This book was just not for me. I knew I was taking a chance since it isn't my usual genre but I took a chance. I couldn't really get into it so I stopped reading it. It is definitely a case of not you, but me.

This was probably underserved by the sheer amount of hype building around it. While good, it had some areas of opportunity. High-stakes futuristic sci-fi thriller that ties in climate change. Fantastic cast, fast-moving, a bit distant.

Want is the first book in the young adult Want series by Cindy Pon. The Want series is a Dystopian that has a really cool world setup. If you are a fan of books set in the future that feature all kinds of cool technology, which is personally what I love to see in my dystopians, then I think the Want series is one you should check out. The sequel Ruse is already releases, so you can binge both books back to back! It was an ok read for me, but I can see it really appealing to a lot of readers.

In Want we meet out main character Jason Zhou. Zhou is part of the meis, aka the have-nots. Sick of watching the rich (the yous) get richer, live longer and better lives, at the expense of the meis, Zhou decides he is going to finally do something about it. He links up with a group of activists whose goal it is to take down the Jin Corporation- the main company responsible for so much of the world’s pollution, which is the main factor that led to his mom’s death.

Zhou sets out to infiltrate the corporation by befriending the CEO’s daughter, Daiyu. As you can possibly imagine, things get out of hand and Zhou starts to develop feelings for Daiyu. I enjoyed the world setup and the gang of characters. The book felt a little info-dumpy at parts when I was trying to gain my bearings on the world and a little heavy handed as I was learning about the environmental problems. I actually really appreciated the issues that were present in this book, with pollution, smog and illnesses that they can cause, I just felt like I was being hit over the head with it, which sometimes took away from my reading enjoyment. It was a heavier read that I was expecting, that is not to say it is a bad thing, just not what I was expecting. I think many readers will really enjoy the message being sent in Want- especially in the current climate of the world.

My favorite aspect of the story were the ensemble cast of characters and the friendships that were forged throughout the book. If you are looking for a dystopian read set in a futuristic society that with heavy environmental issues present, Want is going to be a great series for you to check out.

I really enjoyed this book and found it very interesting with this take on this romance. I enjoyed the description of the romance interests and the different point of views . Overall I enjoyed this book and loved the cover. I can't to read other books by this author.

WHAT DID I THINK OF WANT BY CINDY PON?
Years ago, I read the short story anthology Diverse Energies, where one of the stories basically was the precursor to Pon’s Want. I am really glad she took that story and really expanded upon it to write Want. Like, it was set in such an interesting world. Basically it is kind of a dystopia. The air is hard to breathe. People all over are sick. The very rich own these suits that filter the air. The main character Jason Zhou infiltrates the wealthy society with hopes of making things more fair and equitable for everyone. Along the way, he ends up catching feelings for a girl. Turns out that girl is the daughter of the billionaire who basically invented the suits.

I am glad I read this book! It really does do a fantastic job to expand upon the storyline of Pon’s short story. I think the cast of characters is brilliant. One of my favorite tropes is when a group of people band together to overcome oppression. Jason has got some great friends and well, they do have a pretty solid plan. I can appreciate just how much work goes into their plan and rebellion I guess.

HOW’S THE NARRATION?
The audiobook of Want by Cindy Pon is narrated by Roger Yeh. It is only 9 hours and 9 minutes long. I think that it is a pretty thrilling audiobook. Yeh does a superb job narrating Jason’s story. It’s my first time listening to a book that Yeh has narrated but I am sure it won’t be the last. Overall, this is a good listen if you’re looking for a quick diverse speculative fiction audiobook.

Jason Zhou survives in a divided society where the elite use their wealth to buy longer lives. The rich wear special suits that protect them from the pollution and viruses that plague the city, while those without suffer illness and early deaths. Frustrated by his city’s corruption and still grieving the loss of his mother, who died as a result of it, Zhou is determined to change things, no matter the cost.

With the help of his friends, Zhou infiltrates the lives of the wealthy in hopes of destroying the international Jin Corporation from within. Jin Corp not only manufactures the special suits the rich rely on, but they may also be manufacturing the pollution that makes them necessary.

Yet the deeper Zhou delves into this new world of excess and wealth, the more muddled his plans become. And against his better judgment, Zhou finds himself falling for Daiyu, the daughter of Jin Corp’s CEO. Can Zhou save his city without compromising who he is or destroying his own heart?- Goodreads 

It took me some time to get into this book even though it was surprisingly short (short as in less than 20 chapters). I wasn't getting sucked into the story, which was disappointing at first. But when Jason actually gets to work, I was like alright this could be a solid book.

I liked Jason and I loved the internal conflict he was experiencing. He was struggling with doing what is right and how to complete the mission without catching feelings. Its a classic battle but it was written really well. Jason is a likable character, despite the overall slow moving plot.

What I liked most about the book was the literature references. Jason proves how smart he is by being able to hold a conversation and show off his intelligence without actually trying to belittle people. He is very conscious of how he is viewed, no matter when he didn't have any money to when he had money to blow.

Jin Corp which is the villain of the novel and for me they weren't as evil enough. Their role in the novel was basic as in they kill people for $ and on principle. They do not care about the little people and will do anything to stay on top. True classic villain and I am not even made at it.

However, there was predictability within this book. The author tries to add shock value for certain things but it was stating the obvious because you saw it coming when the story began.

What I wanted more from the book was a bit more backstory on Jason's team. They made a lot of things possible and I don't think there was as much credit as they deserved. I felt that their voice could have been stronger, especially since the book itself was a bit slow.

I will give the author credit for that ending. It made me want to read book two. There is a thrill I feel that book two will have that this book did not and that is what I am looking forward to.

Overall,

3 Pickles

I loved this book! The full review will be posted soon at kaitgoodwin.com/books! Thank you very much for this wonderful opportunity to connect books to their readers!

WANT is a glimpse into a not so distant future that is rocked by pollution, and plagued by corruption. Rich in diversity and given the perfect kind of romance, Pon's newest release is one fantastic sci-fi read! This book was awesome!

In a divided city where wealth and privilege's elite are greatly out numbered by the poor and needy, Jason Zhou finds himself in a desperate situation. One in which he feels his only way out of, is to kidnap the daughter of man who runs the Jin Corp. The very company who has fueled the wealth in the city, and has allowed the poor to live and die in absolute misery. Not to mention his company is the source of the deadly pollution killing scores of people. Zhou would know, since he just recently lost his mother to it.

Desperate times call for desperate measures. Zhou's plan to get out of his situation definitely isn't his best idea, however, I understood why he came up with this plan. Kidnapping the daughter of the owner of Jin Corp should be his ticket to freedom. His plan definitely doesn't go quite as smoothly as planned. When Zhou kidnaps Daiya for ransom, he definitely get more than he bargained for. It wasn't hard to want a better life for Zhou and his friends. I desperately wanted him to catch his break and have a way out of the life he's stuck in.

Daiya is the kind of character who I immediately found myself interested in. Just like Zhou. There's something about the two of them I found intriguing, and real about. Daiya definitely surprised me. She isn't a helpless character, nor is she the easy to win over love interest. There's more than meets the eye with Daiya, as is the case with Jason. These two have common ground is the most unlikely of ways. It was intriguing and sometimes entertaining to watch them maneuver through their complicated situations and relationship.

I loved that this book's romance was not a love at first sight. In fact, there wasn't even a liking at first site. What transpires is something interesting, and it definitely felt natural with regards to the romance. It's so good. It's just the kind of romance I've come to except and love from a Cindy Pon book.

Along with the story's main characters, are a wide range of characters that are so well written. They effortlessly sprang to life. I love it when there's a variety of characters who all have varies degrees for being apart of the story, as these characters all did. Each played a crucial part to the over all story. Surprisingly, there was something about the characters I found relatable.

The thing that really hooked me with WANT, was the way in which Pon created both her characters, and the world in which they lived. To match her incredibly well developed characters, is a vivid, extremely detailed, world. It was easy to see the future possibly of a similar world like WANT's. I found the world building to be just as fascinating as the characters.

I am not a big sci-fi, futuristic reader, but Pon's writing had my attention. This book hooked me right off the bat, and it quickly became a fast paced, action packed read I could not put down. I thoroughly enjoyed the time I spent reading this book, and I highly recommend picking it up!

Set in an alternate near future Taipei, Want is the thrilling adventure that YA desperately needs right now. Readers will easily fall in love with the amazingly diverse characters that Cindy Pon has created, and their quest to bringing forth a better future for all of their people.

This book easily reads as if you were watching a movie and I loved that. Cindy Pon’s description of this world immediately captivated me because it felt so alike to our present one. We don’t know much about our main character, Zhou, when we first meet him so he’s a little mysterious at first. Quickly, we learn that he’s mei, the poor who live “beneath” the rich, known as the yous. I easily sensed what a decent person Zhou was, but how he’s been forced to become a survivor by any means necessary after his mother’s death.

More characters are quickly introduced and the lives they live is truly heartbreaking. This alternate Taipei is overrun by pollution, and the meis are forced to wear masks that hardly even help because they still end up living such short lives compared to the yous. The yous who can afford to buy special suits, made by Jin Corp, that keeps them from breathing the air outside. As the world continued to build around me, I couldn’t help but easily root for every single character.

They were everything in this story. And there is so much representation in this book that my little heart was full of so much love for Cindy Pon! Along with Zhou, there was Lingyi, Iris, Victor, Arun, and Daiyu. I enjoyed all of them and what they brought to the story! They were all so different, but their circumstances eventually brought them together in life. I loved how loyal they were to each other. It brought that quote to life, you make your own family, and this set of characters did just that.

Once the world is set, the story begins to move more quickly and I loved all of the action. Want definitely felt like a thrilling heist book for me. There’s so many twists and turns to keep readers on their toes! All of the greed, betrayals, felt so relevant while reading. And every time Zhou would mention how their lives would’ve been different if only people in the past cared enough, broke my heart.

Everyone needs to add this eye-opening story to their bookshelf. Cindy Pon’s brilliant writing will draw you into this intriguing world of a future Taipei. Their people (and food) alone will keep you wanting more from this story. Every aspect of these characters’ lives will bring up thoughts in your own. It’ll truly give so much meaning behind Zhou’s bravery for a better world.

The story wraps up nicely, there is no real cliffhanger. But I’m so excited to learn that a sequel is in the works because I need more of these characters! I loved this book so much! The only downfall for me was the fact that I didn’t completely love Zhou’s romance arc. Probably because I don’t think anyone is good enough for my new book boyfriend, but you know. Anyways, I highly recommend everyone check this book out! It’s thrilling, thought-provoking, and fun with such diverse characters! You won’t be disappointed!

Like: The commentary on entitlement, cover

Why DNF? The main character is a not like other girls according to the lead guy. I did not read that far into Want but I could tell early on that this book was not for me.

Want features a vivid, futuristic Taipei setting, a Scooby gang, and a romance. All in all, it was an excellent combination. I thought the setting was particularly well done - the story takes place in a polluted, socially-stratified Taipei. Pollution is so severe and disease so rampant that the elites (or yous) wear special suits that filter the air. The masses (or meis) are left to fend for themselves.

Zhou is an orphan who, along with his band of friends, is trying to do something about the situation -- mainly to stop an evil tycoon who doesn't want environmental protection or the prevention of disease that would harm the market for the protective suits his company manufactures. The group needs money, so they plan to kidnap a you girl for ransom. By coincidence, the girl they grab turns out to be Daiyu Jin, the daughter of aforementioned evil tycoon. After Zhou collects the ransom and erases her memory, he somewhat guiltily inserts himself in her world again, posing as a wealthy you named Jason in order to gain access to her father's company. Daiyu shouldn't remember him, as he wiped her memory, but he sort of wishes she would....

The futuristic world in Want was believable and absorbing. I wouldn't really call this a thriller - more like romantic suspense - but I like that genre too!

Want is a riot of sensations. This book takes place in a future Taipei that is as bleak as it is richly drawn (that is to say very). Although I wouldn't want to live in this version of the world, I felt like I was experiencing Jason Zhou's home with all of my senses - from the brown smog skies (yuck) to the chaotic city life to the delicious food.

In Zhou's version of Taipei, pollution and industry are choking the environment all over the world, turning the blue skies to brown and leaving disease in its wake. While the poor are made to suffer in the polluted atmosphere, the rich wear special suits that regulate their airflow and protect them from the environment, further separating the haves, or you, from the have nots, or mei. Zhou's mother died as a result of exposure to the polluted air, and he, along with his friends, are determined to change their society, beginning with the disparity between the rich and poor.

Their goal is to take down Jin Corporation, the maker of the protective suits that the wealthy wear, because it's pretty clear to Zhou and his friends that Jin Corp is also spreading the disease that makes the suits necessary. Their plan involves Zhou getting close to Jin's daughter Daiyu, which gets complicated, because Daiyu isn't exactly what he expected, in fact he might actually like her.

I loved the characters in this story. Zhou is the narrator and has a close group of friends, all of whom are working together for this mission. I love a good squad story! Zhou also gets to know Daiyu the daughter of Jin Corp and, like him, I ended up liking her better than I thought I would. Of course there's a bit of a romance too. This story begins and ends with action - a kidnapping that sets the course of the book and then an intense rush of an ending where the characters' plans are carried out. But I also enjoyed the middle of the book, where Zhou must infiltrate the you society, and gets a look at his world from another angle.

Conclusion: Want has an amazingly strong sense of place with its setting in future Taipei, and I had a great time following Zhou and friends as they fought to take down Jin Corp. This book is also a chilling reminder of what can happen if we're not careful with our environment, and it made me want to get out into nature and breath some clean air. I definitely recommend this book!

Love Triangle Factor: None
Cliffhanger Scale: Low. Ends in a solid place, but with more story that could be explored, and a sequel called Ruse has just been announced.

I will say, I didn't even really have this book on my radar until I was so intrigued by the cover, I caved and decided to add it to my TBR, then went ahead and requested it. I'm so glad I was accepted for this one because I can only say that I freaking loved it. 

1. The romance was amazing. So, we have this angst-y, forbidden, sexually tense romance between Daiyu and Zhou, and before you roll your eyes and groan, this romance was incredibly done well. There was absolutely no insta-love (in fact, they never say they love each other AT ALL. What is this sorcery?), and it's all wonderful slow-burn and sexual tension. And when they finally get together, it's like magic. I'm usually not one to get heart eyes over a ship where the both of them are on different sides of the track, but I loved it.

(Sidenote, I also ship Lingyi and Iris SO HARD. I would not be against a book entirely dedicated to the two of them being cute. Just saying.)

2. The characters were amazing. First of all, this book had a gang at a center of it, and I'm a sucker for any sort of gang or squad - think the Dregs from Six of Crows or the Night Court from the A Court of Thorns and Roses Series - so I was into it. But I absolutely loved all the individual characters and what they brought to the table!

We have Zhou, our wonderful main character who decides to act as the spy, Victor, who is sleek and sauve and hilarious, Arun, who is the scientist, Lingyi, who is the hacker, and Iris, who reminds me so much of Black Widow, and I love her, so it was great. And Daiyu, who isn't part of the gang but is Zhou's love interest who is strong and smart and stands on her own. I'm loving this rise of smart girls over ones who can kick ass 24/7 (even though I love those as well). I WANT THEM ALL TO BE MY FRIENDS. I just loved the interactions and relationship between Zhou and the gang, especially near the end.

3. It had great world-building. First off, this book took place in Taiwan, which I've never really seen as a setting before, so it was really awesome to have a book take place somewhere different and diverse. I also thought that a world that's falling apart because of pollution and global warming was pretty much right on the nose considering the fact that Trump pulled out of the Paris Agreement a couple of weeks ago, so it was interesting to see a sci-fi future like this.

4. It was a perfect sci-fi novel. I've definitely become more obsessed with sci-fi over the last year, but I haven't read enough it, and I'm SO glad I had the opportunity to read this one. This one was more of a cross between dystopian and speculative sci-fi (which is my favorite type of sci-fi), and did a fantastic job of holding up a mirror to things such as privilege, class, and taking care of the environment. It was just done SO WELL, and I applaud Pon for it.

5. Basically, it was amazing. If I had to describe this book in any way, it'd be Six of Crows meets Red Rising - Six of Crows because of the characters and the aspect of them being in a group and Red Rising because of the whole "lower class goes undercover in the upper class" ruse, which I totally love. So, it was two of my favorite series in one, and I couldn't be happier. Not to mention that even though this had long chapters, the pacing was still perfect and kept me addicted. AND I WANT MORE. I saw on Goodreads that this might have a sequel, which I'm eternally thankful for. I NEED ONE.

Basically, you will not regret adding this book to your TBR. It's definitely worth it, and I highly recommend it, obviously.

A huge thanks to Simon and Schuster for giving me an e-ARC of this book, especially since I enjoyed it so much!

Originally posted on 2017 June 6 on Forever Young Adult

It starts as a simple plan - very dangerous, but simple; kidnap a rich young woman to gain the funds needed to bring down the Jin Corporation which is selling suits to the wealthy to protect them from the terrible pollution in Taipei. Of course, the corporation isn't above bribing politicians to keep legislation which would help fight the pollution from being passed.

Jason Zhou has grown up as a poor street kid in Taipei. He watched his mother die of an illness that could have been cured had they they money to access healthcare. He sees the sharp divide between the rich and the poor and wants to make life better for the poor of the city. Jason handles the kidnapping on his own. He didn't expect to see his victim as more than the means to an end.

When he infiltrates the rich to get information needed to bring down the Jin Corporation, he never expects to find that the girl he kidnapped is the daughter of the head of the Jin Corporation. Daiyu shouldn't remember their first meeting because of the drug he used on her. However, something about him intrigues her and they form a friendship. She becomes his guide to the Jin Corporation.

This was a great story with wonderful world building. I liked the descriptions both of the lives of the poor and of the rich. I found the description of the environmental suits interesting. I liked the way Jason becomes conflicted about the goal he and his friends are working for when he gets to know Daiyu better.

This is exciting science fiction set in an interesting part of the world.

"We are all creatures of this earth, of this shared ecosystem."

Welcome to near-future Taipei, the world divided between yous (the ones who have) and meis (the ones who don't). The world, in which the air is so polluted and filled with viruses, the sky is no longer blue and people who can't afford luxurious and incredibly expensive suits designed and sold exclusively by a dirty international corporation based in Taipei.

"This was what it meant to be a you, to have. To be genetically cultivated as a perfect human specimen before birth - vaccinated and fortified, calibrated and optimized. To have an endless database of information instantly retrievable within a second of thinking the query and displayed in helmet. To have the best air, food, and water, ensuring the longest possible life spans as the world went to rot around them. "

Jin Corporation isn't only responsible for the invention and manufacturing of the protective, ultra-advanced suits that keep the polluted air away, ensuring a healthy, comfortable life for the rich of the world. The company also makes sure that the suits are in high demand in the first place. They are powerful, merciless and won't stop at anything to get their way. And that includes corruption, threats, murder and endangering lives of thousands of people.

"If I had learned anything growing up, it was that there were no guarantees in life. But that didn't mean you simply sat back and never tried."

A group of young environmental activists has come up with a wild and extremely dangerous plan to stop the Jin Corporation. They're clever, resourceful, unafraid to take the risks and willing to sacrifice for the cause. All they want to do, is make a difference.

We follow this story through the eyes of Zhou, a teenage boy who lost his mom to the sickness caused by the city's pollution and viruses. He's the one charged with infiltrating the corporation, in order to destroy it. To do that, he needs to pretend to be one of the rich yous and befriend the Jin Corp CEO's daughter, Daiyu. This near-impossible task gets even more complicated when Zhou begins to develop feelings for Daiyu...

Want is a powerful, intelligent, and very deftly plotted Sci Fi novel with environmental undertones that feel all too familiar and real for comfort. Deadly smog, corruption, social divides - it's all stuff we are faced with presently, all around the world. It really isn't too hard to believe/connect with the plot of this book, as the ideas explored by Cindy Pon aren't some far-fetched, vague, fantastic schemes pulled out of a magical hat. These are all issues that surround us.

As someone who was recently diagnosed with asthma and went through days upon days of not being able to breathe, I feel like I was able to get into the mindset of the meis in this book more than I usually would. And even though Cindy Pon didn't include any gruesome details in her descriptions of the people suffering as a result of the low social status and inability to afford air purifiers and suits, the idea of people suffering such horrible fates got deep under my skin.

Want isn't only about environment, activism and trying to stop an evil corporation from destroying the world completely. The story is much more than just that. It's about friendship, sacrifice, and unlikely allies. It's also about love and how we shouldn't judge people based on their appearance, social status, or family roots. And it's written in a very captivating, fast-paced style that keeps you flipping pages till you hit the back cover. I breezed through this book, it was so good! And I really enjoyed getting to know the diverse cast of characters and cheering them on their mission. I definitely recommend reading it, especially if you enjoy action-packed plot lines, drool-worthy food descriptions and books set in Asia.

(Review to be posted on the blog 05/19)

Slow, captivating beginning

In Want, you are immediately thrown into the world. Zhou's narrative gives you the perfect, biased point of view of the conditions of Taipei. You got an outsider's point of view, before getting the inside point of view later on, giving you a unique feeling of being one with Zhou, as you feel what he feels, and realize it as he does.

While there is a brief explanation between what you and mei stand for in the beginning, it was difficult to grasp when being thrown directly into the story. With the quick immersion, there is also the negatives of being at a loss as to what is going on. I did know that mei (pronounced may) meant "without" and you (pronounced yo) was "to have" because of the brief key at the beginning, it was so confusing because Zhou and his friends only referred to people by this label. With terms like "you girl" or "mei servant" being thrown around, I had to keep reminding myself of what they meant by flipping back to the beginning.

Along with this, the beginning was very slow. The first third of the book is used to set up Zhou's place within the you society, and even that didn't start until his friends realized what they had to do. Even after Zhou entered the you life, things happened to fast and conveniently that I couldn't help but feel that Pon was making up for lost space.

Diverse and unique

I can tell you without a doubt that there aren't many dystopians that take place in Taiwan. A large amount of the characters were Taiwanese, but quite a few were of other ethnicities. Victor was Filipino, while the others were implied to either be Taiwanese or Chinese. Zhou himself was implied to be biracial, with an American mother and a Taiwanese father.

In addition, there was also a sapphic background couple. I seriously enjoyed that, but I couldn't help but be a little disappointed with the books other romantic relationships. There was background unrequited love that felt really fake and unnecessary, and the main romance, Zhou and Daiyu, felt . . . not forced, but I personally thought they were better friends than a couple.

The ending was also very rushed, and cut off. The reader was shoved into a position without much information, and all of a sudden, things were happening and it was hard to follow. Other events happened off-page, and they never really registered with me, so I was waiting for certain things to happen and people to show up--but they never did, because of the events that were so easily swept under the carpet.

Four and a half stars - Overall?

Want is a very enthralling read, and I loved it to the very end. While things didn't happen the way I wanted (or expected), it was still a very enjoyable and diverse read. I was rarely bored with how action-filled and exciting it was, despite how it took a while to fall into the world.

Would I Recommend?

I realize that the reasons I docked a star were more personal if anything, but even without that I would recommend this book without a second thought. (I also realized with everything that bothered me, you'd think I would have docked more. I enjoyed Want to much to give it JUST four stars.) Not only will it appeal to lovers of YA dystopians, but it's also diverse and unique, with subtle, background romance, of both male/female and sapphic relationships.

There were three major reasons I was super excited about this book. The first is that I've read Cindy's previous books and was interested in seeing how she would tackle a different genre than usual. The second is that I've read "Blue Skies," the original short story that Want was based on, so I wanted to see how the novel version builds upon it. The third is that it takes place in Taipei, in Taiwan, where my family is from, and there is basically no Taiwanese representation in YA, so I was glad that my motherland was finally getting the spotlight in the fiction I love so much. There was a lot pinned on this book, and by and large, Want did not disappoint.

An alternate version of the Taipei I know and love comes to life in this story, familiar in many ways, such as its night markets, karaoke joints, 7-Elevens, and landmarks (Taipei 101 included), but also different, having evolved into a near future dystopia where high tech commodities and abject poverty brush against each other in stark juxtaposition. The sights and sounds, smells and tastes give the setting texture and presence. In particular, the descriptions of food will leave you desperate to take a trip to Taiwan to indulge multiple cravings.

Want is a great example of diversity within diversity when it comes to the cast of characters. Although our protagonist, Jason Zhou belongs to the ethnically Han majority, we also have supporting characters who reflect some the increasing ethnic diversity in Taiwan. One is the dapper Victor who works and sends money back to his family in the Philippines, and the other is the pragmatic Arun, who is Indian and comes from a family of brilliant research scientists. In addition to the ethnic diversity, we have two Asian girls in a relationship: bisexual glasses-wearing hacker girl Lingyi and silent but deadly and athletic Iris. Together, the five of them form the perfect team and supportive family to one another.

In order to accomplish their mission, Jason and friends have to break through both physical and social barriers. The latter means that Jason must pass as a rich boy to infiltrate Jin Corporation, and this is by far the toughest part of the mission. Jason comes from a poor family, and his mother died of sickness because they couldn't afford healthcare, and he has to adopt the mannerisms and attitude of the wealthy elite for whom money has never been an issue, of the people he resents the most. His disorientation and discomfort and heightened class consciousness while navigating privileged spaces are visceral and tangible and portrayed very well.

Jason is a very relatable character for me. His love for books and use of books as escapism resonated with me and show in his references to both Western and Chinese literary classics. His struggle to trust others, especially those in the privileged class that treats him as disposable, is familiar to me as well. Also, his desperation to do something to change the toxic system he lives in is basically the story of my life. I empathized with his frustrations, doubts, disgust, and conflicting feelings.

Much of the conflict of this story centers on class tensions. In particular, it explores systemic oppression and how privilege affects someone's worldview. This conflict is played out in Jason's interactions with Daiyu, who is sensitive and kind but also sheltered and ignorant. Her individual niceness and good intentions don't negate her privilege or complicity, so Jason struggles with his affections toward her as an individual while he is plotting to destroy the foundation of her unearned privilege.

If you're looking for a slow-burn, angst-filled romance, this book has that. Jason and Daiyu manage, in spite of their differences in class, to gradually find common ground and let down their barriers enough to be vulnerable around and real with each other in key moments. For those who live for it, there is an abundance of unresolved sexual tension that both frustrates and entertains.

The story balances the heist with the romance and character arcs, stringing the reader along with a mix of suspense and action. The last third of the book ups the stakes and packs an emotional punch several times over with twists and revelations and a heart-stopping climax. The ending ties up enough loose ends to satisfy but is realistic in its developments as systemic change doesn't happen overnight.

My only critique of this book was the mixed treatment of beauty standards. Although it recognized the ever-changing nature of fashion and beauty trends, it also uncritically described certain people's bodies as "perfect" in one or two places without addressing how factors like racism, colorism, sexism, cissexism, ableism, sizeism, etc. affect what society views as aesthetic/physical perfection.

Recommendation: Highly recommended for the thrills, the feelings, and the food.