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imogil's review against another edition
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Literally the only reason it’s not a full 5 is because I hate Jena Lin so much and I APPLAUD Jessie Tu for managing to write such a pathetic main character with such an unlikable ensemble cast. Olivia and Val and Tuba are the only bitches I respect in this household. I did love the writing though and the complex relationship that Jena has with her mother, her loneliness, and her fame. The final line made me actually fling the book in rage I won’t lie. Jena Lin is a narcissist and she really just needs someone to tell her off but then again Olivia did that and she didn’t change her behaviour!!! SUCH A GOOD BOOK THOUGH
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Racism
Minor: Xenophobia
scgonano's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Drug use, Sexual violence, and Alcohol
Minor: Blood
sameeha_r05's review against another edition
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, and Sexual content
goblincat's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Sexual content, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Child abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, and Racism
issyd23's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Really hated the protagonist and her terrible decisions 2⭐️
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Infidelity, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Sexual violence
placebogirl's review against another edition
dark
hopeful
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity and Sexual content
danajoy's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I respected what this book did but I didn't enjoy reading it.
Go into this expecting unlikable characters and a lot of sex scenes. Honestly the sex scenes felt like self harm to me.
Jena was a very difficult protagonist. She's still very young but due to her previous status as a child prodigy she struggles to find any real fulfillment. It's hard to 'watch' her make bad decisions for attention.
This is very slice of life. There isn't really a plot carrying you through.
Go into this expecting unlikable characters and a lot of sex scenes. Honestly the sex scenes felt like self harm to me.
Jena was a very difficult protagonist. She's still very young but due to her previous status as a child prodigy she struggles to find any real fulfillment. It's hard to 'watch' her make bad decisions for attention.
This is very slice of life. There isn't really a plot carrying you through.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Infidelity, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Homophobia
valcationvibes's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
This is one of those books where the story line isn’t much but I just could not stop reading. This novel follows Jena Lin, a former child prodigy on the violin but now, at 23 years old, she has become a nobody. Jena picked up the violin as a child and practiced until she becomes the world’s best violinist. At the age of 14, she throws it all away by purposefully messing up her solo performance with the New York Philharmonic at the prestigious Carnegie Hall.
Jena replaces her fame with sex, seeking out sexual pleasure with multiple partners to fill the void that is left. Jena is reckless, selfish, unmotivated and doesn’t care much for her life and yet I found myself being drawn to her. Jessie Tu mentions the term TAG or Tiny Asian Girl in the book and Jena completely upends the idea of a submissive, conservative, soft TAG in people’s minds.
Jessie Tu writes with such a bold voice, giving power to loss girl navigating this world. Her writing is brutal, blunt and witty. This was such a refreshing twist from the usual ideal immigrant childhood story. Tu is unafraid of exposing that we all just muddling our way through this fragmented world that we live in. This is Tu's debut novel and if this is an indication to how good Australian literature is, then I'm definitely gonna be keeping my eye on new releases from down under!
CW: Sex (very graphic), Infidelity, Emotional Abuse
Jena replaces her fame with sex, seeking out sexual pleasure with multiple partners to fill the void that is left. Jena is reckless, selfish, unmotivated and doesn’t care much for her life and yet I found myself being drawn to her. Jessie Tu mentions the term TAG or Tiny Asian Girl in the book and Jena completely upends the idea of a submissive, conservative, soft TAG in people’s minds.
Jessie Tu writes with such a bold voice, giving power to loss girl navigating this world. Her writing is brutal, blunt and witty. This was such a refreshing twist from the usual ideal immigrant childhood story. Tu is unafraid of exposing that we all just muddling our way through this fragmented world that we live in. This is Tu's debut novel and if this is an indication to how good Australian literature is, then I'm definitely gonna be keeping my eye on new releases from down under!
CW: Sex (very graphic), Infidelity, Emotional Abuse
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Infidelity, and Sexual content
nems's review against another edition
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Blood