White Ivy by Susie Yang

Book Review

I finished this book last week and I’m still trying to decide how I felt about it. ⁣
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⁣The story follows Ivy Lin, the daughter of Chinese immigrants, and her complicated upbringing in New England. As a young girl, Ivy learns to steal and lie as a means to obtain the things she desires in a world defined by consumerism. As she grows into an adult, she expertly uses these talents to establish her place in life and to attract the attention of her grade-school crush, Gideon Speyer, the son of a senator and a member of the Boston elite. As she weaver her way into Gideon’s world, Ivy makes many questionable decisions as a means to hide her true self and ensure the future she desires for herself.
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⁣While this story certainly kept me guessing, I had a hard time rooting for the Ivy, who is SERIOUSLY in need of therapy. Nevertheless, this book offered some interesting insights into the immigrant experience and I thought the author did a great job with the character development of Ivy and her family.
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⁣I’ve seen this book classified as contemporary fiction as well as a thriller. I certainly wouldn’t label this as a typical thriller. To me, it read more like contemporary fiction with hints of suspense.
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⁣⭐️⭐️⭐️💫/5⁣
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⁣Have you read this one?? If so, I would LOVE to know what you thought. Despite my personal rating, I can totally understand why some people would love this one.