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A review by bookish_otaku
Frankly in Love by David Yoon
emotional
funny
reflective
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
4.5
4.5/5
Recommended for: People who... like a good coming of age, don't shy away from heavy topics, interested in an in depth look at life as an Asian American (specifically Korean American), like a fluffier romance that isn't always the main focus
I think the marketing group wasn't quite sure how to promote the book and went with romance, but like Yoon's other book Super Fake Love Song, this story focused far less on the romance and more on the actual coming of age. If I were to market it, I would probably call it a Korean American coming of age story with the added drama of fake dating. Definitely more of a coming of age than anything else.
Looking back, perhaps this is more of a 4 star read, but I loved the nuanced perspective it gave not just of being Asian American, but of being Korean American in such a way that you're stuck in the identity limbo of Not-Korean-Enough and Not-American-Enough. As a Chinese American myself, I can say this is definitely an issue not popularly discussed in popular media as it highlights the inherently racist nature of America and other imperialistic countries or countries founded on colonialism. The nuance was so insanely well done that I just feel like I have to add that extra .5, despite the flaws of the book which I will now dive into.
I did not like the treatment of Brit Means, the white love interest that Frank Li hides from his parents. She is perfectly nice, culturally sensitive, and always tries her best for Frank. The way she gets treated near the end of the book is, to me, so completely undeserved.She gets dumped by Frank after he, surprise surprise, realizes he's in love with Joy. She obviously doesn't take it well, but she barely merits much of a mention after their relationship ends. It just felt like she deserved a better ending, and Frank's remorse lasted all of one chapter. Perhaps this is simply testimony that Frank is indeed, a flawed character, and shines a light on the intersectionality of privilege and marginalization. While although Frank is a racial minority, he is still a boy. I think it's a conversation that could lead to some really interesting exploration of such nuance, but it wasn't touched on at all in the book.
The second thing I wasn't the biggest fan of was that Frank is portrayed as this character you must like. I wish there had been more exploration and explicit acknowledgement of his flaws, because there definitely were some.Again, how he treated Brit when he kissed Joy during the wedding. Then there's also him becoming aware of his privilege as being a second generation Korean American as opposed to his parents' struggles to raise him. It was touched on, but didn't go nearly as deep or result in any tangible change in their relationship which would have been, well, nice.
But now on to the things that I liked, because those were well done. I cannot talk enough about the nuance of being Korean American and how it puts you in this strange limbo. Yoon also does not shy away from confronting the racism and xenophobia within Korean society itself. I feel Asian society is often so unwilling to address its own ugly sides, especially when it comes to the deep seeded xenophobia. I'm so glad that he tackled it head on and consistently. It's such a vital part of the discussion of racism in the US and the historical pitting of Asian people against Black people. Because there is racism within Asian society, and we can't ignore that, and by openly acknowledging it, it only opens up the door to resolve differences and confront the true problem of white supremacy.
Also a cheer for the purest of male friendships and absolutely destroying that toxic masculinity. Q and Frank have the best friendship and I love how Q remains an active part of Frank's life even after he falls in love. I hate when friends get neglected, and I'm glad that at least that did not happen here.Although I must say, I don't think anyone was terribly surprised when Q came out, we could see that from a mile away.
Lastly, I must say Yoon does a phenomenal job of balancing tones. He goes in depth on some pretty heavy topics but still manages to make it feel like a relatively lighter read without sacrificing his message. It's an insane juggling act that he handles so well and I have to applaud him on that.
Recommended for: People who... like a good coming of age, don't shy away from heavy topics, interested in an in depth look at life as an Asian American (specifically Korean American), like a fluffier romance that isn't always the main focus
I think the marketing group wasn't quite sure how to promote the book and went with romance, but like Yoon's other book Super Fake Love Song, this story focused far less on the romance and more on the actual coming of age. If I were to market it, I would probably call it a Korean American coming of age story with the added drama of fake dating. Definitely more of a coming of age than anything else.
Looking back, perhaps this is more of a 4 star read, but I loved the nuanced perspective it gave not just of being Asian American, but of being Korean American in such a way that you're stuck in the identity limbo of Not-Korean-Enough and Not-American-Enough. As a Chinese American myself, I can say this is definitely an issue not popularly discussed in popular media as it highlights the inherently racist nature of America and other imperialistic countries or countries founded on colonialism. The nuance was so insanely well done that I just feel like I have to add that extra .5, despite the flaws of the book which I will now dive into.
I did not like the treatment of Brit Means, the white love interest that Frank Li hides from his parents. She is perfectly nice, culturally sensitive, and always tries her best for Frank. The way she gets treated near the end of the book is, to me, so completely undeserved.
The second thing I wasn't the biggest fan of was that Frank is portrayed as this character you must like. I wish there had been more exploration and explicit acknowledgement of his flaws, because there definitely were some.
But now on to the things that I liked, because those were well done. I cannot talk enough about the nuance of being Korean American and how it puts you in this strange limbo. Yoon also does not shy away from confronting the racism and xenophobia within Korean society itself. I feel Asian society is often so unwilling to address its own ugly sides, especially when it comes to the deep seeded xenophobia. I'm so glad that he tackled it head on and consistently. It's such a vital part of the discussion of racism in the US and the historical pitting of Asian people against Black people. Because there is racism within Asian society, and we can't ignore that, and by openly acknowledging it, it only opens up the door to resolve differences and confront the true problem of white supremacy.
Also a cheer for the purest of male friendships and absolutely destroying that toxic masculinity. Q and Frank have the best friendship and I love how Q remains an active part of Frank's life even after he falls in love. I hate when friends get neglected, and I'm glad that at least that did not happen here.
Lastly, I must say Yoon does a phenomenal job of balancing tones. He goes in depth on some pretty heavy topics but still manages to make it feel like a relatively lighter read without sacrificing his message. It's an insane juggling act that he handles so well and I have to applaud him on that.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer, Racism, and Death of parent
Minor: Infidelity