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philsbookcorner 's review for:

Counterfeit by Kirstin Chen
4.0

Narration: 5 Stars
Story: 4.5 Stars

Kirstin Chen's Counterfeit is the perfect book to kick off summer with - breezy & hilarious with a dash of mystery & thrills, I absolutely loved this!

I listened to the audiobook & thought it was fantastic, the narrator did an excellent job & I enjoyed her different voices for different characters; I know the book itself is written without quotation marks, so if that bugs you, I'd go with the audiobook, you won't notice at all! I loved the way this was structured - it's hard to get into too much detail without getting spoilery, so all I'll say is that the format made for a few nice surprises throughout. I thought Ava & Winnie were both really complex, interesting characters, their actions throughout really challenged my own perspective on just who the "bad guys" are when it comes to the luxury goods market. Counterfeit had a lot to say - about identity & belonging, the price to pay for the "American Dream", international labor laws, the role the luxury market places in perpetuating often inhumane conditions in exchange for status & wealth; there was a lot of substance underneath the fun & I really appreciated that. & Chen's writing was just so sharp, there wasn't a single dull moment throughout - I was very satisfied with the way everything wrapped up!

I think this would make such a great movie or limited series, highly recommend picking this up if you're looking for a quick, fun, impactful read! & thank you so much BiblioLifestyle, William Morrow Books & Kirstin Chen for the gifted copy, & Libro.fm & HarperAudio for providing an ALC in exchange for a honest review!

& I just have to say, I loved this quote so, so much, it actually made me tear up; it's kind of spoilery so I'll hide it behind the tag -
SpoilerWinnie's the one who showed Ava her country for what it truly is: a wild-fire, a head-on collision, a spooked horse that's thrown off its rider, a motherfucking driverless car. It's the only place for freaks like them, hucksters, con men, unicorns, queens. Winnie is the American dream, and that's what drives everyone mad, mad, mad - that she had the gall to crash their game & win it all.