeling stuck between two cultures, and the beginnings of the COVID-19 pandemic. The writing is fantastic, as well as provocative and not even that long which is nice. Days later, I'm still thinking of Joan and this book. I don't normally love character driven stories, but this one is a definite exception. I highly recommend it, especially the audio version - the narrator was just the right match for this book. Thank you to Random House for the advanced e-copy in exchange for my honest review. 
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