This book was definitely the exciting ride I expected! I loved all the classic thriller elements of characters who are each hiding something, and the right and wrong suspicions zinging back and forth across its large cast of characters. The characters are lovely well crafted individuals, and I've loved reading so many reviews from folks on here who see themselves reflected in the immigrant experience of the Yoo family. Kim connects all the dots in this narrative brilliantly, and I fully enjoyed the way pieces of information unfolded.⁣
⁣
My one nagging issue was the portrayal of autism, and the relatively unchallenged assertion that "curing" a child of autism was an objectively "good" thing. Some amount of nuance is for sure explored here, but for most of the book the main proponents of accepting autistic children are vilified overzealous caricatures whose viewpoint is mostly lost in the condemnation of their aggressive methods. All autistic adults I've read writing by argue against seeking cures for autism and instead for acceptance of autistic people. Often to me the line felt blurred in this book between advocating for seeking alternative therapies for medical problems, like intestinal pain, and trying to fix the uncomfortable-for-the-parents "abnormal" behaviors of these kids, like rocking or avoiding eye contact, that are just harmless ways of interacting with the world. Of course, parents that want to cure their children of these behaviors and their autism diagnosis definitely exist, and shining a light on them is not bad, but I wish that another side was shown with a little more depth.⁣