Bleak, powerful, incredibly hard to read. STRONG trigger warnings for any readers who have survived child sexual assault. Exercise extreme caution when reading or recommending to others.

Fang Si-Chi's First Love Paradise by Lin Yi-Han is a captivating and tender exploration of first love, friendship, and the complexities of youth. Through the lens of Fang Si-Chi's coming-of-age journey, Lin Yi-Han masterfully captures the nuances of adolescence with both sensitivity and depth. The characters leap off the page with their authenticity, and readers will find themselves easily swept away by their trials and triumphs. Lin Yi-Han's prose is evocative and poignant, painting a vivid portrait of Taiwan in the 1980s while simultaneously tapping into the universal experiences of growing up and falling in love. The novel's rich emotional landscape and heartfelt storytelling make it a truly unforgettable read. Fang Si-Chi's First Love Paradise is a poignant reminder of the power of young love and the enduring bonds that shape our lives.

In this painful to read novel, a bright young girl is sexually assaulted by her neighbor/tutor. In order to make sense of the trauma and as a means of surviving, she must contort her experience into that of love. The manipulation of her tutor is graphically depicted; as is the general culture and attitude amongst the cram school tutors who regularly abuse their power. Some of the nuances may have been lost to me in translation and I don't claim to have a deep or personal understanding of Taiwanese culture, but I certainly could pick up on the devastation and the effects of trauma.

Dark and harrowinf. I definitely got the comparisons to Lolita and the vibe was… utterly utterly twisted. Thanks so much for the arc

A story about a young Taiwanese girl, groomed and molested by a teacher in her building, when she was only 14 years old. Fang Si-Chi and her best friend admire and look up to the teacher. He preys upon their vulnerabilities and tells them he would review their essays for them and gives them a topic to write about. When Fang Si-Chi goes to visit him to have him review her essay, he preys upon her and rapes her. She is too scared to tell her parents and even her best friend about her abuser. The teacher and his colleagues are all complicit in taking advantage of young girls in their schools. They laugh and joke about it. Even though Fang Si-Chi is mentally disturbed by the abuse, the teacher keeps telling her she is the only one he loves and cares for, even though he is married and has a young daughter. Fang Si-Chi cannot stop herself from meeting him. She was a brilliant student and now is reduced to self loathing and depression. Si-Chi experiences the rape and molestation until she goes to college and it becomes the ruin of her. The story is well writtten,but the material is hard to read and extremely disturbing.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me the ARC to read.

This was a dark harrowing novel ,a book that is not easy to read. but I was so caught up in the story the sadness of this young girl the abuse she suffered.A very well written heart wrenching read.#netgalley #harpervia

These types of stories, ugh, I don’t know why I put myself through them over and over… but I do! These stories are important, the subject matter, while hard to digest… IMO should not be left in the dark. I appreciate these hard to swallow, reminders of the real world & in this case that it’s a world wide issue… a people problem. You’ll know if this is a book you can handle early on. Thank you for the chance to read this early translation.

By all definitions a difficult read; the bleakness of the subject matter, however, does little to dull the impact of the themes presented here. Rather, it highlights them, making them all the more resonant. While <i>Fang Si-Chi</i> is no doubt a monumental and important work, the plot often wanders in seemingly meaningless ways, with many characters feeling rather underdeveloped as well. Despite its flaws, <i>Fang Si-Chi's First Love Paradise</i> stands as a shocking and stirring testimony to the hidden power structures that are still so prevalent in our modern society.

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The description of this book was what drew me toward it: a seminal work in Taiwan’s #MeToo movement, with themes reminiscent of “My Dark Vanessa” and “Lolita.” The story that unfolds throughout “Fang Si-Chi’s First Love Paradise” lives up to the promise of its description, but—like the other two books—it’s not one that lends itself to recommendations without severe content warnings.

This is the story of Fang Si-Chi, an adolescent girl growing up in Taiwan, and how an older man abuses his position of trust and authority. One of the hardest elements to reconcile with while reading is how Si-Chi (and other girls who are targeted in this way) are either blamed or abandoned when they try to get help. Even Si-Chi’s childhood best friend initially reacts with anger upon being told. It’s only a recently married woman—in her own abusive relationship—who tries to help, albeit without the resources to do so.

One of the most important caveats with this book is that it’s told from different points of view, one of which is the man who abuses Si-Chi throughout her teenage years. It can be upsetting and difficult to read through these sections, especially when combined with the multitude of chapters where Si-Chi tries to convince herself that he loves her.

These stories are so important to be told, but that doesn’t mean they’re easy to digest. If you are in a space to read this book, it will be published (in newly translated English) on June 11. Otherwise, I’d recommend giving this one a skip.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an advance reader's copy (ARC) of this book. This book was deeply harrowing but also a reality for many women and girls. it contains a lot of trigger warnings that I wasn't ready for when I started the book so please be aware of that.
Overall, I'm very excited that this book has made it into an English translation, and that I don't have to learn another language to read this book about a topic, that is, unfortunately, a universal experience for many.