Frankly in Love is what YA books should be. David Yoon finds a way to explain a current social issue through a relatable character with wit and humor and heartache and candor. I will be recommending this book to everyone.
I adored this book by David Yoon. The book is so much more than the back of the book implied. Yes, there's a part of the plot in which Frank fake dates Brit Means, but it goes far beyond that scenario. Frank is a high school senior I could relate to. He's just a good, kind, smart kid who wants to gain his parents' approval, but ultimately make his own decisions. He has all these mature and relatable observations about racism and cultural identity that he shares, but his struggle to set his own boundaries and chart his own course is complex. His sister chose her own path and Frank's parents disowned her. Is that the future he wants for himself?
Beyond the plot, the writing by David Yoon is authentic and very conversational. I appreciate that Yoon writes with slang and made-up terms that he doesn't need to explain. He just uses them and knows that as a reader, I will follow the mind of Frank Li, high school senior without explanation. He is spot on with his observations and makes me feel like his thoughts about cultural identity must also be spot on. I don't have the same cultural struggles, but I enjoyed having some insight through this character and an author I found I trusted to tell this story.
I adored this book by David Yoon. The book is so much more than the back of the book implied. Yes, there's a part of the plot in which Frank fake dates Brit Means, but it goes far beyond that scenario. Frank is a high school senior I could relate to. He's just a good, kind, smart kid who wants to gain his parents' approval, but ultimately make his own decisions. He has all these mature and relatable observations about racism and cultural identity that he shares, but his struggle to set his own boundaries and chart his own course is complex. His sister chose her own path and Frank's parents disowned her. Is that the future he wants for himself?
Beyond the plot, the writing by David Yoon is authentic and very conversational. I appreciate that Yoon writes with slang and made-up terms that he doesn't need to explain. He just uses them and knows that as a reader, I will follow the mind of Frank Li, high school senior without explanation. He is spot on with his observations and makes me feel like his thoughts about cultural identity must also be spot on. I don't have the same cultural struggles, but I enjoyed having some insight through this character and an author I found I trusted to tell this story.