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btwnprintedpgs's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
There were a lot of characters to keep track of - one grandmother, four sisters, and eight grown children - and while at time it was a bit disorienting keeping track of them all, the author did a great job reiterating who they were and how they fit out in the family, as well as showing their personality and dreams during their chapters. I loved how each one took away something different from their mothers, their lives influenced by moments or parents quotes that haunt them - it really showed how the past really does affect present mentality. It made it easy to understand why they were the way they were and how they were trying to get themselves out of the cycle and break it. I loved everyone's growth through the novel, and I found it amazing that we got to see them all grow and change in such a short time, but also in such a (mostly, helped by a bit of myth and magic) realistic way.
I also love the dynamics within the community - the gossiping, the meddling, the overlapping yelling, but also the "we protect out own" mentality. I adored the little twists and turns of characters surprising us, as well as the absolute chaos of family as they talk over each other and try to one-up on another. Even when everyone was mad, there was always an undercurrent of love and warmth that really sold them as a family.
There is one relationship I wish we had had more closure with, mostly cause it gave me some magical jeebies. IYKYK. Otherwise, I love how all the threads came together in the end and we get to see the fruits of the characters' love for each other and their family as they forge a new story for themselves.
This is definitely one of my favourite reads of the year. Absolutely amazing.
TW: death of a parent, pregnancy, infidelity, racism, micro-agressions, body shaming, fatphobia (Asian-style), medical content, sexual harassment; mentions miscarriage, HP references
Graphic: Pregnancy, Infidelity, and Death of parent
Moderate: Fatphobia, Racism, Body shaming, Sexual harassment, and Medical content
Minor: Miscarriage
sisforsony's review against another edition
Moderate: Racism
brynpemery's review against another edition
- 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
3.5
Minor: Death of parent, Death, and Racism
ittywitty's review against another edition
- 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
4.25
Minor: Death of parent, Infidelity, Pregnancy, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Cultural appropriation, Emotional abuse, Grief, Misogyny, and Racism
ktv's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Grief, Cursing, Death of parent, and Racism
Moderate: Pregnancy, War, and Misogyny
Minor: Miscarriage, Body shaming, Injury/Injury detail, Abandonment, and Incest
just_one_more_paige's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Moderate: Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Grief, Pregnancy, Racism, Toxic relationship, and Death of parent
Minor: War, Miscarriage, and Medical content
sweetsxrrxw's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
this story follows an intergenerational group of immigrant vietnamese women and a "curse" that has been creeping up on their family for several generations. one of their ancestors, many decades ago, decided to leave her husband and elope with the man she loved. that's when her mother-in-law decided to curse her and all of her future descendants to never give birth to sons (which is very important in vietnamese culture) and be unhappy in their marriages. however, in present times, duong women have learnt that this year they'll live through the death, the marriage and the pregnancy of someone in their family.
first things first, this book has a lot of characters. if i am not wrong, there are about 15 main characters. obviously not every single one has the same relevance or story telling time in the book because it has less than 300 pages. however, each one of them is mentioned throughout the story so the family tree at the beginning is super helpful to turn to until one gets used to the characters.
i think you'll really love this book too, specially if you're a poc immigrant child. i'm not even asian, i'm north african but, trust me, there will be so many scenes which will feel super relatable. actually, since this story tackles several important storylines and it has so many flawed characters i think you will be able to relate to, at least, one of them. some of these said themes are parental relationships and disapproval, different meanings and expectations for success, duties to familial ties, intergenerational trauma, loneliness, finding happiness and peace for yourself, the model minority role on asian women, their fetishization, identity and mental health issues, grief, the effects of war on people, failed marriages, being a second generation immigrant and wanting to blend with your second culture...
there are just so many different themes which may make you tear up. but, on the other hand, there are also some parts which will make you laugh or, at least, smile. specially the parts with some family drama. then there's also some parts which will make you laugh and feel some softness in your heart, for example the way the mothers brag about their daughters despite their relationship being so broken.
but i would say that maybe one of the main themes is motherhood, how it is never easy to make good choices and how hard a mother wants to avoid her daughter to end up with sad eyes in front of a life she does not deserve. i feel like these scenes are the core of the book. and i don't wanna be too repetitive but, fuck, all of these problems hit just so close. and maybe the second main theme is just trying to understand that, trying to see your family's struggles and meeting with them somewhere in the middle and maybe achieving to break the intergenerational trauma. i obviously teared up a lot while reading this book, btw. but, sometimes, to get to that point you need to find yourself first, work and believe for the good things you deserve in your life.
of course, there are some things i disliked.
but there are a couple details i really loved. the first one is the title and its game play with jaded/jade (for context: jade is an important gemstone in the duong family.) the second one is the tangerine illustrations in every section of the book. i love how its sections kept growing until we had a whole tangerine, simbolizing how the family grew back together. <3
to sum up, i really enjoyed reading this book. and i would definitely love to re-read it in a future or even watch its adaption as a film. despite the tears it made me shed i feel like it has potential to become one of my new comfort reads.
Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, and Infidelity
Moderate: Pregnancy, Death, Racism, and Cursing
Minor: Miscarriage, Abandonment, Mental illness, Xenophobia, and War
maregred's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Moderate: Infidelity, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Racism, Abandonment, Alcohol, Colonisation, Death of parent, Classism, Grief, and War
spinesinaline's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
A funny and beautiful story about family. We follow many, many different women in this book, switching perspectives quite often, and while I was a bit lost at the beginning as I tried to remember who was whose daughter or sister, it became quite easy to distinguish their different personalities and lives as we get to know them better.
There are some really unfortunate fatphobic remarks directed at one character and her relationship with food, so a heads up for some severe body shaming. I was also uncomfortable with the way one of the character’s storylines was wrapped up as it felt like it veered towards coercion and abuse so a few moments that left a sour taste in my mouth.
Graphic: Death of parent, Death, Infidelity, and Grief
Moderate: Fatphobia, Mental illness, Body shaming, Racism, Cursing, and Pregnancy
Minor: Abandonment and Miscarriage
konfx's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Moderate: Racism