Bang picks up on a story we hear about far too often — a parent carelessly left their gun out in the open, their child picks it up, and tragedy ensues. Whenever these stories are posted on social media, responses usually range from advocating for tighter gun control regulations to arguing for more sympathy rather than censure for the family. Bang is about one such child, Sebastian Cody, who accidentally shot and killed his infant sister when he was four, and is still feeling the aftermath ten years later.

I’m familiar with Barry Lyga’s work because of his I Hunt Killers trilogy, and with such a potentially explosive premise and cover art, I was expecting a thriller somewhere along those lines. I expected Sebastian to be utterly haunted by his actions, and possibly face serial killer-ish urges deeply buried in his psyche.

Lyga subverted my expectations, in a way that forced me to confront my own biases about families who own guns. Rather than a dark psychological thriller, Bang is a surprisingly gentle and emotional tale of a young boy who grew up being blamed for something he had no control over. He lives everyday with the knowledge that his action led to the circumstances that caused his parents’ marriage to decline. He goes to school knowing that his classmates and teachers all know what he did to his sister, and even if they don’t outwardly blame him for it, he can still feel their judgement.

This in itself would make a powerful novel, but Lyga ups the ante by drawing a parallel between the censure Sebastian experiences to the discrimination Muslims in America face. The Fahim family moves into the neighbourhood, and their teenage daughter Aneesa quickly befriends Sebastian. She’s an awesome, kick-ass character and is a fantastic foil to Sebastian’s introspection, and her friendship gives Sebastian the opportunity to be with someone who knows nothing about his past. Aneesa also wears a hijab, and while she often faces Islamophobia with humour (e.g. she suggests titling a YouTube video “Muslim girl eats pizza” rather than “girl eats pizza” to increase the views), she is also candid about its more serious implications (e.g. hoping a bombing on the news was caused by a white person rather than a Muslim).

Bang is a quietly powerful book. There’s humour and lightheartedness to balance out the tragedy of its subject matter, making it an immensely readable book with an emotional punch.

+

Thank you to Hachette Book Group Canada for an advance reading copy in exchange for an honest review.

There’s a Tagalog word that best encapsulates how I feel about Sandhya Menon’s YA romance When Dimple Met Rishi: kilig. Its closest English translation would probably be “the feels,” but as anyone who grew up with a first language other than English can attest, only one’s mother tongue can fully encapsulate the depth of emotion one has felt. When Dimple Met Rishi is probably one of the best YA romances I’ve read in a long time, and the character of Rishi is also the first in a long time I’ve actually claimed a YA character as a book boyfriend. I absolutely adored this book. I immediately recommended it to an old acquaintance in the Philippines who writes “clean romances,” and as of this writing, I plan to pass on my copy to a teenage niece who I hope will enjoy it as much as I did.

When Dimple Met Rishi is about two brilliant Indian-American teens whose families have arranged their marriage. Dimple Shah is an aspiring computer coder who rebels against her family’s expectation that she’ll settle down with an “Ideal Indian Husband,” and signs up for computer camp in the hopes of impressing an app developer she admires. Rishi Patel is a romantic who is content to adhere to his parents’ traditions, and the summer before he begins at MIT, registers for computer camp so he can meet his future wife. When they meet, Dimple is horrified that this guy she’s never met could jeopardize her future, and Rishi realizes that things aren’t quite turning out the way he’d imagined.

I absolutely loved both characters, and their meet-cute made me laugh. I love how, despite Dimple’s rebelliousness against tradition, tradition itself isn’t presented as wholly a bad thing, and Dimple herself still also admits that she still feels bound to her parents’ expectations. In fact, one of the ways she and Rishi bond is that he understands how important her family is to her life, in a way that’s somewhat different from how family is important in North American culture.

Rishi is also a fantastic character. He’s a bit more of a starry eyed romantic than the type of guy I’d usually fall for, but there’s something utterly charming about mix of awkwardness and confidence. In my absolute favourite scene, when some snobbish rich kids from camp make Dimple uncomfortable at a fancy dinner, Rishi stands up for her and completely catches them off-guard. Unlike Dimple, he comes from a wealthy family, and I love that he’s so comfortable with who he is even when he doesn’t quite fit in.

I also loved the development of their relationship, particularly as each of them helps bring out the best in the other. Rishi helps Dimple become less self-conscious and more comfortable in her own skin, mostly by being so comfortable in his own. Dimple in turn helps Rishi face his secret longing to produce comic book art, despite his plans to fulfil his parents’ wishes and attend MIT.

When Dimple Met Rishi is a sweet romance and an absolute delight to read. I love how nerdy both main characters are, and I especially love that this fantastic story is part of a (hopefully) rising trend towards more diverse representation in contemporary literature. I highly recommend it to all YA-loving nerds out there who may enjoy imagining what it would be like to spend a summer with the nerd of your dreams.

+

Thank you to Simon and Schuster Canada for an advance reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Kevin Kwan’s crazy rich Asians are back! In this third instalment of the series, the family comedy takes a more bittersweet tone, as the Shang-Young matriarch Shang Su Yi lies on her deathbed. Whereas Crazy Rich Asians and China Rich Girlfriend lampooned the lifestyles of the rich and wealthy by presenting it through the perspective of an outsider thrust into that world, Rich People Problems discards the outsider’s surprise altogether and makes us see the human beings within the wealth. Whether it’s dealing with the potential loss of a loved one or fighting to keep the family’s legacy alive, these “crazy rich” are people whom we “crazy not-rich” can easily relate to. Rich People Problems packs an emotional wallop while still maintaining Kwan’s signature light-hearted comedy, and is by far my favourite book in the series.

It was fantastic to revisit all these characters I’ve grown to love (or love to hate) since Book 1, and most significant of all is Su Yi herself. We’ve always known her as the grand dame of Tyersall Park, incredibly wealthy and powerful, surrounded by an army of servants so that she never needs to so much as lift a finger to do any slightest bit of work. She’s always come across as regal and imposing, so the very idea of her dying seems almost impossible. Yet in Rich People’s Problems, as she lays on her deathbed, we finally get a glimpse into Su Yi herself and the incredible, sometimes tragic, life she led. She grew up during the war, and I liked reading about her family’s experiences living in fear of Japanese soldiers, mostly because it reminded me of my own grandmother’s stories, but also because these experiences stand in such sharp contrast to the luxurious lives she has built for multiple generations of Shangs and Youngs. I also enjoyed reading about her happier moments, such as travelling to India and falling in love, because it was a nice balance to what she and her family went through in the war. I’d personally love to read a whole novel just about Su Yi and the people in her life, so I’m in if Kevin Kwan ever wants to do a Crazy Rich Asians prequel.

Despite the sombre premise, Rich People Problems is still comfortingly hilarious. Kitty Pong, the former soap star who keeps marrying up, takes the comedic centre stage as she competes with her own stepdaughter, famous fashionista Collette Bing, for top spot in the upper echelons of Asian society. As Colette’s faux humility continues to overshadow Kitty’s dramatic gestures, Kitty’s schemes just get increasingly over-the-top until it all comes to a fittingly dramatic showdown that intersects with the Shang-Young clan’s story.

The hilariously boorish Eddie Chung also provides comedic gold within the main storyline. As family members from around the world fly back to say their goodbyes to Su Ying… and to grasp one last chance at inheriting the family estate Tyersall Park, Eddie schemes to become the heir, which involves having favoured grandchildren Nick and Astrid banned from Tyersall Park. Eddie’s antics are as annoying and entertaining as always, and it’s soapy fun to see his desperate efforts for his grandmother’s fortune.

Nick and Astrid, of course, have long been the heart of Kwan’s series. The main storyline centres on Nick’s American-born Chinese girlfriend, later wife, Rachel adjusting to his family’s wealth, and a major subplot involves Astrid dealing with her husband Michael’s insecurity over finances whilst her ex-boyfriend Charlie quietly pines for her from the sidelines. In Rich People Problems, Nick yearns to see his beloved grandmother before she dies, but hesitates because of their years-long estrangement over Su Yi’s disapproval of his marriage to Rachel. His mother, the irrepressible Eleanor Young, is eager to help smooth the reconciliation, mostly so that Nick can be reinstated as the heir to Tyersall Hall, which adds a welcome dose of comedy to this plot line. But it’s Nick’s pain over his strained relationship with his grandmother that propels this story, and makes you root for him.

I’ve always found Astrid’s relationship with Charlie incredibly romantic, so I’m thrilled to see them officially dating at the beginning of Rich People Problems. Unfortunately, Michael isn’t ready to let her go without a hefty settlement, and his schemes put her reputation and social standing at risk. For the first time in the series, Astrid’s story faded somewhat into the background for me. I suppose I enjoy the will-they-or-won’t-they tension between her and Charlie more than this final, mostly inconvenient, snag before a happily ever after. Still, Astrid continues to be one of my favourite characters, and it was great seeing her character develop in this novel, as she learns to forge her own identity beyond just the Leong family heiress and society It Girl.

I’ve long been a fan of the Crazy Rich Asians series and am nowhere near ready for it to end. I’m not sure if the series will continue past Rich People Problems, but if it doesn’t, Kwan couldn’t have written a more fitting conclusion. I actually teared up a bit while reading it, which is quite an achievement for a series so noted for its comedy, and that’s just a testament to Kwan’s skill that he makes us care deeply for his characters even as we laugh at their antics. I’ll be sorry to say goodbye to Nick, Rachel, Astrid and all the other characters in this world (yes, even Eddie); it’s been an amazing ride.

On the bright side, we now have the Crazy Rich Asians movie to look forward to. Directed by Jon M. Chu and starring an all-Asian cast, including superstars Constance Wu and Michelle Yeoh, this film looks amazing, and I can’t wait to see it!

+

Thanks to Penguin Random House Canada for an advance reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.