Kyoko is a young woman driven by the desire to avenge the death of her mother by killing the man she blames for driving her mother to her death. Daniel is her clueless quarry, a once celebrated violinist who nowadays is only invited to play music for the terminally ill. However, Kyoko’s plan goes awry from the beginning and what follows is a black comedy the confronts whiteness, Asian femininity, and anti-Asian racism.
This is not a “happy” book. The three main characters are dealing with heavy issues, from chronic illness to depression to immense anger and grief. At first, it is hard to feel sympathetic towards a couple of the characters. While you eventually see the redemption of one character, it is hard to read another character destroy one life after another with little care other than his own selfish needs.
What this book is is beautifully written. The writing kept me reading even when I wasn’t so sure I wanted to continue on with these characters. It is character driven, so don’t expect a lot of action like a thriller. The ending felt a bit rushed and I wish it had been drawn out a bit more. That being said, Katherine Min was an excellent writer and I appreciate her daughter fighting to get this novel published posthumously.
I would recommend this book to anyone that wants to read a piece of fiction that has a different plot and tackles issues that aren’t normally seen in your more popular books.
Thanks to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam’s Sons for the opportunity to read the ARC of this book. The book will be published on January 30, 2024.
Make sure to preorder your copy today! (affiliate link)
Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
