The story of a Malaysian Australian teen longing to be a normal kid while honoring her mother's strict rules.

Lei Ling is one of two Asian girls in her school. She has only one friend because her mother insists that she come home when she isn't in school or taking extra-curricular classes. Everything changes forLei Ling when she meets an older Malaysian woman, who is the aunt of Lei Ling's classmate.

Gigi is everything Lei Ling's mother isn't: she seems to have endless money, she's stylish, she believes in enjoying life, she's classy, and most of all, she has taken an interest in Lei Ling. Lei Ling begins to lie to her mother, skipping her after-school activities to spend time with Gigi and learning what money can buy.

The tension between Lei Ling and her mother increases when the older women meet. In addition, Lei Ling must figure out who is truly looking out for her--or are neither or both? Gigi's attentions add a level of uncomfortableness, and Lei Ling's mother struggles to protect her daughter while guarding her own secrets. In the end, Lei Ling discovers that adults have a life outside of their children and that her mother has a private life and regrets.

Some of the issues explored in this book are what it's like to be a child of immigrants, racial tension, teenage social drama, mother-daughter relations, LBGTQ+, the socioeconomic divide, and balancing culture traditions with contemporary society.

While I liked some aspects of this award-winning novel, it was ultimately only okay for me. See-Tho's portrayal of Lei Ling's life seems authentic and relatable, but the ending was a little too neat and easy.

The audiboook was performed by Veronica Chan. I can't judge her Chinese Malaysian accents but she seemed consistent in her accents and characterizations. She was engaging and captured the sense of unease that ran throughout the novel.

Thanks to the publishers for the review copy.

this was so fucking stressful but so brilliant. the kind of Australian coming-of-age that should be read widely