I think this novel presented an intriguing narrative enriched with imaginative world-building. While the story has undeniable strengths, regrettably, I struggled to form a meaningful connection with its characters. Occasional lapses in pacing led to moments of disengagement, yet Wang's adept prose hints at considerable promise. For enthusiasts of speculative fiction, this novel remains a commendable venture, offering a distinctive tale worth exploring.

I am aware this is was an uncorrected copy, but at many points throughout the the ebook I found words jumbled together with no spaces. At first I thought it was a stylistic choice, but I can't imagine this being purposeful. While I try to look past these things for arcs, it made it difficult for me to enjoy reading this story.

I want to preface this review by saying that I know I am not the intended audience for this book (in multiple ways), which I think makes this review more difficult and complicated. Lily Wang's writing is so good, and there was so much of this book that I loved because of the way she uses language to convey different emotions and experiences.

I recognize that the most impactful part of this book are directly tied to the Asian-American/immigrant experience, and even though those experiences do not resonate with me personally (as I am not Asian-American, nor an immigrant), it was still extremely clear the care that Wang takes to tackle and speak to those experiences and emotions.

The biggest thing I struggled with here is the lack of a real, cohesive storyline. I sat on this book for a few days after finishing trying to figure out if the lack of a story or overarching plot line was an actual issue with the book worthy of critique, or if it just wasn't really my preference. I'm inclined to say it was more the latter. This is fundamentally an extremely reflective book, and just falls outside the realm of what I normally like to read. This book reminded me, in a lot of ways, of Ocean Vuong's On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous - another book that I felt was objectively very good, but didn't land for me personally mostly because of the writing style. If you do happen to like books that are more reminiscent of long-form poetry and less plot-driven, I think this would be a really strong read.

This book was hard to get through and I feel bad about giving a low rating. But wanted to give my honest review. Great writing and can tell that the author has a lot of skill in crafting this book. But it was difficult to stay present while reading and didn’t really have the draw to keep reading. Will look for more by this author but probably won’t recommend this one.

What begins as a Bae Suah-esque wandering through contemporary life grows into a somewhat more conventional piece of childhood reminiscence, albeit not without the dreamlike blurring of memories into each other and memories with the present. This is a style that is typically very much up my alley, and this was no exception, as I adored these sad-nostalgic vignettes sandwiched between present-day introspection. Some passages did feel a bit overwritten to me, sometimes explaining too much or somehow putting too fine a point on the characterization, grasping at adjectives and adverbs to do so. But for every moment that may feel stylistically somewhat generic, there's another that feels utterly specific and yet another that feels genuinely inventive. I'm excited to see where Lily Wang goes from here, as this debut full-length novel was very compelling and showed promise in a style that can be difficult to inhabit.

2.5. I feel really bad giving this book a low score but between the formatting and general lack of plot, I had a hard time finishing this. I think if you like and enjoy poetic writing, you’d enjoy this book more.

The writing is gorgeous. I found myself immersed in the world that Lily's words painted. So pretty that this definitely will be a physical buy as soon as it's on sale!

It was hard to tell which direction this book was going in the first few chapters but I'm so glad I kept reading because it opened up to be a really beautiful and tender experience. It alternates between memory, dreams, and the present in a fragmented, torn, and heartwrenching way. I fell in love with Lily Wang's poetic prose and imagery, and the fluidity with which she moves through her experiences.

Thank you to The New Press, Lily Wang and Net Galley for the ARC.

This book is an interesting debut novel from Lily Wang that centers around Yuè Yuè, a young Chinese-Canadian immigrant. The book alternates between memory, dreams and the present as Yuè Yuè navigates life through dating and coexisting with the world around her.

The cover of this book immediately drew me in as I had to find out what this novel could possibly be about. As I began this ARC, I was not sure about the journey that Wang had in mind. I was initially extremely resistant to her prose and imagery and was unsure what she was trying to do, but when I let go and followed the current of her beautiful prose, I really enjoyed the ride.

I cringed and groaned at Yuè Yuè’s dating life as it reminded me of modern dating and my personal experiences. I was sympathetic to Yuè Yuè’s confusion about being stuck in two languages and never feeling like a master in either. As Yuè Yuè reflected on her own memories, I was reminded of my own: memories that are precious and memories I tried desperately to forget.

I love the way that the author weaves English with pinyin and Chinese characters. It adds depth to the narrative and brings you into the bilingual thoughts of Yuè Yuè. This book is a shorter read at 272 pages with beautiful poetry at its core. If you enjoyed On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong, you will enjoy this charming debut.

I would recommend you trust Lily Wang, and let yourself be washed by her prose. You won’t regret it.

Silver Repetition comes out in Canada today, and March 26 in the USA.

Thank you to The New Press, Lily Wang and Net Galley for the ARC.