jeankwemoi's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
anhistorianabouttown's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
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
5.0
I received an eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I ADORED this book. I loved Chu's first book, The Stand-In, and The Comeback did not disappoint at all. Ari is one of my favourite protagonists, her journey might be tough but I'm glad we got to go with her! (My only slight qualm is that I'm sad as a Kobo user I can't download her Audible-only audiobooks!) A must-read for 2023!
I ADORED this book. I loved Chu's first book, The Stand-In, and The Comeback did not disappoint at all. Ari is one of my favourite protagonists, her journey might be tough but I'm glad we got to go with her! (My only slight qualm is that I'm sad as a Kobo user I can't download her Audible-only audiobooks!) A must-read for 2023!
emospina's review
funny
lighthearted
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
3.5
geekmom's review against another edition
4.25
I enjoyed this much more than I expected. Perfect brain candy for a stressful week.
carmelj_'s review
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
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
3.25
anna_aspiradora's review
emotional
lighthearted
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
4.0
So, I think I could easily have given this book a 3.5 story wise, but Phillipa Soo's narration is worth more than the extra 0.5.
All in all, this was an entertaining read, and I really liked the characters, even though Ari could be very stubborn and even a bit childish at times. Sometimes, she's self aware, and does it despite knowing better, and I can also see why she does what she does a lot of the time, but as others point out, the fact that she stays stubborn for so long can get a bit tiring. It's a strong character trait, at least. The book is very much a classic romance, and even though it can have it's sweet and thoughtful moments, it's also predictable at times. But it also doesn't take itself very seriously, so you sort of get what you expect, and it was a very enjoyable distraction. I must also say that I found it interesting to follow along on Ari' s k-pop journey, as someone who knew basically nothing except for what an "idol" was. Not only did being fed explanations to what the different terms meant feel natural, it also actually left me with a lot of knew knowledge about this whole world I've barley dipped my toes in, which has been quite fun.
Will definitely keep reading Lily Chu's books, especially if they're narrated by the impeccable Phillipa. She just makes every moment a chef's kiss.
All in all, this was an entertaining read, and I really liked the characters, even though Ari could be very stubborn and even a bit childish at times. Sometimes, she's self aware, and does it despite knowing better, and I can also see why she does what she does a lot of the time, but as others point out, the fact that she stays stubborn for so long can get a bit tiring. It's a strong character trait, at least. The book is very much a classic romance, and even though it can have it's sweet and thoughtful moments, it's also predictable at times. But it also doesn't take itself very seriously, so you sort of get what you expect, and it was a very enjoyable distraction. I must also say that I found it interesting to follow along on Ari' s k-pop journey, as someone who knew basically nothing except for what an "idol" was. Not only did being fed explanations to what the different terms meant feel natural, it also actually left me with a lot of knew knowledge about this whole world I've barley dipped my toes in, which has been quite fun.
Will definitely keep reading Lily Chu's books, especially if they're narrated by the impeccable Phillipa. She just makes every moment a chef's kiss.
Spoiler
Also, opposed to The Stand-In, which might have been a bit slower in places, but which I preferred story-wise, I enjoyed that the reveal of who Jihoon *really* is comes earlier in the story, and is a bigger part of the plot. His true personality comes into play earlier than The Stand-In's love interest, from what I can remember. BUT - I get that Ari is pisses about Hana and Jihoon lying to her. But they had their reasons!!! They're not bad friends, they just wanted to protect her. I waged for Ari to calm down, but she didn't, and I really felt like both parties should have admitted their mistakes and apologised, instead of Ari getting the high ground. And also, I get that k-pop is a very harsh industry, and maybe I don't know enough about it, but I felt that the focus on Starloon being treated badly was a bit ... much, at times? But maybe it's not actually that extreme, and just the norm in the k-pop world. I really hope it isn't, though.emilyeng's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
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? No
3.75
jillianclark25's review
funny
lighthearted
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
3.25
bitesizedbeet's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
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
5.0
If I only read books by Lily Chu for the rest of my life, I would be perfectly content. The romance between Ariadne and Jihoon isn’t just the main focus of this story; it’s a catalyst for a huge amount of chance in Ari’s life and it is a journey. I laughed and cried, and felt personally invested in her character growth. Loved it.
alissa_stanley's review against another edition
5.0
This book was so sweet and wholesome. It really shows you that life isn’t always what you expected. Sometimes you gotta do what makes YOU happy and not everyone else.