A review by ksparks
Days of Distraction by Alexandra Chang

emotional reflective
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

 Some parts of this book are more effective than others. It does meander in a stream of consciousness, fragmented kind of way, interrupted by lots of tidbits of the research she is doing and the social media bits she is reading. But--isn't that symptomatic of all of our experience now? It's a quiet and reflective book, and there isn't a huge amount of plot. Nonetheless, I will remember this one. I could so relate to her experiences working for a tech company, where she is invisible and underappreciated as an Asian American woman. To her decision whether to move with her boyfriend to Ithaca or stay with her career. To her worries about her relationship and her conversations with her dad. And to the racist micro-aggressions she experiences everywhere, that her boyfriend is oblivious to. I especially enjoyed the parts about her father, who seemed very real to me. A father who is so loveable and could drive you up the wall at the same time.