Reviews tagging 'Racial slurs'

Sunshine Nails by Mai Nguyen

1 review

foldingthepage_kayleigh's review

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emotional reflective medium-paced
  • 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? Yes

3.75

Reading this book was like watching a soap opera. Every time one of the characters takes action, I would think there’s no way they’re making that decision, it just seems overdramatic and outside of reality. This is not necessarily a bad thing as it kept me wanting to see what would happen next, and where all these choices would lead.

There are also about 5 POVs in this book, and usually I like a multiple POV read, but unfortunately, this fell a bit short for me because we never really got beyond the surface level of each character, leaving me feeling a bit disconnected from the story. 

I think the elements of this book that shone the most were:
  • Debbie and Phil’s stories of being refugees from Vietnam
  • Dustin and Mackenzie’s relationship
  • Vietnamese culture
  • Commentary on gentrification

Overall, I thought this one was somewhere between okay and good. I was expecting a lighthearted romcom, and what I got was a contemporary drama, so I think that influenced my enjoyment of this book a bit.
It’s not one that will stick with me, but it still would be worth picking up if any of these elements intrigue you.

Thanks to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for an digital advanced reading copy of this book.
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