A review by jordysbookclub
Anna K Away by Jenny Lee

4.0

QUICK TAKE: let's be clear, I freakin' adored ANNA K. one of my favorite books of 2020, there were a lot of expectations heading into the sequel. Does it live up to the first book. Short answer: no. But ANNA K AWAY is still an excellent addition to this series, and for sure worth your time. The sequel is missing the fun framework of the first book that reinterpreted ANNA KARENINA...here, this is just a continuation of the characters from the first book without those classic literature Easter eggs that made ANNA K so brilliant. I also had issues with the characters spending most of the time apart...I enjoyed the camaraderie of the kids in the first book and missed that here (they come together in the last 50 pages and it really feels like a different book when that happens). That being said, I found this to be an excellent story of teenagers dealing with trauma and grief, and Jenny Lee still does a fantastic job with specificity and detail and wish fulfillment and fun...I could definitely use a spin-off series centered around the k-pop drama she introduces. Ultimately, if you liked the first book, I definitely think you'll enjoy this one!