See-Tho nicely subverts our expectations in this coming of age novel about Lei Ling, a tween who befriends the glamourous Aunty of a schoolfriend. The book could easily have been marketed as young adult fiction - it is very accessibly written - but the best elements of this novel are in the story that See-Tho tells of the adults, through the eyes of Lei Ling. Like most tweens and teens, Lei Ling views her mother and the glamourous older woman as powerful figures, but unfurls a story of vulnerability as well as different kinds of strength. Each of them must learn to live with their own choices, and accept the choices of others. It would suit young people navigating varied cultural expectations, and seeking that sense of identity distinct from family.  It also has the arc that swoops rapidly through tragedy into heartwarming that I loved as teen.
The book never elevated itself beyond solid and interesting for me, but those are great qualities.