DNF. I expected weirdness, but I just couldn't get into it. The author is lovely, but I couldn't find anything to hold onto within the story. I would love to try another one of her books in the future. There were a lot of beautiful sentences that I wanted to highlight — maybe I'll give it a go again with a physical book (my review copy is an audiobook).

*received for free from netgalley for honest review* This was different and not something i would normally read, it wasn't bad but not something i could read in one sitting.

This was such a uniquely written book. I can't even begin to describe the style of this because it's unlike anything else I've ever read. I didnt love it but I did appreciate it for what it was. This is decidely not up my alley, but it gave me the chance to try a type of book I normally wouldn't. I expected this to be more emotional and more of a story but it was very detached. This intersects how important family and art are to our daily lives. Overall, I think this was beautifully written but certainly isn't for everyone. Reading this is work. You can't sit by idling and then listen to this. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

ACTIVITIES OF DAILY LIVING by Lisa Hsiao Chen is a great debut novel! I listened to the audiobook narrated by Tina Huang and I really enjoyed it! Excellent narration and I was engaged in this story the whole time. It’s about Alice, a Taiwanese immigrant, who begins a project about the performance artist Tehching Hsieh and takes care of her ageing stepfather. I loved the exploration of art and creativity in this book. Alice is almost consumed by Hsieh’s art and it comes through with her in depth account of his life. I also loved the topic of Chinese diaspora as Alice herself is an immigrant as was her mother and the artist. And the heartfelt topic of being a caretaker for an elderly parent with dementia is at times difficult to read but those situations are everyday and makes you reflect on your own activities of daily living. I found Alice to be very relatable and I really enjoyed the writing style which was very descriptive in explaining the past. I’m really looking forward to reading more form this author!!
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Thank you to Dreamscape Media and W. W. Norton via NetGalley for my ALC!

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy of Activities of Daily Living.

This book was unlike anything I've read before. I liked the plot and I especially liked the character of Alice.

Thanks to NetGalley for the audiobook ARC!

Activities of Daily Living is an interesting book with lots of nuanced topics - what is art, why do we make art, how do we deal with aging gracefully, how do we help our elders age gracefully - to name just a few. I found the characters very interesting, and was especially fascinated by some of the innovative performance art pieces developed by the artist.

📖 This was such an interesting book. It was written in a measured and intimate tone. It almost felt like reading someone's observation notes at times. Some parts felt less narrative and more like thoughtful essays. It was really interesting and I can't think of anything I've read that had the same feel to it.

The story focuses on Alice, who is working on a project to explore the life of the performance artist, Tehching Hsieh, and his work. While working on this project Alice also becomes the main caregiver for her ailing father, who is battling dementia.

It's so beautifully written and a really unique story. It truly felt like we jumped into a difficult point in Alice's life and are watching her move through it. We also get moments of Hsieh's creative process, and memories from Alice's father's past. It all comes together to create something really special.

🎧 The book is written in third person, so I found Tina Huang's narration to really provide a calm omnipotent voice. I really enjoyed the audiobook and would definitely recommend checking it out if you are looking for something that provides an interesting take on life, death, and the passage of time.

⚠️ Content Warnings ⚠️
Suicidal thoughts, dementia, and death of parent.

This was a mistake for me. Sometimes I try to venture out of my reading comfort zone, sometimes with success, sometimes not. This was not. So it was mostly my fault. However, I think the author has a fecal fixation. I couldn’t get past that. Had to DNF.

Activities of Daily Living is a stunning debut by Lisa Hsiao Chen.
I love books centering around art, where the pieces become character, setting, plot point all in one, and where the artists become subjects.
Activities of Daily Living examines multiple lives: the performance artist Tehching Hsieh, Alice creating a project around Hsieh and caring for her ailing stepfather, and her stepfather.
It is poetic, lyrical, soothing to listen to and thought provoking. It is a beautiful novel moving between the 1980s performance pieces and Alice’s own activities of daily living.
I started it over once I finished it.

This book was so creatively crafted, with an intimate focus on how the substance of a life is analyzed and measured. I felt a deep connection with the characters, especially Alice as she struggles to balance becoming caretaker with taking care of herself and her own passions. Beautiful work!