margardenlady's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-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
4.5
Lovely writing about a journey of self discovery that three women make while also searching to solve the mystery of where Sylvie Lee has gone. The book is told from three distinct viewpoints, the mother (a Chinese immigrant to NYC who has had to leave her firstborn with grandparents in the Netherlands), Sylvie (that firstborn, now successful businesswoman) and Amy (little sister who reaches beyond her comfort zone to search for her sister). Each of these narrative threads are convincingly different from the others and evoke an understanding of the inner workings of the character. A mystery and a family saga, with a bombshell revelation at the end that changes everyone's worlds.
jamiejanae_6's review against another edition
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-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? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Toxic friendship, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Adult/minor relationship, Death, Infidelity, Abandonment, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, and Toxic relationship
johanna620's review against another edition
3.0
I was all into this book until the ending. Talk about glamorizing suicide. The plot really moved at a good pace and I liked the theme of us being the unreliable narrator in our own lives. So just reeeally could have done without that ending.
kry_yang's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-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? It's complicated
2.0
honestly wtf even happened in this book... i guess i applaud the author for a creative premise (the asian american experience in the netherlands where perceptions of whiteness and xenophobia are rlly diff than the US) but i struggled to connect with the characters in the story. also, like other ppl have said in their reviews, i thought the twist at the end was such a letdown...
Spoiler
incest and the asian american immigrant experience... perhaps this is intersectionalitymeermollusk's review against another edition
2.0
This book did so many things well but there were quite a few negatives to it for me which sadly outweighed the positives.
haysx5's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
sad
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
5.0
rwidiani's review against another edition
4.0
Jean Kwok isn’t an unknown writer for me. I really liked her first book, Girl in Translation. The fact that she’s also a love immigrant who lives in Holland, adds a special feeling toward her.
When I was reading the book and browsed to her social media, I saw that she’d have a live video chat with Reading with Robin through Facebook live. I watched it and sent her a question. She’s a very smart, friendly lady and answered her readers’ questions.
I congratulated her with her recent interview with the local newspaper, following the coming of this book translated into Dutch.
This all gave the reading experience a really special one!
I really enjoyed the book. Really interesting how Jean mentioned some discrimination and racist acts toward Dutch Chinese. When I asked her about it, she answered that she wants to show that although Holland is known to be a tolerant country, unfortunately, such things happen. In the book she mentioned that those shouldn’t be tolerated, Asians particulary should speak it up. How related it is with the time we’re in, when Corona was first found in China and some false accusations and bad treatment the Chinese got regarding this?
When I was reading the book and browsed to her social media, I saw that she’d have a live video chat with Reading with Robin through Facebook live. I watched it and sent her a question. She’s a very smart, friendly lady and answered her readers’ questions.
I congratulated her with her recent interview with the local newspaper, following the coming of this book translated into Dutch.
This all gave the reading experience a really special one!
I really enjoyed the book. Really interesting how Jean mentioned some discrimination and racist acts toward Dutch Chinese. When I asked her about it, she answered that she wants to show that although Holland is known to be a tolerant country, unfortunately, such things happen. In the book she mentioned that those shouldn’t be tolerated, Asians particulary should speak it up. How related it is with the time we’re in, when Corona was first found in China and some false accusations and bad treatment the Chinese got regarding this?
lindasdarby's review against another edition
3.0
I have really mixed feelings about this book. It’s hard to enjoy a book where the main character is mostly the worst. I’m not saying I didn’t have empathy for Sylvie but it was hard to care about her. The mystery of what happened was pretty good and I liked Amy but this book was missing something for me. Not quite enough character development for amy, the few chapters from the mom seemed strange and this book was really just so sad. So many sad secrets and hard things and bitterness.
emziethebookworm's review against another edition
5.0
Masterpiece in my own opinion couldn't stop reading from when I began this book had a very dark family subject throughout the whole plot of the book which I really enjoyed and just wished it didn't end so soon, wish it just kept going on and on but I knew it had to end soon and at least it ended on a high note but didn't expect the outcome of death method that one of the daughters used.
Don't worry I won't spoil it but I did feel sadness in my heart for her and her family.
Not gonna lie this is my first book with dark family secrets and I can say jt won't be my last as I would love to read more with this kind of plot throughout.
I do recommend this book especially if you haven't read this title before or you don't have it in your TBR pile.
Don't worry I won't spoil it but I did feel sadness in my heart for her and her family.
Not gonna lie this is my first book with dark family secrets and I can say jt won't be my last as I would love to read more with this kind of plot throughout.
I do recommend this book especially if you haven't read this title before or you don't have it in your TBR pile.