Something about the premise of this story reached out to me the moment I saw it. I suppose I love the potential of a good underdog story and to a degree, that's most stories of marginalized people.. isn't it? As a member of the AAPI community, truly contemporary tales told from our various unique perspectives are still a bit rare.
From the opening pages I adored the main character, June Chu. She's realistically imperfect, hilariously sarcastic at times, and extremely relatable. It's nice to read an imperfect character that comes across naturally for once, as opposed to the overly dramatic reactions and gestures I've become accustomed to seeing.
I love that she's a character, not a caricature. She's not the 'shunned' girl at school who gets lucky with the most popular boy around. Gone are the cliches. She's just an average teenager with some above average skills and intelligence, that still aren't seen as quite 'good enough.' Not for her parents, her sister, the boy she likes, or especially herself.
Struggling with a tense relationship between herself and her mom, a woman who is a Taiwanese immigrant, traditional in her ways and perspectives, June is trying hard to reconcile her familial expectations what she sees as her reality in a more modern setting. Despite the push and pull between them and the way her mother comes across as constantly critical, it's not a loveless environment, but it isn't always easy to see either.
One of my favorite things about this book is actually her mom's relentless proverbs. Some are downright humorous, but they're often ill-timed. Though they may seem appropriate to her and may even be coming from a place of concern, they often only serve to make things more frustrating for June.
We all know intimate relationships are complicated, but that's even more true for teenagers.. and Gracia did a wonderful job recreating some of the most stressful situations one can imagine. There's actually a lot to unpack here, even 'good-natured' coercion.. if there is such a thing.
Overall, it's a great story, with some lovable characters, and a lot of food for thought. I'm so happy that I got to experience Gracia's easy writing style, it's fluid and deeply enjoyable. I can't wait to read more of her work.
(I received this title as an ARC. All opinions are mine and freely given.)