Author: Kat Yeh
Genre: realistic fiction
Similar books: A Snicker of Magic by Natalie Lloyd
Steering Toward Normal by Rebecca Petruck
Rating:
 |
| Lovely. Simply lovely. |
Summary: Her entire life, Gigi has been focused on studying instead of making friends. It's the plan laid out for her by her big sister Didi, her only living relative. Didi wants her to succeed, instead of having to be a hairdresser like Didi and their mother. Now that she's at a new school, though, Gigi wants to reinvent herself. She wants friends and fun instead of just achievement. She doesn't anticipate the conflict this will cause with Didi. Or the family secrets it will reveal.
My Opinion: It's hard to believe this is Yeh's first novel. So many positives. The characters, especially Didi and Gigi are so realistic: nuanced, flawed, and having distinctive voices. Even secondary and tertiary characters have depth and growth. The setting is wonderful as well. Yeh really provides a sense of place, perfectly described with little details like the creaking step and the overly perfect store fronts without bogging us down with description, so each reader can imagine the town for himself, making it his own. It's introspective without becoming 300 pages of navel-gazing. Then there's the recipes. These fantastic recipes for "real people" foods written in a friendly, conversational voice. Plus Gigi and Didi's story really takes us through an emotional wringer. Fabulous.
More information: The Truth About Twinkie Pie releases January 24th.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.
No comments:
Post a Comment