This was such an interesting story! I really enjoyed the unique plot and the characters. I look forward to the author’s next work!

This is a very nice book that is very profound from what I read.
The character had various questions even though of his serious condition he tried to be a strong person.

He wanted to help his parents as well showing he cared about them..

Though it had some parts that were sad, the book was very intriguing to read, as you read it, you want to read it further.

For die-hard fans only, I've read a Tao Lin novel years ago and enjoyed it (Taipei), and Leave Society feels like a pseudo-sequel, to the point I believe both novels are essentially autobiographical, documenting the daily (un)mundane of a very particular Taiwanese American individual.

Leave Society drew me in with its frank portrayal of a Chinese family that was dangling between two vastly different cultures—the depiction of the passive aggressiveness between the traditionalist parents and the westernized children (whether that is about language, tradition, or even the home remedy when one catches a cold) had me gasping at its relatability and accuracy (exactly how my family functions)—a very specific dynamic I don't often see written about in Western literature, especially in such an unflattering, unromanticized way.

Being an anecdotal narrative that is almost boring on purpose, connecting with the protagonist is key to a reader's enjoyment. I enjoyed Taipei immensely when I read it during university, because my then sense of identity (or lack of one) closely related to the novel's frenzied protagonist. Reading Leave Society in my mid-30s, it is evident Tao Lin is continuing to be adventurous while I have mellowed out, so the intense obsession over micro-dosing and experimental dieting just doesn't hold my interest.

This is a clear scenario where the author and the reader are no longer on the same wavelength; I can still appreciate objectively Leave Society's literary boldness, documenting a very particular way of life in all of its frustration and tedium, and Tao Lin remains one of the few authors who really captures the undercurrent of a cross-cultured Asian family, but I think I'll stick to his short form work in the future.

I don't tend to pick up 'autofiction' as it's not a genre I like enough. Read Murakami's most recent novel earlier in the year. That one flirts with the autofiction genre very badly; a shocking disappointment. Tao Lin's novel surprised me. I had very low expectations going in, and am gladly surprised. Perhaps, I'll read more autofiction now?
A very easy read. I love, love, love the narrative style, and how Tao Lin uses or rather translates Mandarin Chinese in such a direct, personal and playful way. The novel made me feel weird and fuzzy. Also, (an obviously popular opinion) Dudu is an absolute star in it.

I love Tao Lin's strange, plain, and straight forward style of writing. He doesn't try to use a lot of metaphor and instead depicts reality in such a way it's as if a computer were taking daily notes of a human's activities, conversations, thoughts, and so on. I'm not sure what the story is beyond the idea of becoming more healthy and leaving society, but I enjoyed Lin's insights and observations and his style. The second half of the novel when Kay appears is stronger than the first half, maybe because there's more energy behind the description of their relationship.

This was probably cathartic for the author, but a bore for readers. Too mundane and banal without much conflict or personal growth.

Thank you to both #NetGalley and Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group/Vintage for providing me an advance copy of Tao Lin’s latest novel, Leave Society, in exchange for an honest review.

A friend recommended that I read one of the author’s previous novels, so I pounced on the opportunity to review his most recent work. Given my already high expectations, I was disappointed to find that neither the writing nor the plot resonated with me. This book is a perfect example of autofiction; a genre that I am beginning to suspect I do not particularly enjoy.

The subject matter is mainly depressing and the writing itself felt bland. I unfortunately cannot quote any excerpts to support this since the novel is not yet published, but I would be curious to know from other readers’ experiences whether all autofiction is written in this style.

On a positive note, the chapters are broken into digestible passages, with dashes separating each one every few paragraphs. This made it easier to read through some of the duller parts of the novel.

However, despite my thoughts, I do think this story will be fascinating to certain readers; especially, those who have followed the author’s career and personal life over time. To me, this felt like a cathartic way for the author to resolve some lingering personal issues. Again, this is a form of fiction, so I do not know whether this is true or not.

What a warm, generous novel. This has to be Tao Lin's most mature work to date. Though his writing style remains the same (autofiction at its most extreme, with a keen eye on day-to-day details, down to the hour at times), Lin has teased out a character who isn't so much self-destructive, as he perhaps would have been in the past, but has rendered a character set to mending himself and his family instead. The character of Li feels so fleshed-out, and the way he subtly clashes with his parents, then immediately apologizes, felt so real. This is a character who has put himself through the ringer, and is now deeply devoted to bettering not only himself and his family, but his relationship to people in general. There's much to admire here.