Thank you to Abrams for sharing an ARC in exchange for my honest review. Apologies for late review!
The first book in an epic and romantic YA series following the fictionalized descendants of the only officially recognized empress regent of China Gemma Huang is a recent transplant to Los Angeles from Illinois, having abandoned plans for college to pursue a career in acting, much to the dismay of her parents. Now she’s living with three roommates in a two-bedroom hovel, auditioning for bit roles that hardly cover rent. Gemma’s big break comes when she’s asked to play a lead role in an update of M. Butterfly filming for the summer in Beijing. When she arrives, she’s stopped by paparazzi at the airport. She quickly realizes she may as well be the twin of one of the most notorious young socialites in Beijing. Thus kicks off a summer of revelations, in which Gemma uncovers a legacy her parents have spent their lives protecting her from—one her mother would conceal from her daughter at any cost. Heiress Apparently is a sweet new contemporary novel centering Gemma's relationship with her family--previously shrouded in mystery that evaporates when she travels to Beijing. I loved Gemma and Alyssa's relationship. They're strangers at the beginning of the book, but as they learn more about their family they grow closer and it's so adorable. As they acknowledge, they're more than cousins--they're sisters. They share a glamorous heritage which Gemma knows little about but Alyssa is eager to share. I'm really hoping the next book in the series is about Alyssa! The ending moments especially... I don't have much to say other than it just made me feel all the warm and fuzzy feelings. I was just so happy for Gemma, because I'd grown to care for her so much throughout the novel. I hesitate to call this found family, because technically Gemma is learning about her blood family, but it operates on a similar premise. So much of the novel finds Gemma bringing people together and expanding her family from the small group she'd had in the US. I also enjoyed her narration through the hard time she faces as a Chinese-American and not feeling fully accepted by either community. This really resonated with me because as an Indian-American, I feel the exact same way. Not Indian enough for some, not American enough for others. It can be so difficult to be part of a diasporic experience, and even more so in Gemma's case where she's got this pressure on her as an actress to represent millions of people on the silver screen. I couldn't imagine how tough that must be--but I don't have to, since Ma narrates it brilliantly in the novel. There's also a bit of a romance! It's not quite a Romeo-and-Juliet situation (if you want R&J set in China please check out These Violent Delights) but there IS a family feud and many complicated feelings. Love interest Eric is interested in sustainable fashion (to the benefit of our girl Gemma--I would LOVE to see fan art of her in that suit!) and protecting his sister Mimi from being manipulated by Alyssa (no spoilers, but that's so far from the truth of what's going on). He's so sweet with Gemma, and just all-around amazing. I totally shipped them, and always hoped she'd break up with her jerk of an LA boyfriend to get with Eric instead. Overall, I'm giving Heiress Apparently 4/5 stars for general adorableness and also being a wonderful permutation of the modern-royalty trope. Will definitely be recommending this one in the future.
0 Comments
Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
Leave a Reply. |
The BaronessHey, I'm Shreya! I love to read, write, travel, and drink tea. Disclosure: I am an affiliate of bookshop.org and I will earn a small commission if you click the above link and make a purchase.
Categories
All
Archives
June 2023
|