Reviews with content warning for Racism - This Place is Still Beautiful

A well written book, full of good messages. I just think it wasn’t as impactful as it could have been bc it kinda lost its way in the middle. There was a big focus on relationships that didn’t really impact the main plot of the story, but at least it was entertaining enough.

I loved seeing two sisters’ perspectives on the same situation, and seeing how they both dealt with it. I’d definitely recommend this as a YA story that discusses racism, specifically about the Asian American experience.

As a white person, I really enjoy reading about different perspectives to my own and although I don’t think any ideas in here were revolutionary, I think they may be for a younger audience.

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mj38012's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense 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

4.5

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jodierose14's review

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dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective 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? It's complicated

4.25

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siobhanward's review against another edition

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emotional medium-paced

3.5

This was a sweet and interesting family drama. I do tend to love family stories and this one did well. The biggest issue I found is that it felt like a lot of plotlines were left hanging - the romance with Thom, the girls' father, etc. I know that leaving plots open-ended was intentional in creating a narrative about family and letting things go, but it felt like some were just left too open. However, other than that I really enjoyed the book - the plot, the characters. I just wanted fewer loose ends.

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bluehairedlibrarian's review against another edition

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emotional inspiring 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? Yes

4.0

If I were grading this on plot, it would get a lower grade. Not much happens and the same things are gone over and over again. Im rating this based on it being a story about two very different sisters finding themselves and how they can relate to one another. In that context, this book shines.

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caoilin's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad 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

4.0

This book was a really heartwarming read. As someone who grew up in a small-ish town in IL, moved to NYC for college (and now work), a lot of the themes of this book hit home for me. Although I wish some of the relationships could’ve been built out slightly more, I thought the author did a great job overall. I liked that it felt messy, some things had closure (and others not so much), that people and relationships are complicated. I enjoyed both Annalise and Margaret’s perspectives equally as well. And especially how we all deal with and respond to pain differently, and why. The message on the cover rings true, and as someone like Margaret that struggles to accept their hometown at times it made me feel closer to my own roots and relationship to my own “home.”

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