written by Lan Samantha Chang, book 8 of 2022
This book is a Chinese American family drama and murder mystery set in Wisconsin. I read A LOT but rarely mysteries so my opinion is more on the story overall. I requested it from Netgalley because I’m a sucker for anything set in Wisconsin. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ While I did become invested in the mystery, I felt like the plot lost some momentum by the end. I was also quite unnerved by the dog related subplot and felt like it distracted from the more central points. For me, the most compelling part of the book was the extremely fair criticism of Midwestern attitudes toward “outsiders” and the mental health consequences of not being able to live fully (due to societal or familial pressure).
Thank you to the publisher, author and NetGalley for this ALC.
Content Warnings: Emotional Abuse, Mental Health, Racism, Animal Abuse/Neglect