A review by sourcucumbers
Loveboat, Taipei by Abigail Hing Wen

hopeful lighthearted slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

It was really like an okay read. There was nothing spectacular about this book, but the drama is entertaining. If you like coming-of-age easily projectable main character, then this is the book! 

I think my biggest gripe of this book is the attempt to make the “Asian American experience” synonymous to “East Asian.” I couldn’t help but roll my eyes every time the author wrote something trying to encapsulate the “Asian American experience” when it is only relatable to the larger East Asian community in America. 

The rest of my review will be in spoilers, but in general, my feelings around this book can be summarized as: it’s not that good, but it’s not that bad. This book went on for way too long and some parts felt dragged out. 

okay where do I even begin? I felt like the author forgot she was trying to write a love triangle and threw in Xavier at the last minute? We all knew it was Rick, right? Yeah, that was obvious, but his cheating justified because the girl is,, depressed (??)  and because he’s cheating on his gf with our main character? I don’t get what’s wrong with Jenna. It just sucks that Jenna’s whole character is main guy’s gf who gets in the way of the “main couple” it was so annoying to read through. 

ALSO why was Ever and Xavier drama a thing?? He was on the page for a whole 2 minutes. I don’t get why Rick or Xavier liked her? There were so many parts of this book that I didn’t get. Like why was there a car accident subplot that lasted for 5 pages and then Ever danced on stage with a DISLOCATED SHOULDER AND INJURED ANKLE? 

I can’t even wrap my brain around Sophie or her backstory, not excusing the revenge porn, but she’s my favorite character. 

There was too much going on and not enough at the same time. It feels like a random marble of ideas that weren’t too fleshed out. There were so many topics in this book, almost as if the author threw a dart at each pressing teen topic at random and included it into the book. I thought that Ever was the only character who was fleshed out, but I wish Ever and her mom had a moment of understanding, but whatever. 

This book wasn't all bad by all means, just a little disappointing.