A review by takeaim
Frankly in Love by David Yoon

emotional funny reflective sad tense slow-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? It's complicated

3.75

While the book's hook -- fake dating -- is a rom-com trope, Frankly in Love goes beyond the silly premise. It's really a coming-of-age story of a Korean-American high school senior struggling with the high expectations of immigrant parents, racism at home and in the outside world, ethnic identity and the disconnect of being a hyphen American, the estrangement of a sibling, the pressures to get into college, falling in and out of love. The depth of storytelling was unexpected but incredibly insightful. 
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