High school senior Frank Li is a Limbo–his term for Korean-American kids who find themselves caught between their parents’ traditional expectations and their own Southern California upbringing. His parents have one rule when it comes to romance–“Date Korean”–which proves complicated when Frank falls for Brit Means, who is smart, beautiful–and white. Fellow Limbo Joy Song is in a similar predicament, and so they make a pact: they’ll pretend to date each other in order to gain their freedom. Frank thinks it’s the perfect plan, but in the end, Frank and Joy’s fake-dating maneuver leaves him wondering if he ever really understood love–or himself–at all. (taken from goodreads.com)
I loved this book so much. I knew I was going to enjoy It when I started but this book is probably one of my most favorite books that I have read this year now.
Frank is a Korean-American teenager who doesn’t feel Korean enough but knows for a fact that he isn’t American enough either. He feels like he barely knows his parents and slowly starts to see the racism that is weaved through his culture. He grows throughout the novel with his best friend Q and the other over achieving students in his AP classes, known as the Apeys. Then the one thing he knew would throw his parents over the edge happens, Frank falls in love with a white girl. He tells this to his friend Joy, who happens to be dating a Chinese boy named Wu, and the two put together a plan to trick their parents. But it doesnt go the way they had planned.
I loved this novel. Frank’s voice is unique and refreshing, he is funny in an almost self-depricating way and I just love his friends. His parents do genuinely care about him, but he’s slowly learning that the way his parents show affection is very different from what he sees around him.
Frank has a group of friends, the Limbos, who are other Korean-American teens like himself who understand what he’s going through. They feel the pressure but they also are finding ways to make themselves their own people.
This story takes place over the course of Frank’s senior year, taking us along his journey of SATs and college acceptances.
One of my favorite parts of this story are the characters we are introduced to, each one plays a different role and adds something different to each part of the story. I think for me my favorites are Joy and Q, which I think we’re supposed to like the most.
The conversation about race is so important throughout this novel, and its very candid which I really enjoyed.
Frank’s parents only want the best for Frank and they tell him that a bit, I love how they all grow through the book.
This book was amazing and I highly recommend!!