Loveboat, Taipei
by Abigail Hing WenPublished by HarperTeen on January 7th, 2020
Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Fiction, Romance
Format: ARC
Source: Kindly provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
Summary from Goodreads:
Perfect for fans of Jenny Han and Sarah Dessen, and praised as “an intense rush of rebellion and romance” by #1 New York Times bestselling author Stephanie Garber, this romantic and layered Own Voices debut from Abigail Hing Wen is a dazzling, fun-filled romp.
“Our cousins have done this program,” Sophie whispers. “Best kept secret. Zero supervision.”
And just like that, Ever Wong’s summer takes an unexpected turn. Gone is Chien Tan, the strict educational program in Taiwan that Ever was expecting. In its place, she finds Loveboat: a summer-long free-for-all where hookups abound, adults turn a blind eye, snake-blood sake flows abundantly, and the nightlife runs nonstop.
But not every student is quite what they seem:
Ever is working toward becoming a doctor but nurses a secret passion for dance.
Rick Woo is the Yale-bound child prodigy bane of Ever’s existence whose perfection hides a secret.
Boy-crazy, fashion-obsessed Sophie Ha turns out to have more to her than meets the eye.
And under sexy Xavier Yeh’s shell is buried a shameful truth he’ll never admit.
When these students’ lives collide, it’s guaranteed to be a summer Ever will never forget.
Review
Loveboat, Taipei has quickly become one of my overall favourite books of 2020.
Loveboat, Taipei centres upon Ever Wong, a college bound teen, whose summer plans become a complete mess when her parents send her off to Taiwan to attend Chien Tan, an educational program meant to help Ever with her Mandarin skills and more. However, when Ever arrives she finds out the program is known for so much more than simply its educational background. Known as the Loveboat, it enables young adults to party all summer long without adult supervision, spending nights out and hooking up as much as they could ever want. Discovering what she really wants from life, her passions, and more, this unforgettable summer will change Ever's life forever.
Ever's parents were immigrants and though her father was a doctor in Taiwan, he struggles in America both trying to give their daughters a better chance at life. The hopes and dreams of an immigrant parent may be passed to their children, whether it is dictating their future or simply pushing them to achieve a higher level of education so they may be set later in life, both of which are not unusual. This aspect is shown through Ever's passion for performing dance and the struggle she goes through in making a decision, that will not disappoint her parents, between going to Art School and living her dreams or going to Med School and making her parents happy.
Loveboat, Taipei is an absolutely amazing book to read! It tells the story of finding oneself and identifying how both cultures, Taiwanese and Western, have the power to shape you and make you who you are. As a debut, Wen managed to masterfully write about love, family, honesty, angst, friendship, finding oneself, competitiveness, and sacrifices. I adored how Wen managed to write Ever's character growth, her process of growing into her own person and the love she has for her family while trying to stand up for who she is. The only thing I didn't particular like was Ever's choice in regards to her ultimate love interest. I thought she had better chemistry with another character and felt like she didn't give as much of a chance compared to the other. Nonetheless, this frustrating romantic aspect is quickly redeemed by how the novel comes together in the end. I felt that Wen did an amazing job portraying these characters realistically, discussing and divulging into serious and sensitive topics, and creating a diverse and immersive read.
A wonderful debut with immersive characters that you couldn't help but root for, glimpses of Taiwanese culture, and themes that are completely relatable. Loveboat, Taipei is one I highly recommend picking up today!
Rating
★★★★★
About the Author
Abigail Hing Wen holds a BA from Harvard, a JD from Columbia Law School, and an MFA from the Vermont School of Fine Arts. Like Ever, she is obsessed with musicals. When she's not writing stories or listening to her favourite scores, she is busy working in venture capital and artificial intelligence in Silicon Valley, where she lives with her husband and two sons. Loveboat, Taipei is her first novel.
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