Literary fiction
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The culture, class, and family clashes within the life of an impossibly ambitious woman.
400+ pages
Social issues
Literary
Critically acclaimed
Casey Han's four years at Princeton gave her many things, "But no job and a number of bad habits." Casey's parents, who live in Queens, are Korean immigrants working in a dry cleaner, desperately trying to hold on to their culture and their identity. Their daughter, on the other hand, has entered into rarified American society via scholarships. But after graduation, Casey sees the reality of having expensive habits without the means to sustain them. As she navigates Manhattan, we see her life and the lives around her, culminating in a portrait of New York City and its world of haves and have-nots.
Maggie C.
Redding, CA
Loved the styling in this book and the authors choices in what to share about each character. I felt like I was getting “the tea” throughout the whole story. A long book but a pleasure to read! ☕️????
Anna Claire C.
Philadelphia, PA
I’m biased but this is what it’s like to be first gen, and feel the pressure of successfully demonstrating filial piety when being true to yourself also means choosing not to have it better than them.
Morgan W.
Gainesville, FL
NYC novels always have a wonderfully glittery sheen that is later scraped away to have a dirtier substance underneath. It characterizes Casey’s journey with wealth and the city that epitomizes the US.
Clara K.
Jacksonville, AR
I really love the book. It was different than what I usually read. It gave me an unexpected turn when Leah Casey and Tina's mom got pregnant. I felt so bad for her, but loved how Casy consoled her mom
Kelly C.
Buffalo, NY
An excellent read raising questions of wealth and womanhood, what it means to struggle to succeed. I appreciated the extensive list of characters and Lee's ability to move seamlessly between stories.