While the book was well written, I had a hard time getting into it and never really did. I kept wanting there to be more to the magic/fantasy side of the story where her mother was actually a bird. I realize the author was going for something more spiritual and an exploration of grief and depression, but I just found it too depressing and it dragged on in many places.

Beautiful debut with strong potential. Touches on important details and gives a unique point of view as well as a great perspective. Fresh and different, even if sometimes the writing didn't quite deliver on the intention. Strong 3.5 for me and I am curious to see what the author brings next.

This is a very emotional read. This book handles grief and mental illness beautifully. And it also features a half Asian and half white character which you don't often see in YA books. After losing her mum by suicide our protagonists Leigh goes to Taiwan to meet her maternal grandparents hoping to leave her guilt and actions behind her. I loved the authors way of using colours to showcase Leigh's emotions as a way to figure out what Leigh is feeling and the authors descriptions of colours and hues was astounding. I also really enjoyed how the author just didn't write off Dora's depression or explain her triggers most people who suffer from depression don't necessarily have triggers or reasons and its great way to showcase the complexity of the illness. All in all this is a fantastic lyrical read I hope a lot of people pick up. Trigger Warnings there is suicide so I would definitely put that out there before I recommend it to someone. Its about peoples safety first.

I really enjoyed the use of seeing colour to help determine emotion. This was my favourite aspect of the book. Having the main character, Leigh explain herself using colours was amazing. The tie in of the best friend asking "what colour" to determine Leigh's emotional state was awesome. I liked the author’s overall storyline but I don’t think I really liked the book. There were many pieces that I liked, the colours, the use of flashbacks to flesh out the story, the developing relationships, and the fact the author was not afraid to use depression and suicide in one of their main characters but I guess I lost something when all the pieces of the story were put together.

This was a little slow to get into but I enjoyed it once I got into it. The writing reminded me a lot of Jandy Nelson but still very unique on its own. This could be a perfect book club option for the Spring as there are many things that could be discussed through the whole book.

This was a breathtaking, beautiful, devastating book. I was blown away by how beautifully written it was - there was so much vulnerability, and so much beauty, and so much pain - that you could actually feel each emotion, and see it depicted as its own vivid hue.

Pan weaves this heartbreaking tale of love and loss - recurring themes that show up in every relationship, in every interaction, in every beautifully written part of this story. The otherworldly/paranormal aspects of this story tied in so well with the exploration of very real, very devastating issues such as mental illness, grief, suicide, and regret.

This book is truly something else - I haven’t read anything quite like it before, and I really did fall in love with this story, and with Pan’s writing.

I would definitely offer a content warning, for anyone who wants to pick up this book - it is beautifully written, but also painful, and raw - and pretty heavy. It covers topics like depression and suicide - and paints a really realistic picture of grief, and what it looks like when you lose someone you love.

This book depicts a very extreme case of depression. I was hesitant for a lot of the book because there was never a counter example provided or anything besides a few awkward emotional conversations between father and daughter about it. It does announce in text that it is an extreme case though. At one point depression was likened to "emo" teenagers and I feel like that is outdated now. Teenagers in 2018 are often better versed in mental health than that, than to struggle to say depression at all. In the end, it does give a list of resources and suicide awareness information. Despite my still lingering hesitations this book is very well written an interesting. (I will admit I was confused about some things but I think you're supposed to be).