wenwanzhao's review
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I really enjoyed this book. It took me a while to get into it, but once I did, I was in. I was engrossed in the words, I laughed, and I even gasped. I definitely have a bias towards the storylines in No One Can Pronounce My Name. I mean, a story about the difficulties people face with the immigrant experience (from the parent and child angle) and the messiness of being queer? Even the title is a phrase I have felt my whole life relating to. I can understand the bluntness of the dialogue and prose not working for some people, but I have always admired honesty exploration of flaws in characters. I see myself and the people around me in the missteps and pettiness Satyal writes imbues into his writing. Most of all, I love a happy ending, especially one that doesn't try to be super realistic. I'm really glad I saw this book when browsing and gave it a chance. Five stars!
Content Warnings
Minor: Death of parent, Panic attacks/disorders, and Homophobia
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