Imposter Syndrome and Other Confessions of Alejandra Kim by Patricia Park

Imposter Syndrome and Other Confessions of Alejandra Kim

by Patricia Park

A multicultural teen struggles to fit into her elite prep school, her diverse Queens neighborhood, and even her own home. A hilarious, poignant, and powerful YA novel from the award-winning author of Re Jane.

“Simply brilliant!” —David Yoon, New York Times best-selling author of FRANKLY IN LOVE
“Scathingly funny.” —Gayle Forman, New York Times best-selling author of IF I STAY
Alejandra Kim feels like she doesn’t belong anywhere.

Not at home, where Ale faces tense silence from Ma since Papi’s passing. Not in Jackson Heights, where she isn’t considered Latinx enough and is seen as too PC for her own good. Certainly not at her Manhattan prep school, where her predominantly white classmates pride themselves on being “woke”. She only has to survive her senior year before she can escape to the prestigious Whyder College, if she can get in. Maybe there, Ale will finally find a place to call her own.

The only problem with laying low— a microaggression thrusts Ale into the spotlight and into the middle of a discussion she didn’t ask for. But her usual keeping her head down tactic isn’t going to make this go away. With her signature wit and snark, Ale faces what she’s been hiding from. In the process, she might discover what it truly means to carve out a space for yourself to belong.

Imposter Syndrome and Other Confessions of Alejandra Kim is an incisive, laugh-out-loud, provocative read about feeling like a misfit caught between very different worlds, what it means to be belong, and what it takes to build a future for yourself.

Reviewed by lisbethwhite on

4 of 5 stars

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Alejandra Kim's Venn diagram of identities has so much overlap, she's having a hard time finding herself. Korean, Hispanic, America, working class, private school, a dead father, and friends who often only see one side of her. Over the course of her senior year, she works hard to dig deep to find who she is at the heart of herself. Her search will likely resonate with YA readers who are facing similar struggles to find themselves.

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 13 February, 2023: Finished reading
  • 13 February, 2023: Reviewed