rhiannonmcgovern's reviews
152 reviews

this was the second book i’ve read by celeste ng, and oh my god, i commit myself to reading anything else she writes for the rest of my life. 

ng’s writing is so captivating and her characterisation is always spot on. i've never read such a nuanced account of family dynamics. it was so vivid yet delicate, so real. there's not much more i can say about this book as it speaks for itself. please please read it. 

i rarely cry at books or feel like a book changes my way of thinking, but i did with this. one of the most special things i have ever read, this is so nuanced, has so many different perspectives and i truly believe anyone could find something that resonates with them in this. should be essential reading 

oh dr faustus you’re so silly and goofy 

mixed feelings about this one.

this was not a bad read by any means. i enjoyed reading the book and i liked the concept, but think it could’ve been executed a little better. at times it felt preachy (maybe due to the matter of fact tone in which much of the book was told, which is true to neurodivergent people), and like the protagonist was just a mouthpiece for the author. whilst i appreciate that in any ways the character is influenced by the author’s neurodivergency, the way in which it was delivered could’ve been more consistent. 

there was the plot of the party but sometimes i completely forgot that was happening? i feel like the author wanted to create a character study but just added a plot for the sake of it. i love character driven books but context and plot is still important and needs to be consistent. as much as there is absolutely a need for more literature highlighting the experiences of neurodivergent people, i feel like what the author was trying to do with this one would’ve worked better as a non-fiction piece. 

i reviewed every story as i read, so i’ll leave my thoughts here:

shoko’s smile - so understated and melancholic and atmospheric oh my god i’m obsessed. so excited to read the rest of the book, 5/5

xin chào, xin chào - so well written. eunyoung just gets human nature more than any other writer. she doesn’t need to over-explain, she says it how it is and doesn’t spare any of its beauty in the process. i’m getting the feeling that her work is going to be a subtle exploration of the intricacies of the human psyche and relationships and i’m obsessed.  4/5

sister, my little soonae - eunyoung’s writing hits you like a punch in the face but like, in the most low-key way. 4/5

hanji and youngju - holy fuck. 5/5

a song from afar: all of these stories are just so heartbreaking. chills. 4/5.

michaela - really sweet. 3.5/5

secret - oh just so sad. i felt like i was watching the grandmother from behind a glass wall, and could see everything she was doing, but just couldn’t touch her. an invisible barrier between what we believe and what the truth is. 4/5.

i really liked this one! so dark academia. i really really really loved the exploration of female friendships, and the commentary on wealth, privilege, fame and artistic martyrdom. my kind of book!