Title: White Ivy: A Novel
Author: Susie Yang
Release Date: September 8th 2020
Genre: Asian American Literature
A dazzling debut novel about a young woman’s dark obsession with her privileged classmate and the lengths she’ll go to win his love—from prizewinning Chinese American author Susie Yang.
Ivy Lin is a thief and a liar—but you’d never know it by looking at her.
Raised outside of Boston, Ivy’s immigrant grandmother relies on Ivy’s mild appearance for cover as she teaches her granddaughter how to pilfer items from yard sales and second-hand shops. Thieving allows Ivy to accumulate the trappings of a suburban teen—and, most importantly, to attract the attention of Gideon Speyer, the golden boy of a wealthy political family. But when Ivy’s mother discovers her trespasses, punishment is swift and Ivy is sent to China, and her dream instantly evaporates.
Years later, Ivy has grown into a poised yet restless young woman, haunted by her conflicting feelings about her upbringing and her family. Back in Boston, when Ivy bumps into Sylvia Speyer, Gideon’s sister, a reconnection with Gideon seems not only inevitable—it feels like fate.
Slowly, Ivy sinks her claws into Gideon and the entire Speyer clan by attending fancy dinners, and weekend getaways to the cape. But just as Ivy is about to have everything she’s ever wanted, a ghost from her past resurfaces, threatening the nearly perfect life she’s worked so hard to build.
Filled with surprising twists and offering sharp insights into the immigrant experience, White Ivy is both a love triangle and a coming-of-age story, as well as a glimpse into the dark side of a woman who yearns for success at any cost.
After I finished this book, I had to take some time to reflect. The ending and the book as a whole had me feeling conflicted. The story is a well written one. Some parts that had me shaking my head and I think it had to do more with the characters actions rather than the story. The story was really good! I loved reading about how Ivy grew up, her experiences and how they shaped her into the person she ended up becoming. On the other hand, I didn’t agree with a lot of the choices she made and cringed at most of them and I think that’s what had me conflicted. All that being said, this is a great story. The author has a great storytelling style and I think the story challenges us in a way. I highly enjoyed it. I look forward to what Miss Yang comes out with next. I give this 4 stars.
*I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion*
The Literary Vixen 