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edooley33 's review for:

Stay True by Hua Hsu
3.0

I wanted to like this memoir more and had high expectations that i would after reading Hsu's other writing. He did an excellent job capturing the feeling and vibe of the 90s California era, especially for someone (me) who did not live that specific lifestyle. I wish there had been more focus on ken and the tragedy that took his life--it was told very straightforwardly in the first half and then felt like it was dropped, before delving more into the sequence of events towards the end. While perhaps a stylistic choice, to focus more on the feelings and growing up during that period than ken itself, it's a bit misleading as that's how the book is promoted. overall Hsu is a good writer and made me want more, which is why only 3 stars.