Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the opportunity to read the debut novel by Susie Yang - 4 stars for a very intriguing book. I'll be looking for more from this author in the future!
Ivy was raised by her grandmother in China when she was very young while her parents immigrated to the US to start their new life. The grandmother introduced Ivy to stealing to get the things that you want or deserve. When they moved to Boston to reunite with their parents, Ivy continued her habit. Her parents had high expectations and Ivy was able to attend an exclusive high school because her dad worked there. There she was introduced to the way the rich people lived and became obsessed with golden boy, Gideon. However, after an indiscretion with an old friend, Ivy's parents sent her to China for the summer and moved the family to NJ while she was gone. Years later, Ivy meets up with Gideon again and it seems that fate is finally shining on Ivy and she will get what she wants. Or will she?
This is a somewhat dark coming of age story as we see the expectations put on Ivy from her family and culture and how she will stop at nothing to get what she thinks she wants. Ivy presents one image to the world - they all see her as a good girl - but her inside turmoil is quite different and dark. The book was wonderfully written - you feel all the circulating emotions in Ivy from a young age and how they have formed who she is, even while she struggles to figure that out herself. The ending was inevitable but still quite surprising.
A very strong debut novel that deserves the buzz it's gathering!
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