Linh Ly is Doing Just Fine is a story that pulled me in. On the surface, it's a story about Linh following her mother, wanting to protect her. But in many ways it's about their relationship, her wanting to make sure her mother is respected and cherished, as they both reel from the past. Below the surface, it's also a story about how Linh's actions reflect on her own life. We explore her friendships, both new and old, and her own romantic life which becomes entangled with her pursuit. This almost slice of life story focuses on Linh who is definitely not doing fine.

I listened to the audiobook of Linh Ly is Doing Just Fine and would recommend because it feels like Linh is talking directly to you. It feels as if Eunice Wong's narration is getting caught up over coffee. For a story that has many of its roots in friendships, I felt like we became friends.

Linh Ly Is Doing Just Fine is a quirky, heartfelt look at family, identity, and the tangled dynamics between mothers and daughters. Linh’s obsessive efforts to protect her mom, her struggles with trauma, and her journey of self-discovery unfold with humor and warmth. The novel balances caustic wit with moving insights, capturing the messiness of adulthood and the complexities of growing up Vietnamese in Texas. Linh’s story is both relatable and refreshing, making this an enjoyable and thought-provoking read that’s hard to put down. It’s a fun, insightful journey through a truly unique quarter-life crisis.

I spent the entirety of this book trying to decide if I loved or hated it. There is a coldness, or disconnectedness, in Asian fiction that often lends itself to Asian American fiction. It is off-putting to white Americans, who find extroversion the norm. Linh's narrative is as such, and while I enjoyed her voice, I understand where it can be grating.

To the reviewer annoyed about every mention of the Metroplex, I see you, and I hear you. I was born in Dallas, and later returned for grad school and work, but I have never called the metro area such. Neither did any Dallas or Fort Worth natives.

Linh's parents are divorced. Her mom has begun dating. Her dad is an alcoholic. She spends quite a bit of this book following her mom to see what she ends up doing on these dates. It feels a bit Parent Trap. It feels a bit invasive.

Another plot is Linh playing tennis with her white friends, where she ends up being partnered with her mom's new boyfriend, Peter. The assumption is that Peter isn't aware of who she is. I think that's a pretty big assumption.

Born and raised in DFW, Linh goes out with former high school friends one night. They run into a different group from the same school. Chandler, a rich white man, appears to be "the catch." When his eye lands on Linh, the entire group of women is jealous. I am still unsure why. They begin a sexual relationship, which eventually leads to something more. I'm not sure how it led to anything, as Linh did a terrible job communicating. I'm not placing the blame wholly on her. They just didn't talk to each other.

Maybe you'll enjoy this more if you read it as a series of vignettes. Maybe you'll enjoy the dry narration. Don't get me wrong. I didn't hate this. To be fair, I'll be thinking about it for some time.

My usual gripe with narrators not from the diaspora are that they don't pronounce anything correctly. Either Eunice Wong was coached, or she took it upon herself to learn, so, kudos.

🎧 Thank you to NetGalley and Tantor Audio

From the description this is exactly my kind of book. Quirky character who doesn't feel she fits in to her world around her.

This book fell short for me. I found it that the story was flat. Maybe if I had read it and not listened to it that would have helped me. I couldn't connect iwth Lindy Ly at all.

2.5 stars rounded up to 3.

I received an ARC of this audiobook from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

✨ Linh Ly is Doing Just Fine…But is She Really? ✨

This character driven and slightly chaotic story is such a delight. It delves into how both childhood & generational trauma can follow you into adulthood while molding your life, relationships and outlook on the world. Filled with dry humor, Linh Ly is Doing Just Fine made me chuckle, spiked my anxiety and had me in my feels. Brutally honest and incredibly intimate - I truly felt like I was in Linh’s brain as I was reading. This is such a unique and immersive read that has left me very excited to check out more of Thao Votang’s work in the future!

Thank you so much Get Red PR & Tantor Audio for sending a copy my way!

the opening of this character-driven novel, Lynh Ly faces significant challenges. She grapples with her parents' divorce, her father's alcoholism, her mother's foray into dating, and her own profound sense of isolation and loneliness. Alongside these family struggles, Lynh must also navigate the complexities of being a Vietnamese American living in Texas, confronting issues such as racism and cultural identity. Despite all this and her introverted nature, she finds herself pushed beyond her comfort zone by new acquaintances who eventually become friends, prompting her to reexamine her life.

In her debut novel, Votang offers an unvarnished portrayal of Lynh's quarter-life crisis. Lynh appears somewhat unhinged and emotionally distant, yet her deadpan humor and unapologetic honesty infuse hilarity into the mundaneness of daily life.

I decided to pair the physical book with the audiobook but ultimately chose to stick solely with the audiobook due to Eunice Wong’s exceptional narration. Her portrayal of Lynh is flawless, skillfully capturing her obsessiveness, anxiety, and sadness while also conveying her social awkwardness. Through her narration, Wong gives listeners a deep understanding of Lynh's character.

Book 151 of 300 ~ 2024

🌟🌟💫

This Linh Ly is delulu. She is anything but fine. I didn't like this character as she seemed to be a moody asshat.

If that was the author's attempt at humour, then I am sorry I lost the plot. It was hard not to.

I received the audiobook copy of this, and it may be me, but the narrator made me think of an Asian Daria, and that put me off the book even more..

I'm not a fan.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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Linh Ly is Doing Just Fine was a fun romp of a read. I liked the character exploration and the writing was propulsive. I would read more from this author.

LINH LY IS DOING JUST FINE by Thao Votang follows a 27-year-old Vietnamese-American woman as she tries to work out some past and present issues. The reader quickly realizes that Linh Ly is clearly NOT doing fine. Nope, not at all. She seems to be having a quarter-life crisis, and might be a little too invested in her mother’s dating life. She’s anxious, obsessive, and protective. Her behavior is warranted once her family life and history is revealed. It didn’t take very long for me to understand where she was coming from, and empathize with her. If you enjoy deeply personal narratives that dip into a character’s inner thoughts and dialogue, then definitely give this debut a go!

READ IF YOU ENJOY:

- Mother-daughter relationships
- Vietnamese representation
- Character-driven novels
- Dark humor
- Heavier reads
- Texas setting
- Family trauma and dynamics
- Unhinged and anxious characters

3.5/5 stars!

I’m hesitant to call this a coming-of-age because it zeroes in on those years when you’re approaching 30 and finding your way.

Linh Ly is a Vietnamese American living in the Dallas / Fort Worth Metroplex who is struggling with events in her life and how to cope.

Her divorced mother has started dating and Linh takes it upon herself to spy on her - to check out these men. Not surprising since her father was an abusive alcoholic. Or maybe it’s the fact that there was an active shooter at Linh’s workplace; either way, Linh seems a bit obsessed with controlling her mother’s dating life now.

Not much happens in the story as far as twists and turns. Yet you feel the depth of Linh’s loneliness and searching. Themes here include identity, race, and trauma. I appreciated Linh’s sense of dry humor and honesty. Having kids on the precipice of 30, I could relate in some small way. Watching them deal with those feelings of what comes next, shouldn’t I be somewhere else by now, and just hoping everything will turn out fine.

3.5 ⭐️

Thank you @getredprbooks @alcovepress and @votang for a copy of the book.

Thank you @tantoraudio for the gifted audiobook.

Linh Ly is all right. At least, that’s what she tells people. She’s okay. She’s fine. She doesn’t tell people about how her parents divorced. She doesn’t tell them about her father’s issues with alcohol, or how he came to America from a country at war.

Linh doesn’t tell people that her mother has started dating again, and she is so anxious about it that she’s started following her mother on dates to make sure she gets home safely (and alone). She doesn’t tell people that the reason she bought new clothes and started wearing makeup and got her hair cut is because she doesn’t want to get recognized while she’s following her mother.

Linh doesn’t tell people about the stack of delivery boxes that she’s acquiring in her living room. She doesn’t tell anyone about what she has hidden under that stack. And she doesn’t tell anyone about the anxiety she’s been experiencing.

Linh doesn’t have to tell anyone about how she’s gone out with Chandler a few times, because they all already know, and many of them are jealous. His family is crazy wealthy, and Linh finds herself drawn into that world and making friends who are also crazy wealthy. She’s introduced to country clubs and credit cards with no limits and yachts, and she’s not quite sure how she feels about it all.

At 27, she finds herself living through a challenging year, a year that includes a school shooting, a car accident, a bear, a death in the family, and a haze of existential dread. Will Linh be able to survive the weight of it all? And if she does, will she find herself changed by it all, or will she still feel so stuck in her life?

Linh Ly Is Doing Just Fine is a fascinating character study of a young woman in crisis. As an Asian woman living in Texas, she is faced with racism and guns, family turmoil and loss, and caring friends and generosity. The experience of the quarter-life crisis, with all its anxiety and self-reproach is on display in this story, with all its ups and downs, its hopelessness and exhaustion and ennui. But with most things, the only way out is through, and Linh faces her crisis with the love of a good cat, lots of naps, and persistence. Her story is both personal and universal, and it offers insight into that final process of growing up and figuring out who you are.

I listened to Linh Ly Is Doing Just Fine, and I thought narrator Eunice Wong did an amazing job bringing Linh’s voice to life. The way she voices Linh’s sadness and her snark add so much power to this quiet story, and I loved experiencing this story through the audio book. As a character-driven story, you need a strong voice, and Wong brings it.

A copy of the audio book for Linh Ly Is Doing Just Fine was provided by Tantor Audio through NetGalley, with many thanks.

This was … different? Linh is all over the place—every chapter is something a little off and she's stalking her divorced parents? Do people actually do that? Linh is so preoccupied with the lives of others, that she pays no attention to herself. She is both overly emotional and emotionless. Some chapters were entertaining in their own way while other chapters were confusing as to how they fit in with the story. This was a bizarre and interesting journey. At least the narrator for the audiobook was good.

*Provided an ALC (advance listening copy) audiobook from the publisher for review. All opinions are my own.

As an audiobook I thought Eunice Wong did a great job narrating the story. As a story, I’m not sure I connected with Linh Ly’s story. The disconnect pulled me out of the audiobook at times but I still felt Eunice Wong did a strong job with what she had.

Thank you Tantor Audio for the gifted ALC.

This was a slice of life tale. We are dropped into Linh’s life and when pop out at the end. It was interesting and I would consider reading more from this author.

This book was truly captivating. Linh's dedication to safeguarding her family resonated deeply with me. The exploration of loneliness within the narrative struck a chord, and strangely, finding solace in this book was a comforting experience. I wholeheartedly endorse this book to anyone seeking a soothing, humorous, and relaxed read.

Thanks NetGalley Alcove Press and Tantor Audio for the advanced reader copies! Upon discovering this upcoming release it became one of my most anticipated reads and I liked it alright.

Linh is a single woman in her late-twenties who struggles with relationships and where she wants to be in life, but struggles even more with acknowledging this. Instead of working on herself she becomes obsessed with her mother’s dating life, fuels her competitiveness at the tennis club, then is wrapped up in the elite’s social circle, and in the process becomes a bit unhinged.

I will say, I wasn’t a fan of Chandler. He claimed he wanted to get to know Linh but yet every time they saw each other (usually the night before he’d leave town) he always made a move that led to sex. And then it felt like he was buying her off by letting her use his sports car and then he gives her his credit card? Honestly. He just felt really shallow to me and Linh deserved better.

Content and trigger warnings include divorce and complicated family relationships, an active school shooter situation (violence occurs off page), minimal profanity, some sexual content (mostly vague but a quick, slightly detailed scene end of chapter 12), racial discrimination, stalking (more humorous than serious), and death of a parent.

I give it 3 out of 5. I wanted Linh to wake up, grow and let go, and she eventually does. It would’ve been nice if there was a lil more talk of how her Vietnamese background shaped who she is and her relationship with her mom. But overall I enjoyed following along with her quirky escapades and train of thoughts as there’s both humor and depth. It is a much better “finding oneself” sort of story than a lot of the ones aimed towards coming of age/young adult out there (think Maame & Adelaide, neither of which I liked; I felt it was more in line with Ghosts, at least for me, a single early-30s-something). I’d be surprised if this one doesn’t take off.

Thanks to @votang @alcovepress @netgalley @tantoraudio and @getredprbooks for the free arc and alc 💖.

✨What it is about:
Linh Ly is a twenty something Vietnamese American living in Texas. Product of a very dysfunctional family, she believes everyone is out to get her, and has no idea what feeling love is, or if she even deserves it. She has no life besides her job, her tennis practice and her mom, whom she stalks, in an effort to prevent her from making a wrong choice for herself once again. Trauma has done a real number on Linh Ly…✨

💭My thoughts:
This was a quick read that reminded me of the book Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman. I read it back in 2019 and enjoyed it. I think this book had some similarities to it, so if you read it and liked it, you might also enjoy this one. It is clear that Linh Ly’s childhood did a number on her, and the trauma she needs to heal from is a lot! There were some very sad memories she recounted and lived through, and it was heartbreaking to see how much not having love in her life early on affected her whole existence. Regardless, Linh Ly proves to rise above her struggles, and through the story we get to see some pretty funny, cringe worthy, as well as some relatable moments in her journey. I read the physical book while listening to the audio, and I think the narration by Eunice Wong was well done. I loved the life she gave to each of the characters’ voices, and how Linh Ly’s brutally honest persona shone through in the narration. The ending felt a little abrupt, but thinking it through, I think it works for this story.

4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Read if you like:
👀 Character driven stories
👀 Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine
👀 Unique reads of self discovery
👀 Eccentric and resilient main characters
👀 Vietnamese heritage

⚠️CW: Gun violence (school shooting), racism, stalking, alcoholism, emotional abuse by a parent, abandonment by a parent, mentions of divorce, sexual content.

I think I enjoyed this book??? I think? I definitely said wtf a lot because Linh sure does need therapy!!!!! At the very beginning she seems like she might be a relatable character but that only lasted for a couple pages and then she turns very much not relatable. I can’t even decide if she’s supposed to be like-able or not, but I was rooting for her the whole time.

Parts of this book were entirely unbelievable, but at the same time I really couldn’t stop reading it. I laughed a lot. But it wasn’t funny haha, it was more funny weird. It was, however, enjoyable all the same.

Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest rating and review.

I love Linh, even with all of her quirks and fears. This was unexpectedly one of my favorite reads of the year. Just a simple yet perfect book.

After enduring a childhood with a hateful and verbally abusive alcoholic father, Linh becomes overly protective of her divorced mother. Her mother starts dating a coworker, and Linh is determined to find evidence that he is not good to her mother by spying on them. Meanwhile, her life is going nowhere, with no real friends or relationships. When a shooting happens at the university where she is employed, she becomes even more obsessed with her mother's dating life.

The obsession with her mother is a distraction from her lack of fulfillment, and her anxieties cause her to engage in intrusive behaviors. She is 100% relatable due to the struggle of letting go. She has detached, and her Vietnamese heritage in a white, rich town plays a role in her inability to trust or connect with anyone. The author wrote a poignant story emphasizing the importance of personal growth, self-actualization, and accepting your past. It explored the complicated aspects of human relationships, empathy, and forgiveness.

The narration and sound quality of the audiobook was fantastic. It added to the bluntness of Linh's quips.

I received an Advanced Readers Copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, NetGalley and Tantor Audio.