This is sharp, uncomfortable, and very smart, and it knows exactly where it wants to press.

New Skin is a darkly comic, deeply unsettling look at a mother and daughter locked in a relationship that feels both intimate and suffocating. Linli Feng is twenty-six and just on the edge of escape, newly accepted into a NY graduate program and ready to build a life that does not orbit her mother’s chaos. That plan collapses the moment Fanny reappears, disfigured and spiraling after years of underground cosmetic procedures in Los Angeles’s bootleg beauty economy. Fanny finds herself in trouble with the law as well as on the cusp of changing her life via a reality TV show and Linli just wants to escape

Linli and Fanny are bound by love, resentment, loyalty, and competition in ways that feel real. Their relationship is not exaggerated for satire.
The reality TV element could have tipped into gimmick territory, but instead it becomes a brutal extension of the book’s central question. What does American success demand? Watching Fanny chase redemption through spectacle while Linli tries to salvage stability and her own future creates a devastating tension.

I finished this book unsettled in the best way, and I highly recommend it.

#NewSkin #SarahWang #LittleBrown #DarkHumor #RealityTVCulture #NetGalleyReads

Came for the plastic surgery/reality tv premise, stayed for the incredible writing. Despite wanting to linger in the prose, this debut is a fast read because the tension and stakes are so well done, weaved within the story of a daughter trying to save her mother from herself. Add in social commentary, explorations of immigrant families, and a meaningful expose of the American Dream and you get a fantastic debut. I hope this author branches into horror at some point; the voice is perfect for it, and this book tiptoes along that line anyway.

Firstly, thank you as always to NetGalley, the publisher, and to Sarah Wang for allowing me to preview New Skin prior to its official publication date!

Wow! New Skin was another rare five star read for me. This book's themes were incredibly powerful - racism, classism, capitalism, consumerism, beauty standards, addiction, codependency, and the realities and fears that come with living life as a non-citizen in the US. Though what hooked me initially was the synopsis that included mention of plastic surgery addiction and reality tv, I was really blown away by the codependency of Linli and Fanny's relationship and the shocking hidden world of illegal procedures and the intricacies of the women who participate in and provide those services.

My heart broke over and over again for Linli as she navigated her mother's abhorrent behavior and the subsequent self-destructive decisions she made throughout the story. I know that some may find their relationship difficult to believe - WHY would she continue to care for and adore her mother when she has been treated so horribly throughout her entire life? But that is exactly the nature of a toxic, codependent relationship. I am also not from the same culture, so I imagine there are a myriad of intricacies influenced by heritage that I cannot even begin to imagine. I thought their relationship was both shocking and an incredibly accurate depiction of just how destructive a codependent relationship can be. If a reader doesn't understand - they should be thankful for that!

I thought that the plastic surgery addiction storyline was extremely unique and though I have seen a lot of body horror used as well as beauty as a central theme in recent books, this really pushed the envelope and took it to another level. I would be fascinated to see this on the big screen, though it would have to be done with extreme precision.

The reality tv show was definitely over the top and unbelievable in parts, but I saw this more as a commentary on and almost satirical portrayal of what shlock we as a society consume. How desensitized we've become to watching people's most vulnerable moments played out on national television and the limits that are constantly being pushed.

Excellent novel, I look forward to reading more of Ms. Wang's work!

This is such an insane, addictive take on a mother/daughter story. I loved how the plastic surgery was incorporated to their dynamic. Absolutely captivating storytelling.

Wow, I could not put this book down. New Skin by Sarah Wang was such a quick, engaging read—I flew through it thanks to the engaging writing style and how layered the characters felt. Linli’s struggle with her mom was messy and emotional in a very real way, and Fanny was the kind of character who frustrates you but still keeps you hooked. Their relationship really drives the story and kept me invested the whole time.

I also really appreciated how the book explored the immigrant experience and the pressure tied to the American Dream. It added a lot of depth to the story without feeling heavy-handed. Overall, it’s a compelling, character-driven read that’s both entertaining and thought-provoking.