i think this novel will resonate with many asian-american women who chafe at the cultural expectations of asian parents, while aspiring to be an "american" success story.

i think that non-asian readers could find the protagonist unlikeable in her choices but, as an asian-american myself, i felt that's what made audrey zhou real and relatable.

the prose felt immediate and modern and the premise messy in the best way.

i would definitely recommend to my asian-american friends.

Lives you could have lived if not for _____ is always a fascinating subject to explore—and the addition of 'returning to your hometown and running into an old crush' gives this story (at a glance) all the luster of a good romcom. However, Delia Cai's Central Places digs a lot deeper, excavating the ways in which our past will always shape our present. Some of the themes of identity and familial obligation, especially in the context of being a second-generation American, seem familiar to other books that I've read, but these characters were fully fleshed out, and Cai's voice keeps things fresh.

I think this book would be a good fit for readers of Xochitl Gonzalez or Jessica George, but you could definitely cast a wider net and still find a match, too.

Thank you to Ballantine for the opportunity to read and review!

I enjoyed this story about a woman in her late 20's, who visits her parents in "the middle of nowhere" Illinois with her fiancé. She hasn't been home since she left for college and abandoned her old life and her high school friends for a fresh start. She always felt different living in the midwest with her immigrant parents (from China) and still feels like the odd one out when she returns.

I liked the cadence of this story as it unfolded over the pre & post holiday season- really enjoyed spending the time with the main character Audrey. She isn't the most likeable character and her poor actions - past and present - are pointed out by lots of people surrounding her.

Delia Cai so clearly communicates and understands the idea that "you can never go home." A sharp look at the ways in which children of immigrants leave pieces of themselves behind while they create space for themselves in the world — and how they can get them back.

This was the first book I have read by this author. I was not really impressed. It went to slow to me and was all over. I may would give this author another chance. I might would recommend this book.

A little laborious to get through. The MC was self centered and viewed herself as a victim constantly which was grating on the nerves but it was necessary for the evolution that takes place throughout the book. I appreciate the rawness of all the characters and the flaws that were shown. It felt real and maybe that struck a nerve with me too because I could so clearly see parts of myself in Audrey. It was an interesting reading experience and one I am sure alot of 30 something year olds will be able to relate to in some way. This book seems like a labor of love and I appreciate the heart that went into it.

This is a great book club pick. This is an exciting new voice in the literary world. Thanks for the review copy.

It was a thought-provoking novel that was well written. Thank you netgalley for the early copy of it.

So relatable. MC goes through very real life events and author does an amazing job of conveying them. I would love love love to read more books by author!

This book really had it all- love, family, friendship and growth. Very good and well written. I especially liked the characters.

I was drawn to the synopsis, finding parallels to my own life. Cai's debut novel was sublime. I read the physical book as well as listened to the audiobook and devoured it in just a few hours.

Central Places is a character-driven novel. The MC, Audrey Zhou, is Chinese American and grew up in a small, predominantly White mid-western town where she has always felt like the odd person out and has had a fraught relationship with her parents, particularly her mother. She has left high school friends and family behind her, or so she thinks, until her fiancé persuades her to visit home and spend time during Christmas.

The novel is layered with questions we all ask ourselves when go back “home” -- it's about the choices we’ve made/make & what fuels those choices, tense relationships with our parents and viewing old hurts from a more grown-up lens. It's about growth and introspection. Audrey thinks she's "made it" in several ways - severing her "old self" with her new "New York self," but did she really?

I read an article about the author and the novel in @joysauceofficial which I really enjoyed. In response to a question, Cai says:

“Did those relationships last forever like we said they would after graduation? No. But does that mean they were any less important? No. Writing this was a way of honoring that.”

Cai writes the way I would love to write and Central Places has themes similar to my own work. That anger and frustration between her and her mother -it's so palpable and I've lived it. The emotions she's felt when she comes across her old high school friends (and the drama of seeing an old crush) - been there. I think we've all felt that too when we are faced with the old version of our self that we thought we've tucked or hidden away.

This novel is thoughtful, fluid, but also alarming and jarring in many ways. I truly enjoy books like these that make you think and reflect. Such a dynamic debut. Swipe for the full synopsis.

Thank you @penguinrandomhouse for the #gifted book.

I really liked this novel about family, friendship and reconciling with your past to move forward. It was tender and funny. Highly recommend.

🏙️ CENTRAL PLACES REVIEW 🏙️

Overview:
👩🏻‍❤️‍👨🏼 Interracial relationship
👩‍👧 Strained Mother-daughter relationship
🫱🏼‍🫲🏻Meet the parents
📍Illinois setting
🏡 Return to hometown

Synopsis: Audrey Zhou left her small Illinois town for New York City, and she does whatever she can to avoid going back. Now engaged, Audrey returns home for the holidays so her parents can finally meet her fiancé, Ben. Memories from high school and living with her parents resurface during her time back in town, and she can’t help but remember the girl she used to be. What was supposed to be a few days home turn into Audrey grappling with where she actually belongs and who she belongs with.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5 I saw myself in Audrey. I related to her in her thoughts about herself, in her non-confrontational nature, and in some aspects of her family relationships. Her dad’s quiet protectiveness and the way he showed Audrey love both in her childhood and adulthood reminded me of my own dad. Be warned that if you have a tumultuous relationship with your mom that this one might be triggering to you. Some of the interactions Audrey had with her mom during the book reminded me of the times I used to fight with my mom in high school, and Cai’s writing (which is very good, in my opinion) is relatable and might bring you back to unpleasant times. Like Audrey, it took me a long time to understand my mom and understand that some of the quirks she had that drove me nuts were actually her ways of expressing love. Audrey so badly wanted to leave her old self behind her in Hickory Grove, but I liked her realization that the place where you grow up and the people you grew up with are a part of your story, even if some of the memories of those things are painful. I felt like Cai accurately captured the intensity of emotions during formative years and how events that took place during those years can have long-lasting impacts on a person, regardless of how much time has passed. I loved how Audrey’s relationship with her parents progressed in the book, and as someone who values my relationships with people, I enjoyed how she learned to make amends.

I'll start with some positives. I liked that this story was set in small-town Illinois. As a fellow Midwesterner, it was relatable. And the author did a great job describing everything. She painted a really vivid picture. The writing itself was great.
However, I kind of hate Audrey. And since the entire story was told from her POV, I struggled. She was so selfish and pretentious, I could not root for her. In the end, she fucked things up and I had zero sympathy for her. I felt terrible for those who were innocent and collateral damage to her mess, especially her dad.
I wish I had more to say on this one, but all in all, it was decent writing of a shitty story.

Aubrey is the daughter of Chinese immigrants who left home in Hickory Grove as soon as high school ended and never looked back. Always coming up with excuses as to why she can’t come home, those excuses come to a halt when she learns her father has to have a medical procedure. Nervous and reluctantly Aubrey goes home with her wealthy fiancé Ben in tow. Aubrey is nervous about introducing Ben to her controlling, judgmental mother. No sooner than they reach Hickory Grove, Aubreys’ issues with her mom start almost instantly, and all the stress and angst from her childhood come rushing back. Aubrey and her mom have a contentious relationship to say the least and that is all compounded by old friends and unfinished business with her old crush Kyle. The longer she is home the more Aubrey realizes maybe her relationship with Ben may not be what it seems and coming home may be just what she needs to find herself again.

This started as a slow read for me, but I really like the cultural references. Aubreys relationship with her mom reminded me of Black and Caribbean moms. As a Black woman reading a book from a female minority angle I felt I could really relate to Aubrey and her dynamic with her mother. Even though it was a bit slow I enjoyed this one,
Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing for this ARC.

A beautiful book about reconciling with one's past; Cai deftly handles themes of intergenerational trauma, race relations in Middle America, and what it means to return home. She does of all this while weaving a compulsively readable plot, following the relationship between the protagonist and her New York City boyfriend as she takes him to the small Illinois town where she grew up.

Central Places is a story about how one's going back home after spending a long time afar from it. Home is where the heart is.... but for our main character's Audrey it's also where the problems are. There's this complicated feelings about her ex best friends, and then her former highschool crush that still made her heart beat faster. It's all coming back to her like a trainwreck. It made me seeing how the real Audrey is: she's not perfect, that's for sure. She made some questionable decisions. She's not flawless at all, which is it's good but at the same time it's also making me questions a lot of things, one of it being: is she really this age? Because from her decision to decision (that's not all good), she should've been younger. But hey, it's life. We grew up differently.
Central Places have a kind of pretty predictable third act, but it's not that much problem for me. The one that bothers me though, Harry Potter's mention, especially in a light/positive way and not criticism way. Like... C'mon, authors! Especially, yes, the millennials ones. There are much better books or pop culture to mention out there. Leave this series in the 2010s.

Anyway, I think that's all. This book is okay. For me it's a 2.8 stars, rounded up.

The first few pages grabbed me – I enjoyed getting to know Audrey, but unfortunately she started to irritate me. I would have enjoyed if it went a little deeper with her, instead of feeling like she was whiny. So much of what she complained about was partly her own doing (not all, but partly) and the lack of responsibility in that was a turnoff. If it had been a bit more balanced I might have felt a little more invested.

Absolutely gripping and though provoking. I felt my heart being tugged on with each page that passed, and was incredibly satisfied with the story and how it concluded.

This is a beautiful debut novel that questions if you can ever really go home, and what happens if that home has changed? What happens if you haven't? This book tackles hard topics like homecoming, coming of age, and facing your parents and the sacrifices they have made for you and your identity. Its beautifully written and heartbreaking at parts.