Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of White Ivy.

The premise sounded intriguing and I don't see many books that feature an Asian female protagonist so I was pleased when my request was approved.

The best thing about White Ivy: the writing. The author is a wonderful writer; the prose flowed, it wasn't too wordy or flowery and there were some beautiful metaphors.

White Ivy is a character study of the main character, an Asian female immigrant struggling to fit in with her adopted country and desperate not to be more than she was born into, and more of a literary novel than a thriller.

There's a twist at the end, but its not enough to categorize White Ivy in the thriller genre.

The worst thing about White Ivy: Ivy.

She is unlikable, shallow, superficial, self-centered, and those are the first adjectives that came to mind.

She is also unambitious, lacks wit, personality, self esteem, and cares too much about what others think of her, especially Sylvia, her boyfriend's sister.

Every time Ivy is caught in a tense moment whether with her parents or her lover, she imagines what Sylvia would do.

That's the constant refrain in her head: What would Sylvia do? What would Sylvia do? What would Sylvia do?

Ivy spends much of her time obsessing over Gideon, ingratiating herself with his family and shallow friends that it became redundant.

Then, her thoughts would ping pong to the contempt she feels for her parents, her grandmother, and the narrative would sound disjointed, confusing.

You don't really know Ivy. What does she really want? To be white? To be married? Have sex? To never want for money? She has no firm objective and spends most of her time whining about Gideon.

The second worst thing about White Ivy: everyone else. Everyone was one dimensional and not vaguely interesting, except perhaps Ivy's grandmother.

I don't mind unlikable characters, but no one was devious or clever or sly, qualities I would appreciate and admirable. Like Ivy, no one possessed admirable qualities and no one evolved or became a better person.

The writing was great; I wished the characters and plot was of the same quality.

I've let myself ruminate on this one for multiple days, partly because I wanted to see just how much Susie Yang's characters from <i>White Ivy</i> clung to me still, to see how ivy-like they really were.

Ivy Lin is a liar. A thief of sorts, too, but kind of a pesky one more than a big bad robber. But she is most definitely a <b>L I A R</b>, down to the deepest part of her marrow. She's one of those characters who iare immensely detestable, but thanks to Yang's addictive and easy-flowing writing style, your eyes stay glued to the trainwreck that she is.

Ivy is raised by poor Chinese immigrant parents and her grandmother just outside of Boston. She is a desperate girl who becomes a desperate woman, tragically placing her ideals almost single-handedly towards a pursuit of a man and its accompanying wealth. That has never turned out well, and her web of lies grows thicker and more disturbing as time passes.

There is no reformation to goodness, but that isn't necessarily problematic. I remember watching Walter White spiral turn to a point of no return, but the most riveting part was seeing the change. Unfortunately, Ivy does not grow, either for better or for worse. She is the same snobbish, irresponsible, and selfish girl she always was, to the very end, and the stagnation of her character development left me feeling dissatisfied and out of touch with the choices and emotions she was feeling.

Gideon, Roux, and her family each presented as interesting and complex characters, but too much was withheld or not enough time was spent for me to become attached to what happened to them. The story was told purely from Ivy's perspective, so perhaps her inordinate self-absorption made it impossible for me to get a proper glimpse of these flawed characters. What I certainly know is just how toxic this ivy is—Yang certainly knew how to mix in the love triangle, the devious lies, and the machinations and manipulations in a spell-binding combination.

Many thanks to Simon & Schuster and Netgalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

A tough decision on rating because initially entranced and thinking a solid 4, then interest waxed and waned becoming a solid 3.5. Ultimately decided to round up because this book is so hard to categorize. Credit for being well written--no grimacing prose.

The setting as described by the publisher: "... a young woman’s dark obsession with her privileged classmate and the lengths she’ll go to win his love. Ivy Lin is a thief and a liar—but you’d never know it by looking at her...Ivy has grown into a poised yet restless young woman, haunted by her conflicting feelings about her upbringing and her family...just as Ivy is about to have everything she’s ever wanted, a ghost from her past resurfaces, threatening the nearly perfect life she’s worked so hard to build." [this last part--ghost--a huge hint of a trajectory],

First, why is this book called "White Ivy"? I didn't see any reason as to the "white." [and i searched "white Ivy"]

Second, some reviewers have mentioned the unlikeable characters. Yes, that is true--particularly Ivy, Nan, Roux, and Sylvia [I give the others a pass]. But all flawed. And some saw this book as a thriller, I did not,

Third, approximate 15% of the book--spoilers I will not reveal. One I saw coming miles away; the other I did not.

Very much a combination platter: immigrant story, coming of age, clash of cultures. Definitely a tale of obsession, self-loating, desperation, depravity, deviousness, wealth and privilege vs. not. And dark, dark, dark!

Many descriptions that were wonderful:

"brick-faced people"

"...even though Mrs. Roman spoke Romanian and Nan Chinese, now similar they sounded when shouting, like a flock of angry ravens, the consonants clipped and hardened by anger. Maybe anger was the only universal language."

"Ivy watched, mesmerized and her mother's nostrils flared out like door flaps each time she inhaled."

"The air was so dank you could open your mouth and taste its poisonous residue."

"His skin was pink and pale, like ham..."

"Honest duplicity, instead of the infinitely more exhausting duplicitous honesty,"

and many more.

One that threw me--twice--the description of eyes as "swarthy"--I think of a complexion as swarthy--not eyes!

That said, this book kept me going though at times, I was less interested than I was at the beginning, And the very end--did not care for, So a cautious recommend--not for everyone,

Suspenseful, disturbing and totally compelling, this will appeal to fans of other literary thrillers like You, Luckiest Girl Alive and Necessary People.

I’m not even sure how to write this review, but I really loved this book way more than I expected to.

It’s the story of Ivy, a Chinese American who grew up learning to steal (taught by her grandmother), and always dreaming of having the finer things in life. She becomes infatuated with Gideon, an American classmate whose family is rich. Soon after, her parents ship her off to see relatives overseas. When she returns five weeks later, she learns her family has moved to a new home in a new state...and away from Gideon and another friend she hung out with.

Now as an adult, after having a run in with Gideon’s sister, Ivy finds herself in his life like never before. Her greed and desire for this new way of living will push her to places she’s never known, and will undoubtedly change the course of her life forever.

This book is not a heart-pounding thriller. It’s a coming of age drama that has a low simmer of suspense throughout, and is beautifully written by Susie Yang. After a bit of a slow start (15% or so), I found myself fully engaged and committed to the tale I was reading. It’s a slow burn but my no means boring. I highly recommend for those who can stay invested in a book and want to peel back the layers of the characters. 4.5 stars.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster, Susie Yang, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was given this ARC for an honest review. I struggled with it and I really wanted to love it. I couldn’t feel any chemistry between the two main characters. Ivy tried hard to make something of herself in America but she got caught up in material things. She was trained as a child to steal what she needed and this carried on as an adult. She was consumed by what she saw the rich people had and tried to pull off that she had more than she actually did. She was so conflicted by life and trying to keep her family happy by sending them money every month. That part made me sad.
There will be people that will love this book I can’t say that but I liked it.

Thank you for giving me the chance to read and review this book.

While billed as a thriller, this book is more of a character development. While very well written, the main problem is that none of the characters are particularly likeable or relatable.

The main character, Ivy, is self centered and extremely selfish. In actuality, while characters, such as Roux, have had miserable childhoods, they don't grow unto sympathetic people. In fact, all of the characters, despite their backgrounds, are unlikable and unrelatable.

There is a plot twist at the end which I suppose can categorize the book as a thriller.

The author is a terrific writer. If only her characters and plot were terrific as well.

I was given an advance copy of this book. I am leaving my honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book is being billed as a "mystery/thriller," which I don't think is accurate. I went into the book thinking it was going to have surprises, twists, and suspense, but there's just...not. Don't get me wrong; it's clear that the author is talented. The writing is good and the characters are well developed. But the main character, Ivy, is extremely unlikeable and I just wasn't that interested in her story. There is a "twist" at the very end of the book, but I was so uninvested in the characters and the plot that it didn't even faze me. If you pick up this book, know that you're not getting a thriller, but rather a slow-moving story about a woman who will lie and steal to get what she wants, but never in a very dramatic way.

Review posted on Goodreads on May 12, 2020.

A debut novel by an author whose writing drew me in kept me turning the pages.Characters that come alive a multilayered plot.Highly recommend this book this new author,#netgalley#simon&schuster

This book was a very pleasant surprise! I enjoyed Ivy's experience and i could relate to her even though I'm nothing like her. This was achieved through good writing. So, about the book:
Ivy Lin is a Chinese immigrant desperately trying to fit into the privileged world of her wealthy and mostly white peers from school. Ivy develops a crush on Gideon Speyer, the son of a wealthy politician (senator) family.

In her twenties, Ivy finds herself back in Gideon's life. Despite Ivy's striving to mirror the gentle, restrained, poise, and superior behaviors that she attributed to the upper class, we learn that this is a front and not at all who she really is. She goes into vivid detail about how she sees herself as lowly, ugly, and worthless. On the contrary, she sees her classmates as the perfection and "American Dream" she has always wanted to be and to achieve. Through premeditated schemes and manipulation, Ivy worms her way into Gideon's world and proves she is willing to go to extreme lengths to protect her newfound place in life as the girlfriend she has wanted to be for so long.

As mentioned above, the superstar of the book is the writing. Ivy's shared perception of the class differences were cynical and relatable in a way that makes the reader uncomfortable in a good way. Ivy's self-esteem issues were sometimes hard to read, but good writing has the ability to make us feel voyeuristic when done well.

White Ivy is a fast-paced read and that kept me mostly engaged until the last quarter when I found myself skimming a bit because everything that happened was so predictable (which is unfortunate because it was the real “action” of the book). The “twist” - if it can be called that, I’m not sure it was even supposed to be one - was so obvious throughout that it seemed impossible it could surprise Ivy when she realized. The ending felt rushed to the point of being almost ridiculous, and I felt the final dialogue and scene kind of undermined the more complicated themes Yang wove throughout the book, ending it on a trite note. Overall, though, this is an enjoyable novel for readers who can enjoy a book full of flawed and unlikeable characters. Speaking of characters, I think White Ivy is strongest when it is focused on the Lin family - their hopes, dreams, struggles, values, and secrets as Chinese-American immigrants. I would have enjoyed seeing more of them in the second half, and would have especially liked to learn more about Ivy’s father, Shen. Maybe this book didn’t need to be a thriller after all? Thank you to Simon and Schuster and NetGalley for the galley in exchange for my honest opinion!

This novel is rich and layered. It starts as a coming of age story for Ivy Lin and turns into a thriller, which was unexpected.

The first half of the novel was of Ivy's childhood and upbringing. Born in China and raised by her grandmother until the age of five, Ivy and her grandma joined Ivy's parents in the US, in a small town in Massachusetts. She spent a short time in a Prep School, where Ivy developed an ambition of being part of the upper social class. Ivy has a crush on Gideon Speyer, the son of a wealthy politician (senator) family. The earlier part of the novel details Ivy's character and her struggles growing up. Imagine the contrast of being raised in an immigrant family: the broken English, her father, an IT technician, her grandmother a farmer's daughter, and her mother with a secretive past, versus Ivy wanting to fit in with the elite circles whose families have summer homes. In her twenties, Ivy once again found herself back in Gideon's life. Despite Ivy's striving to mirror the gentle, restrained, poise, and superior behaviors that she attributed to the upper class, we learn that Ivy couldn't fall far from the tree or her darker instincts. (This feels a little bit like the novel Prep, the immigrant version).

The latter half of the novel was plot-driven, and Ivy's decisions and actions referencing back to those darker instincts that we know of from her childhood. Once "Ivy sinks her claws into Gideon and the entire Speyer clan by attending fancy dinners and weekend getaways to the Cape," the coming-of-age-of-an-immigrant story took a turn into the thriller territory. Backstories, observations, dreams, and events unfold that made the next events or conclusions predictable. When the twist and turns revealed, I was not surprised.

I like Yang's writing. The insights that Ivy shared or her view of the class differences were cynical, more than I would have wanted to read, but they were sharp. Ivy's constant struggles with insecurity, shame, self-doubt were so pervasive from the pages that I had to remind myself this is the writer's creation, and not necessarily true of the world. In that sense, while I enjoyed reading the book and it's superbly written and crafted, it takes some time for me to shake off the gloom and self-destruction written into this complex character.

One detail that I wish the author provided in the book is the background of Andrea. If Ivy is Chinese, Gideon and his circle are white (blue-eyed), Una Kim is Korean, Roux is Romanian, then shouldn't her roommate (and best friend?) Andrea have an ethnic identity? Just a thought. I love the character of Andrea, for the small and contrasting part (from Ivy) that she brings and adds dimension to the novel.

Thank you, Simon & Schuster, for providing a free advanced ebook via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This debut novel is remarkably assured and confident. The characters are dense, complex, and not "good," which made them both believable and intriguing. Ivy, the primary character, is fascinating-- I never doubted her choices or lost interest in why she made them. Highly recommend for an excellent character study.

If you're looking for a lighthearted, uplifting read White Ivy is not for you. Despite the title, White Ivy definitely leans toward the dark side. Ivy Lin is a Chinese immigrant desperately trying to fit into the privileged world of her wealthy and mostly white shoolmates. Despite her working class background Ivy is able to attend the prestigious Grove Preparatory Day School tuition free because her father works there. At Grove Ivy meets Gideon, and she is smitten with the shy, polite, senator's son. Ivy is on the cusp of getting close to Gideon when her parents move the family from Boston to New Jersey, leaving Ivy bereft. Years later Ivy runs into Gideon's sister Sylvia and she reunites Ivy and Gideon. Once Ivy is back in Gideon's orbit she is determined not to let him slip from her grasp. Ivy's relationship with Gideon is a mystery-although Gideon is affluent and cultured, his demure personality doesn't mesh with the headstrong Ivy. What's really up with Gideon is obvious as the nose on his face (to everyone but Ivy), yet this revelation is used as White Ivy's defining moment. The disclosure of Gideon's true intentions doesn't deliver the punch Susie Yang might have hoped for, but it certainly sums up the book's message-be careful what you wish for 'cause you just might get it. White Ivy is gritty, slick and bitterly ironic, but much like the title character there's not a lot going on underneath the lily white surface.

I loved this book, which is about a girl who immigrates to America from China and falls deeply in love...with consumerism. And also two very different men.

This book is so beautifully and lyrically written. It has echoes of The Great Gatsby and The Secret History. I was completely consumed by this book, so that I was unaware of anything else happening around me. That’s how obsessed I was with Ivy.

No spoilers but there is a moment in this book that is so genuinely shocking, I gasped aloud. I am not really sure how else to describe this book except that it’s gorgeous, and I can’t wait to read more from this author.

Thanks to NetGalley, Simon and Schuster and Susie Yang for an advance copy of this arresting and beautiful book in exchange for my honest review.

Susie Yang’s debut novel, White Ivy, is a gem! The tale follows five year old Ivy Lin and her journey to America to join her parents. This is a charming, at times cringe worthy coming, of age tale. Struggling to fit in with classmates and then colleagues, Ivy is self critical and self sabotaging. After reconnecting with her girlhood crush, she obsess about him. How far will she go to win the man of dreams? Everyone is hiding something. How far will Ivy go to keep her secrets.

WHITE IVY by Susie Yang is a novel about a Chinese American woman, Ivy, finding her own identity amongst her immigrant family, American society and her lovers. I really expected to love it after reading the beginning. I feel always a connection reading about Chinese women in North America but Ivy isn’t a character to love. This is a literary thriller and that felt disjointed. The first half is literary fiction and the second half is more thriller. Still overall an enjoyable read and I would definitely read Yang’s next book.

Thanks Netgalley for this book. I really enjoyed this book. I loved Ms Yang’s style of writing. It flows like you’re watching a movie. It didn’t think it was for me, but I got caught up it the story and then couldn’t put it down. It’s a story that you keep thinking of, days after you’re finished.

BLOWN AWAY. This was completely and totally INCREDIBLE. An engaging character study, and a thrilling page turner (so rare to find that combination!) I adored every second of this, and found myself stopping for deep breaths occasionally. My favorite quarantine read of yet!

Thank you Netgalley as well as the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. For a debut this book was written extremely well and the story had a lot of depth so that's why I gave it 3 stars however, I did not like the book at all.