By virtue of being online in the publishing sphere, I became an unwitting observer of the alleged controversy around this book before reading it and must say, I disagree and believe the issue lies within the typical "stuff taken out of context" thing that online discourse feasts on all too often.
Going into this novel, I was also aware that there was a split among readers: those who loved it and those who felt it fell short of the magnitude of Kuang's previous works. As you can see by my rating, I found myself firmly in the first category.
It is a slow pace, a look around, an immersion in Taipei, its history, and the day-to-day of a student like Lily. I enjoyed those aspects. But, and I think this is where a reader's personal experience may influence how deeply they can connect with the story, the exploration of grief in conjunction with language barriers and the mortality of one's parents was so beautifully and deftly handled, it took TAIPEI STORY to an emotional depth I did not necessarily expect and found very moving. To me, it is the heart of this novel and has stuck with me.
I must also praise Carolyn Kang for her phenomenal voice acting. She brought the characters to life with charm and emotionality but no theatrics. I loved listening to her and will check out other audiobooks she has narrated.
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK Audio | The Borough Press for the free audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
