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A review by sammygee
To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han
5.0
Read it in a single sitting good.
Lara Jean is a Korean American junior in high school who is very close to her older and younger sisters. Her tale is a coming of age story in which she adjusts to her oldest sister's journey to college in Scotland and navigates the rough terrain that is a love triangle.
Lara Jean's preferred coping mechanism is to write love letters to the boys she's developed strong feelings for, but whom she feels she needs to say goodbye to. She never sends these letters, rather she keeps them in a hatbox given to her by her deceased mother. When an argument with her younger sister goes a little too far, Lara Jean suddenly finds herself having to explain the content of her letters written long ago, but just recently sent out without her permission or knowledge.
The love letters bring to light the complicated feelings Lara Jean harbors for her sister's ex-boyfriend who is practically family. In order to save face, she devises a plan to secretly date her first crush who also happens to be one of the most popular boys at school. The two knew each other during middle school, but have since grown apart in the late high school years which adds humor and layers of complexity to their relationship.
There's so much to love about this book! Characterization is great. Each of the Song sisters has a unique personality and the way they relate to one another makes for compelling reading. There's some great description of family rituals/traditions, especially as they relate to Korean customs.
The love triangles are well scripted and complex. The push and pull as the characters grow together and face the challenges that threaten to tear them apart make it hard for the reader to champion for any one relationship in particular which makes the story so engrossing overall. Each scene is very well imagined and realistic. There's a nice balance to Lara Jean's life and she doesn't devote every second of her time to love triangle drama.
The only issue I had was Lara Jean's voice. At times, she felt like a 12 year old instead of the 16 year old she was supposed to be. Part of me thinks this was intentional as she is growing into her own person and she is fairly innocent compared to some of her peers. I really liked the book overall, so I tend to view this minor issue as a storytelling device rather than a weakness in characterization.
Highly recommended for teens.
Lara Jean is a Korean American junior in high school who is very close to her older and younger sisters. Her tale is a coming of age story in which she adjusts to her oldest sister's journey to college in Scotland and navigates the rough terrain that is a love triangle.
Lara Jean's preferred coping mechanism is to write love letters to the boys she's developed strong feelings for, but whom she feels she needs to say goodbye to. She never sends these letters, rather she keeps them in a hatbox given to her by her deceased mother. When an argument with her younger sister goes a little too far, Lara Jean suddenly finds herself having to explain the content of her letters written long ago, but just recently sent out without her permission or knowledge.
The love letters bring to light the complicated feelings Lara Jean harbors for her sister's ex-boyfriend who is practically family. In order to save face, she devises a plan to secretly date her first crush who also happens to be one of the most popular boys at school. The two knew each other during middle school, but have since grown apart in the late high school years which adds humor and layers of complexity to their relationship.
There's so much to love about this book! Characterization is great. Each of the Song sisters has a unique personality and the way they relate to one another makes for compelling reading. There's some great description of family rituals/traditions, especially as they relate to Korean customs.
The love triangles are well scripted and complex. The push and pull as the characters grow together and face the challenges that threaten to tear them apart make it hard for the reader to champion for any one relationship in particular which makes the story so engrossing overall. Each scene is very well imagined and realistic. There's a nice balance to Lara Jean's life and she doesn't devote every second of her time to love triangle drama.
The only issue I had was Lara Jean's voice. At times, she felt like a 12 year old instead of the 16 year old she was supposed to be. Part of me thinks this was intentional as she is growing into her own person and she is fairly innocent compared to some of her peers. I really liked the book overall, so I tend to view this minor issue as a storytelling device rather than a weakness in characterization.
Highly recommended for teens.