The feitishist follows the characters Daniel as he grapples with his past indecresitions and guilt, Alma as she comes to terms with her past and her present a former musical prodigy now struggling with a degenerative disease, and Kyoko, an angry and traumatized young woman still dealing with the aftermath of her mother's death.

This book was not exactly what I was expecting based on the description, but I still enjoyed Min's storytelling. I was surprised to find that I did not hate Daniel as much as I thought I would. He's definitely my least favorite character, but I fully thought I would find him completely revolting. I do still find some aspects of him so icky, but I think that's very much the intent of the story.

Alma and Kyoko plus Kyoko's boyfriend, Kornell, are some of my favorites though. The two women, both Asian women, are two distinct perspectives on feitishization and since part of their histories do overlap, they also present unique perspectives about the same events. Alma, much older than Kyoko, is a more reflective character who has moved on from anger and resentment. In her reflections of her past, the anger is there from Daniel's betrayal and just how society in general treats her as an Asian woman with a talent/successful career, especially when she's younger. There are moments she's resentful of it, and there are moments where she truly basks in the attention, praise and lust people have for her. Kyoko, on the other hand, is angry/resentful about the early death of her mother still as the indirect result of Daniel's (and society as a whole) treatment of her mother. Kyoko's mother, Emi, had many struggles as an adult and while some of those things were her mother's own bad choices, Kyoko has an idealized version of her mother that doesn't allow reflection. Instead, Kyoko blames the world at large, and Daniel as the embodiment of the racism and fetishization her mother, even Kyoko now, experience in the larger world.

None of the moral issues at the center of this book are cut and dry. Like the real world it deals in shades of gray and it's a book that'll keep readers pondering for days after they finish.

LONG STORY SHORT:
I loved this one! I was pleasantly surprised by this ARC with the intriguing cover. It was funny, tender, insightful, and bittersweet. I thought this was fresh and interesting. I highly recommend this one!!

Themes: found family, love, revenge, cultural appropriation, racism, forgiveness

Synopsis:
On a cold, gloomy night, twenty-three-year-old Kyoko stands in the rain with a knife in her hoodie’s pocket. Her target is Daniel, who seduced Kyoko’s mother then callously dropped her, leading to her death. But tonight, there will be repercussions. Following the unsuspecting Daniel home, Kyoko manages to get a rash kidnapping plot off the ground . . . and then nothing goes as planned.

The Fetishist is the story of three people—Kyoko, a Japanese American punk-rock singer full of rage and grief; Daniel, a philandering violinist forced to confront the wreckage of his past; and Alma, the love of Daniel’s life, a Korean American cello prodigy long adored for her beauty, passion, and talent, but who spends her final days examining if she was ever, truly, loved.

The Fetishist is different, in a seriously intriguing way, and will appeal to literary fiction readers who want to read something a bit more thrilling and entertaining than usual. The novel reads like a drama-thriller in some parts while offering poignant insights on art and what it means to fetishize it, as well as the humans and socio-historical circumstances that create it... among other things. It makes you look inward and outward in equal measure, all while making you laugh (and sometimes cringe). I enjoyed how the novel seamlessly shifts from humorous moments to more touching moments to moments that force you to reflect on your own life, as well as the fundamentals of human nature and art and how they are all chaotically yet dileberately connected somehow.

4.5 rounded to 5. THE FETISHIST is a unique book told in alternating POVs and timelines. I really enjoyed this book - the pacing was just right and the plot kept me hooked. I also really enjoyed Alma's character. The chapter titles providing insight into the story and what is coming next was also a very nice touch.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the eARC.

This is such a weird, unique novel. Min has such a way with perspective and identity. There were parts of this novel that made me deeply, deeply uncomfortable. Other parts that were manic and made me laugh out loud. It doesn't shy away from the uglier thoughts of people. It was absurd and unique. I feel like I need to read at least two more Min books to feel her voice and energy, because I wasn't always sure with this one.

Overall, definitely one to read and experience.

Thanks to NetGalley and Putnam for the ARC!

As evidenced by the book’s title, Katherine Min’s "The Fetishist" is not going to be for everyone—it is graphic, violent, and often unpleasant. Beneath the novel’s stylish veneer, however, there’s a surprisingly deep reflection on sexual politics and intimacy.

Throughout the book, we see women striving for agency, power, and control, only to have it immediately undermined by how they are perceived. Female characters are almost always introduced first as infantilized bodies, a sickeningly clever rhetorical move that builds on Min’s premise without becoming heavy-handed. I understand why some readers are uncomfortable with these descriptions, and I think people will feel differently about whether or not it is justified. It works, but it begins to feel oppressive, if appropriate.

Even the “good” men in the book have an almost cannibalistic approach to sex, and Min never—to my recollection—offers us insight into how her female characters experience each encounter. Instead, we are left with disgusting, voracious appetites that see very little wrong with acting on their desire. In "The Fetishist," music is sex’s counterpoint, offering the intimacy or transcendence that is prevented by male hunger. Unfortunately, even this is co-opted by men who try to reduce art into something consumable, suggesting that their barbarism pervades every area of their lives.

And yet, despite all this, Min somehow writes with warmth that amounts to grace. I was struck by her balance of judgment and compassion—she condemns her characters’ actions and holds them accountable, but she also wants them to be better people. She wants their desires to change for their own good as well as that of the people around them. One could argue that she does so at the expense of her female characters. I’m conflicted about it.

If there are any other critiques to be made, they are likely a result of this book being edited posthumously. There are a few sections that feel slightly truncated or don’t seem to match the voice throughout the rest of the book, and while they are not major issues, the seams do show a bit. Even so, they simply made me grateful that readers get to experience this book at all, and I’m so glad Kayla Min Andrews chose to honor her mother’s legacy by seeing it to fruition. I actually wept a little while reading the acknowledgments because it’s so clear that this book’s publication matters to many people, and it’s impossible to not feel the same by the end of the novel.

I wanted to like this book, but the characters were difficult to connect with, and the story line was difficult to follow.

𝟯.𝟱 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗥𝗦 𝗥𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗗𝗘𝗗 𝗨𝗣
An absolute banger of an opening chapter.

This one is a little hard for me to review because I felt myself being hooked and then released (pun intended) multiple times throughout the book. Kyoko was definitely my favorite perspective, so everytime we switched to Daniel or Alma I found myself a little less enthused. Not that I think the other perspectives were unnecessary, by any means, I just think I have a soft spot for murderous female characters.

I really liked the writing style and the ever-constant shift between soft and unhinged energy we got throughout. One second, there will be a line from Daniel expressing how loss actively affects him and the next we are comparing his member to a clown balloon.

This won’t be for everyone but I ended up having a great time with it. I have found that as long as I can connect with at least one character in a story, I will like it more and that is definitely the case with this one.







p.s. I do wish one of the major plot avenues had actually come to fruition. I am not a psychopath, I just believe in an eye-for-an-eye.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the eARC.

Woah. I have never read anything like this book... I don't know if I ever will again. I don't even have the right words for such a unique, captivating book.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC!

It's been years since a book has left me so utterly speechless. The Fetishist, with its gorgeous prose and contemplative narrative, brilliantly explores the fetishization and exploitation of Asian women. With characters who read as real to the touch, Katherine Min illustrates the intersection of each of their experiences using succinct yet beautiful vignettes. At the heart of these interlaced storylines is none other than the titular fetishist, Daniel Karmody.

Much of this story takes place in the music world, where Daniel himself initially meets Alma and Emi — two Asian women whose lives are irrevocably changed by Daniel, and who by result, inevitably and karmically impact Daniel ten times fold. There's despair and love and music and vengeance and reconciliation and everything under the sun that makes life worth living, and that made this book so very incredible.

As an Asian woman myself, it's an understatement that the subjugation of Asian women to repugnant (e.g., docile, subservient, tiny, quiet) stereotypes continues to be a reality in day-to-day lives. The Fetishist asks its readers: How do we find love in the face of those who want us for what we represent to them? How do we reject their desire and adoration when it comes in the form of pedestaling and projection?

I absolutely loved how this story was told. It was structurally perfect like a freshly tailored suit. It genuinely felt like no page was wasted in this book; every word (and Min used many an adjective and loved profuse descriptors!!!) simply belonged that when I'd read a paragraph in its entirety, it felt like reciting a prayer.

I'm still reeling from finding out that Katherine Min actually passed away a few years back after fighting breast cancer. What a wonderful mind whose life will continue to live on in the pulchritude of her writing. I hope deeply that more of Katherine Min's work sees light someday.

A unique tale of revenge, grief, and the sexualization/fetishism of Asian women by white men. I really don't know what to say about this novel, because I think it's best experienced without someone else trying to summarize it. This storyline is a bit difficult to explain, but there does seem to be unexpected redemption for several of the characters. But pay attention to the chapter titles - the last two are particularly important.

On a cold, gloomy night, twenty-three-year-old Kyoko stands in the rain with a knife in her hoodie’s pocket. Her target is Daniel, who seduced Kyoko’s mother then callously dropped her, leading to her death. But tonight, there will be repercussions. Following the unsuspecting Daniel home, Kyoko manages to get a rash kidnapping plot off the ground . . . and then nothing goes as planned.

The Fetishist is the story of three people—Kyoko, a Japanese American punk-rock singer full of rage and grief; Daniel, a philandering violinist forced to confront the wreckage of his past; and Alma, the love of Daniel’s life, a Korean American cello prodigy long adored for her beauty, passion, and talent, but who spends her final days examining if she was ever, truly, loved.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group/Putnam for the free ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed herein are my own.

This was a unique read! I don't think I've read anything with a similar plot. I enjoyed all the different characters and moving through time to see how they all interconnected with each other. Definitely a good read for a cold winter day.

I love a book with chapter titles and these were exceptional - very Wes-Anderson stark titles describing what the chapter is about. Loved every single one. This novel starts in such a compelling way and continues with me thinking throughout - how is this going to resolve? Will it resolve? This novel covered a lot including the racism and fetishism of Asian women (which I didn't know what a thing - awful). Throughout the book, we follow two women who were former lovers of Daniel who is a musician in a niche field. There were some gaping holes (for me) in the plot but the writing was good and I had to find out how it resolved so I overlooked the question that never got answered (what was so great about Daniel for these women to fall for?) and continued reading. I thought it was odd and interesting which is always something I look for in a book.

This book covers a lot of ground, especially straight from the beginning. It is a love story, it is a revenge story, it's the story of passion and disease, and all at once. There are a lot of characters, but I feel like each of the characters had the right amount of attention and character building for them, which elevated my reading experience.

I really like the narrative voice of this story -- it was omniscient enough that it felt objective, but when we saw the narration with other characters centered, we were able to see that characters intepreted things differently.

My only complaint with this book, which I think was incredibly captivating and well-written, is that I feel like Daniel as a character didn't make any sense to me. The draw that he had with the women in the book just did not translate over the page, in my opinion -- I didn't understand why people were genuinely threatening suicide over him not loving them. Maybe that was the point of the book, but it felt very jarring to me.

There is a lot of lovely writing here, particularly about music. The story of revenge and forgiveness for a white violinist having a "fetish" for Asian-American women left me a little flat. Perhaps there was too much perspective from Daniel or that the forgiveness seemed bestowed a bit too easily. It just didn't connect for me.

Maybe I'm a hater, but this felt disappointing. I found myself making an "ick" face most of the time as I read. The chapter titles were straightforward and childish, like children's tv episode titles, which was distracting. The main characters were all so unlikeable, pretentious, and self-involved.

Was Daniel a fetishist? Sure (and this book was filthy btw), but he didn't single-handedly ruin anyone's life. Was Kyoko at all justified? No, her mother was a grown woman and an affair takes two. Also Kyoko's whole deal felt so cringe. We get it, you're small and angry. Was Alma wronged? Yeah, but she was also a cheater, incredibly self-centered, and argumentative. Everyone sucked.

There were small nuggets of truth interspersed, but mostly it I was overcome by the ick of it all. Like somehow the point felt missed. Most of the time I was actually asking myself, "What is the point?"

MY REVIEW: ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
👉 An absolutely beautiful exploration of power and race, told through humor, anger, revenge, and joy.
👉 While not a thriller, there were pieces of the narrative that leaned into that world (which made me very happy) and kept me on my toes!
👉 The characters were lovable, hateable, stressful af--Amazingly written in every possibly way.
👉 I am so, so sad that this novel was published posthumously because it was my first book by Katherine Min, but so, so grateful that it is being published and I found my way to it!

I was not expecting for this book to be as funny as it was, but I could also go an entire lifetime without hearing another word about a bland white man named Daniel (or his sexual fantasies). I understand that his presence was very much the point—or at least, a necessary foil for the other narrators—but I could not stop myself from cringing at a few specific moments.

I'm new to this author, but Min's writing was sharp and dry and right on the nose. A few characters were a little overwrought, in my opinion, but it worked well given the context. I think her style would land well with fans of Disorientation (Elaine Hsieh Chou), Yellowface (RF Kuang), or Cult Classic (Sloane Crosley).

Thank you to Penguin/Putnam for the opportunity to read and review this book!

For a book that delves into a serious conversation about the fetishization of Asian American women, this book was also full of love, tenderness and levity. It is a revenge story and a love story, a story about heartache and betrayal but also redemption and forgiveness. I think Min did an excellent job developing each of the characters, and I really enjoyed seeing how different events from the novel were perceived by each. My only complaint is that I would have loved to read more about Kyoko and from her perspective, she was my favorite character.

Thank you NetGalley and Putnam for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

A Caucasian musician, Daniel, seems to have a fetish for Asian girls and women, having been romantically atrracted to and involved with several Asian women over the years. Drawn to Grace in high school, he also develops a relationship with an Asian married woman later on in life, even though he loves the Korean, Alma, who leaves him after seeing he couldn't control his attraction to other Asian women.

The story centers around Daniel and the married woman who commits suicide after her affair, divorce, and lonely life. Her daughter Kyoko seeks revenge on Daniel for her mother's death and stalks him with the help of her Black lover. The story also centers around Alma, seemingly his true love, who later has a tragic health situation that leaves her temporarily in a coma.

The book investigates fetishes surrounding Asian women, and the not so pleasant outcomes for the women.