sweet and enjoyable, but predicatable
David Yoon's YA novel was a quick, easy and hopeful read, so it is everything the fans of YA love and that I often struggle with. I tend to like most books that are heavy, dark, tragic and filled with symbolism. However, I turned to this one for a mental break and it served me well.
Frankly in Love is a perfect, punny title. In the book we encounter Frank Li, a Korean American teenager who is dealing with all the typical pains of the teens as well as the difficulties of straddling two cultures. His parents still live within the cultural expectations and speak the language of Korea. They came to America for the opportunities, but have not assimilated in any real way. And although Frank was born in America he must meed the demands put on him by his Korean heritage. Unfortunately for Frank he sees himself as neither fully American nor fully Korean.
As expected, Frank falls in love with a white American girl. He knows his parents will not accept her and so he recruits his friends to help him with cover stories. One of those friends is another Korean American student named Joy. As they fake a relationship their friendship grows, and the relationship between their parents disintegrates. All of this leads Frank to self-analysis and he must reevaluate his needs and wants.
The story is sweet and warm, simple and hopeful. It quietly deals with big topics like racism and immigration, in a way that could really help the young people who read it. Told in the first person, the author uses appropriate slang and humor so that the teens in the book are vivid and real. The story is predictable, but I think all fans of YA will love it.
Frankly in Love is a perfect, punny title. In the book we encounter Frank Li, a Korean American teenager who is dealing with all the typical pains of the teens as well as the difficulties of straddling two cultures. His parents still live within the cultural expectations and speak the language of Korea. They came to America for the opportunities, but have not assimilated in any real way. And although Frank was born in America he must meed the demands put on him by his Korean heritage. Unfortunately for Frank he sees himself as neither fully American nor fully Korean.
As expected, Frank falls in love with a white American girl. He knows his parents will not accept her and so he recruits his friends to help him with cover stories. One of those friends is another Korean American student named Joy. As they fake a relationship their friendship grows, and the relationship between their parents disintegrates. All of this leads Frank to self-analysis and he must reevaluate his needs and wants.
The story is sweet and warm, simple and hopeful. It quietly deals with big topics like racism and immigration, in a way that could really help the young people who read it. Told in the first person, the author uses appropriate slang and humor so that the teens in the book are vivid and real. The story is predictable, but I think all fans of YA will love it.