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Linh Ly Is Doing Just Fine
Told with deadpan humor and brutal honesty, this debut novel follows Vietnamese-American Linh Ly鈥檚 unraveling as she reckons with the traumas of both her past and present, perfect for fans of Joan is Okay and Luster.
When 27-year-old Linh Ly鈥檚 recently-divorced mother begins dating a coworker, Linh is determined to make sure he is worthy of her mother. She鈥檚 seen the kind of men her mother听ends up with鈥攕he grew up watching her unreliable and volatile alcoholic father as her mother worked two jobs to make ends meet. Linh is certain that her mother can鈥檛 do this on her own, but what begins as genuine worry quickly turns obsessive.
Following her mother and spying on her dates becomes part of Linh鈥檚 routine, especially after a听university听shooting at Linh鈥檚听work听that leaves her feeling adrift鈥攁t least her mom鈥檚 dating life gives her something to focus on. Linh doesn鈥檛 exactly have a life of her own (dating or otherwise) and figures the best course of action is听action鈥攏ot听how听she handled the curl up in a ball and wait it out.
Linh is slowly forced to reconcile the image of her mother from her childhood with the woman she鈥檚 getting to know as an adult. Growing up Vietnamese in the middle of Texas with a broken household taught Linh a certain guarded听way听of living鈥攐ne she never quite left behind.
Moving, insightful, and caustically funny all at once, Liinh Ly Is Doing Just Fine depicts a听quarter-life crisis听in deeply relatable prose.
When 27-year-old Linh Ly鈥檚 recently-divorced mother begins dating a coworker, Linh is determined to make sure he is worthy of her mother. She鈥檚 seen the kind of men her mother听ends up with鈥攕he grew up watching her unreliable and volatile alcoholic father as her mother worked two jobs to make ends meet. Linh is certain that her mother can鈥檛 do this on her own, but what begins as genuine worry quickly turns obsessive.
Following her mother and spying on her dates becomes part of Linh鈥檚 routine, especially after a听university听shooting at Linh鈥檚听work听that leaves her feeling adrift鈥攁t least her mom鈥檚 dating life gives her something to focus on. Linh doesn鈥檛 exactly have a life of her own (dating or otherwise) and figures the best course of action is听action鈥攏ot听how听she handled the curl up in a ball and wait it out.
Linh is slowly forced to reconcile the image of her mother from her childhood with the woman she鈥檚 getting to know as an adult. Growing up Vietnamese in the middle of Texas with a broken household taught Linh a certain guarded听way听of living鈥攐ne she never quite left behind.
Moving, insightful, and caustically funny all at once, Liinh Ly Is Doing Just Fine depicts a听quarter-life crisis听in deeply relatable prose.
265 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 23, 2024
23 people are currently reading
4,237 people want to read
About the author
Thao Votang
2听books35听followersThao Votang鈥檚 novel LINH LY IS DOING JUST FINE is forthcoming from Alcove Press (July 2024). Her work has been published in Salon, Hyperallergic, Sightlines, Southwest Contemporary, and Lucky Jefferson. When she鈥檚 not looking at art, she can be found reading one of the many books she has put in her bag or hidden under that couch cushion. Her fiction is informed by her experience as part of the Vietnamese diaspora deep in the Lone Star State, her interest in how we love our mothers, and the climate catastrophe.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 99 reviews
October 1, 2024
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.
馃帶 Thank you to NetGalley and Tantor Audio
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.
馃帶 Thank you to NetGalley and Tantor Audio
October 20, 2024
Wanted to enjoy this book at least a bit more especially because of its Vietnamese American representation, but unfortunately I found the novel rather mid. There were interesting themes related to the parent-child relationship, grief, and opening up or closing down in intimate connections. I also found the subplot about the college shooting a harrowing though unfortunately timely spin.
However, the voice in Linh Ly is Doing Just Fine dragged for me. I wonder if the author wrote her protagonist鈥檚 voice to be intentionally deadpan, though it just came across to me as dry and stilted. I also found the protagonist鈥檚 relationship with Chandler lacking in substance or depth. Three stars because I want to appreciate the effort though I don鈥檛 think I would recommend this book.
However, the voice in Linh Ly is Doing Just Fine dragged for me. I wonder if the author wrote her protagonist鈥檚 voice to be intentionally deadpan, though it just came across to me as dry and stilted. I also found the protagonist鈥檚 relationship with Chandler lacking in substance or depth. Three stars because I want to appreciate the effort though I don鈥檛 think I would recommend this book.
November 27, 2023
I really enjoyed being in Linh Ly's world. This is a truly delightful read.
December 13, 2023
4/5
Linh Ly is:
1. Not doing fine
2. A serious asshole
3. In need of immediate mental intervention
Linh Ly is:
1. Not doing fine
2. A serious asshole
3. In need of immediate mental intervention
January 25, 2024
Funerals were for those who were still living.
Linh Ly is doing just fine reminded me of . The story is quite similar. Both are a story of a woman struggling with their mental state to live a normal life even if circumstances won't allow them to.
I get that this book is not for everyone. There are many things that can turn off the reading experience like mention of "Metroplex" very often and weird, eccentric behaviour of Linh. Apart from this what annoyed me even was author asking questions in the form of Linh's monologues to her readers after every passage. But frankly I could see where Linh was coming from.
An abusive father and a mother who's trying to make ends meet by doing two jobs. A deadly parental combination. A child scared and alone in the house everyday while her parents were working. An inattentive alcoholic father who would not care for his daughter and a caring mother who chose to stay out of the house coz of her husband. Young girl left to fend off after the needs to the father who did not even speak two words of love with his own daughter. Do you really expect the girl will be normal??
When life felt unjust, I felt that my parents had raised me to survive. In a world like this, maybe it was better not to be coddled and not to know what love was.
And to add to all that she is a Vietnamese, a colored person in the world of white privileged folks. Not a complete American even when born and brought up in America. You are judged by color of your skin first and later by other things. You don't know your culture because it has never been part of your life and you ain't even part of American culture where you have been whole your life because you are constantly reminded that you are not one of them.
Our Thanksgiving spread was like our lives. Two cultures were eaten together and swallowed with no consideration of how the flavors would or would not mix.
Of course it comes as no wonder that she has no life apart from her job and her tennis practice. She believes the whole world is out to get to her in one way or another. She has experienced racism first hand, a Vietnamese trying to make her place in white supremist world. She is what she is and she is doing just fine given the circumstances of her situation.
It wasn鈥檛 the fear of making small talk. It was the fear of being surrounded by hundreds of people and not one of them wanting to talk to you. That you could walk from room to room, and no one knew you, and everyone could tell they didn鈥檛 need to know who you were by some detail of your clothes or merely the color of your skin.
She has no one in the world apart from her mom so frankly even though her stalking behaviour annoyed hell out of me, yet part of me could understand where it was coming from. This even kept her sane in the world full of insanity and people constantly looking down upon her. And that is why she couldn't understand if someone treated her nice or said things like I missed you. Because why will anyone even like her forget about love, when her own parents could not.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, it kept me totally immersed in what is going to happen next in the book. Linh was struggling it was clear. But she would definitely be okay in the end.
Thank you Netgalley and Alcove press for this wonderful ARC in exchange of an honest review.
Some other quotes I liked
*It reminded me of how little a woman meant if she wasn鈥檛 part of the right group.
*It was hard to wash away the existence of another person. You simply had to wait until your presence became stronger than the lingering memory of theirs.
* I wanted to be alone but around other people. I wanted companionship but without the obligation of a relationship.
*Sometimes you do things you don鈥檛 like for people you care about.
*When I thought about babies, I couldn鈥檛 stop myself from thinking about the rising sea waters, floods, droughts, and pollution. What kind of person brings a new life into certain disaster? How delusional did you have to be? How self-assured did you have to be to think you could protect your children from the harms of the world.
*The father, presumably, was looking at his phone. The woman kept telling the children鈥檚 father about their schedule. Asking him questions about this or that, to which he responded with various versions of 鈥測ou decide.鈥� I knew what she was doing. I鈥檇 read articles about it before. She was trying to share the labor and bring him into decisions so that she wasn鈥檛 doing everything. So she could quiet the continuous list of to-dos running in the back of her mind.
*Underneath Peter鈥檚 nice surface, he was just another man who needed a woman to take care of his most basic but most necessary needs.
Linh Ly is doing just fine reminded me of . The story is quite similar. Both are a story of a woman struggling with their mental state to live a normal life even if circumstances won't allow them to.
I get that this book is not for everyone. There are many things that can turn off the reading experience like mention of "Metroplex" very often and weird, eccentric behaviour of Linh. Apart from this what annoyed me even was author asking questions in the form of Linh's monologues to her readers after every passage. But frankly I could see where Linh was coming from.
An abusive father and a mother who's trying to make ends meet by doing two jobs. A deadly parental combination. A child scared and alone in the house everyday while her parents were working. An inattentive alcoholic father who would not care for his daughter and a caring mother who chose to stay out of the house coz of her husband. Young girl left to fend off after the needs to the father who did not even speak two words of love with his own daughter. Do you really expect the girl will be normal??
When life felt unjust, I felt that my parents had raised me to survive. In a world like this, maybe it was better not to be coddled and not to know what love was.
And to add to all that she is a Vietnamese, a colored person in the world of white privileged folks. Not a complete American even when born and brought up in America. You are judged by color of your skin first and later by other things. You don't know your culture because it has never been part of your life and you ain't even part of American culture where you have been whole your life because you are constantly reminded that you are not one of them.
Our Thanksgiving spread was like our lives. Two cultures were eaten together and swallowed with no consideration of how the flavors would or would not mix.
Of course it comes as no wonder that she has no life apart from her job and her tennis practice. She believes the whole world is out to get to her in one way or another. She has experienced racism first hand, a Vietnamese trying to make her place in white supremist world. She is what she is and she is doing just fine given the circumstances of her situation.
It wasn鈥檛 the fear of making small talk. It was the fear of being surrounded by hundreds of people and not one of them wanting to talk to you. That you could walk from room to room, and no one knew you, and everyone could tell they didn鈥檛 need to know who you were by some detail of your clothes or merely the color of your skin.
She has no one in the world apart from her mom so frankly even though her stalking behaviour annoyed hell out of me, yet part of me could understand where it was coming from. This even kept her sane in the world full of insanity and people constantly looking down upon her. And that is why she couldn't understand if someone treated her nice or said things like I missed you. Because why will anyone even like her forget about love, when her own parents could not.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, it kept me totally immersed in what is going to happen next in the book. Linh was struggling it was clear. But she would definitely be okay in the end.
Thank you Netgalley and Alcove press for this wonderful ARC in exchange of an honest review.
Some other quotes I liked
*It reminded me of how little a woman meant if she wasn鈥檛 part of the right group.
*It was hard to wash away the existence of another person. You simply had to wait until your presence became stronger than the lingering memory of theirs.
* I wanted to be alone but around other people. I wanted companionship but without the obligation of a relationship.
*Sometimes you do things you don鈥檛 like for people you care about.
*When I thought about babies, I couldn鈥檛 stop myself from thinking about the rising sea waters, floods, droughts, and pollution. What kind of person brings a new life into certain disaster? How delusional did you have to be? How self-assured did you have to be to think you could protect your children from the harms of the world.
*The father, presumably, was looking at his phone. The woman kept telling the children鈥檚 father about their schedule. Asking him questions about this or that, to which he responded with various versions of 鈥測ou decide.鈥� I knew what she was doing. I鈥檇 read articles about it before. She was trying to share the labor and bring him into decisions so that she wasn鈥檛 doing everything. So she could quiet the continuous list of to-dos running in the back of her mind.
*Underneath Peter鈥檚 nice surface, he was just another man who needed a woman to take care of his most basic but most necessary needs.
Read
February 27, 2025Dnf @ 16%
Might return to this in the future?? It just didn鈥檛 capture my interest atm
Might return to this in the future?? It just didn鈥檛 capture my interest atm
August 20, 2024
Told with deadpan humor and brutal honesty, this debut novel follows Vietnamese American Linh Ly鈥檚 unraveling as she reckons with the traumas of both her past and present, perfect for fans of Joan Is Okay and Luster.
TITLE: LINH LY IS DOING JUST FINE
AUTHOR: Thao Votang
PUB DATE: 07.23.2024 Now Available
What a fresh, funny, and fun read this was! Votang outdid herself with twenty-seven-year-old Linh Ly鈥檚 character. There were many moments of burst out laugh for me, and cringe worthy moments that just worked perfectly. I love the mother daughter relationship, and it was so relatable to not only me as an Asian American, but many other universal language of being a daughter, and the love for family. It Is also about finding strength, voice, and the person we are underneath all the struggles, challenges, and self doubt.
I truly enjoyed this beautiful writing and new voice from a talented debut author.
Simply fantastic!
TITLE: LINH LY IS DOING JUST FINE
AUTHOR: Thao Votang
PUB DATE: 07.23.2024 Now Available
What a fresh, funny, and fun read this was! Votang outdid herself with twenty-seven-year-old Linh Ly鈥檚 character. There were many moments of burst out laugh for me, and cringe worthy moments that just worked perfectly. I love the mother daughter relationship, and it was so relatable to not only me as an Asian American, but many other universal language of being a daughter, and the love for family. It Is also about finding strength, voice, and the person we are underneath all the struggles, challenges, and self doubt.
I truly enjoyed this beautiful writing and new voice from a talented debut author.
Simply fantastic!
May 3, 2024
Told with deadpan humour and brutal honesty, "Linh Ly is Doing Just Fine" by Thao Votang is a remarkable debut novel, captivating exploration of identity and trauma. It follows the unraveling journey of a Vietnamese-American and Votang masterfully weaves together past and present, inviting readers into the complex world of trauma, family dynamics, and self-discovery.
When 27-year-old Linh Ly's recently-divorced mother begins dating a coworker, Linh becomes determined to ensure he is worthy of her mother's love. Having witnessed her mother's struggles with unreliable and volatile men, Linh is fiercely protective. She knows her mother can't navigate this new relationship alone, especially after growing up with an alcoholic father while her mother worked tirelessly to make ends meet.
Linh's life lacks direction, and she finds solace in following her mother and spying on her dates. The university shooting at Linh's workplace leaves her feeling adrift, but her mom's dating escapades give her something to focus on. As Linh peels back the layers of her mother's life, she confronts her own guarded upbringing as a Vietnamese-American in Texas鈥� a legacy she never quite escaped.
Linh's Vietnamese heritage and her upbringing in Texas shape her worldview. Votang delves into the complexities of cultural identity, portraying Linh's guarded existence with sensitivity. The novel explores how trauma echoes across generations. Linh grapples with her past, her father's alcoholism, and the impact it has on her relationships. Her journey toward healing is both poignant and relatable.
Linh's relationship with her mother is at the heart of the story. The novel beautifully captures the love, tension, and sacrifices that define their bond. Votang's prose is sharp, witty, and unapologetically honest. The deadpan humor adds depth to the narrative, making Linh's struggles all the more authentic. The pacing keeps readers engaged, and the vivid descriptions transport us to Texas, where Linh's memories and present collide.
"Linh Ly is Doing Just Fine" is a compelling exploration of resilience, vulnerability, and the messy beauty of family ties. Votang's debut is a triumph. This is a novel that lingers long after the last page. Prepare to laugh, cry, and reflect on your own journey as you follow Linh Ly's unraveling.
Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for a temporary e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.
When 27-year-old Linh Ly's recently-divorced mother begins dating a coworker, Linh becomes determined to ensure he is worthy of her mother's love. Having witnessed her mother's struggles with unreliable and volatile men, Linh is fiercely protective. She knows her mother can't navigate this new relationship alone, especially after growing up with an alcoholic father while her mother worked tirelessly to make ends meet.
Linh's life lacks direction, and she finds solace in following her mother and spying on her dates. The university shooting at Linh's workplace leaves her feeling adrift, but her mom's dating escapades give her something to focus on. As Linh peels back the layers of her mother's life, she confronts her own guarded upbringing as a Vietnamese-American in Texas鈥� a legacy she never quite escaped.
Linh's Vietnamese heritage and her upbringing in Texas shape her worldview. Votang delves into the complexities of cultural identity, portraying Linh's guarded existence with sensitivity. The novel explores how trauma echoes across generations. Linh grapples with her past, her father's alcoholism, and the impact it has on her relationships. Her journey toward healing is both poignant and relatable.
Linh's relationship with her mother is at the heart of the story. The novel beautifully captures the love, tension, and sacrifices that define their bond. Votang's prose is sharp, witty, and unapologetically honest. The deadpan humor adds depth to the narrative, making Linh's struggles all the more authentic. The pacing keeps readers engaged, and the vivid descriptions transport us to Texas, where Linh's memories and present collide.
"Linh Ly is Doing Just Fine" is a compelling exploration of resilience, vulnerability, and the messy beauty of family ties. Votang's debut is a triumph. This is a novel that lingers long after the last page. Prepare to laugh, cry, and reflect on your own journey as you follow Linh Ly's unraveling.
Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for a temporary e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.
August 24, 2024
i had high hopes for this book and it did not disappoint. a fantastic representation of personal, generational, and societal trauma and growth for the characters.
someone PLEASE ask me about this book im dying to talk about it.
someone PLEASE ask me about this book im dying to talk about it.
July 2, 2024
I鈥檓 not 100% sure of my thoughts on this one. I did find it easy to read and move through, but also the story didn鈥檛 seem to really go anywhere. There wasn鈥檛 necessarily a plot, more of just uncomfortable situations that our main character found herself in and made it through. Linh herself was a very difficult character. There were times I absolutely related to her and her social anxiety/awkwardness and other times I just thought 鈥淕irl, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?鈥� I did feel like the book touched on some really important subjects like gun violence, micro aggressions and alcoholism, but it didn鈥檛 really dive in as deep as I wanted it to with them. The ending at first really baffled me because it just seemed like such an abrupt way to the story to be over, but I thought about it and it kind of fit the story. Life is weird, things happen and it will eventually be just fine. This is absolutely a character driven novel so anyone looking for a quick paced plot will be disappointed. However, like I said, it was easy to read and I did get some things out of it so I鈥檓 happy I read it overall.
Mini spoiler: nothing bad happens to the cat!
CW: school shooting, racism, alcoholism, verbal abuse, car accident, divorce
Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for an advanced digital reader鈥檚 copy in exchange for an honest review
Mini spoiler: nothing bad happens to the cat!
CW: school shooting, racism, alcoholism, verbal abuse, car accident, divorce
Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for an advanced digital reader鈥檚 copy in exchange for an honest review
July 26, 2024
This was 鈥� different? Linh is all over the place鈥攅very 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.
*Provided an ALC (advance listening copy) audiobook from the publisher for review. All opinions are my own.
January 18, 2024
This book was a wonderful read. I love Linh and her need to protect her family. Loneliness is a terrible feeling, and reading this book for some reason made me find solace in it. I would recommend this book to absolutely anyone looking for a calming, funny, chilled read.
June 24, 2024
Unfortunately, this book was not for me. It was a character driven read, and the character wasn't interesting and was completely unrelatable. She was overly paranoid, and her constant negativity was annoying. Some of her actions and dialogue actually made me cringe. I don't think I've ever disliked an MC quite as much as I disliked Linh. I, however, did feel sorry for her. I kept thinking, how can anyone go through life being so miserable? I don't DNF books and kept hoping for a happy ending, but the book ended very abruptly and left me completely unsatisfied.
July 2, 2024
"I wanted to be alone but around other people. I wanted companionship but without the obligation of a relationship."
The story centers around a Vietnamese-American woman Linh Ly - in her late twenty, she reckons with the traumas of both her past and present while being unhealthily obsessed with her mother's date after a recent divorce.
Votang delivers an unhinged and almost unreliable main character - meet Linh, a weird and introvert person who tries to be 'normal' and whose behavior is the result of a broken family composed of abusive father and absent mother. She is definitely not doing fine. Slice-of-life is embedded in the narrative, of Linh cringing all the time with multiple concerns and often being judged. In this way, one joins the narrator to be in perpetual state of limbo, in which our minds wander through uncertainties and existentialism issues. In the hopes of offering a more intimate look, the plot is driven by internal monologues, mostly unresolved with the intention to mirror the character's certain guarded way of living - these, however, can feel aimless for readers looking for momentum.
The story is utterly mundane, dramatic in a way that invites 'roll-my-eyes' moments. With fluid prose, I recognize the author's attempt to examine themes of regret, loss, family, belonging and adulthood, grounded in reality, yet I had expected a more profound reflection about them.
Brutally honest, one will find satisfaction with some personal growth, contrasting with the frustration that might simultaneously come when the easy conclusion is that the main character only needed a mental intervention. In short, LINH LY IS DOING JUST FINE is recommended for those who enjoy a funny and lighthearted story of a character who finds herself in the process.
[ I received an ARC from Get Red PR . All opinions are my own ]
cw: mental issue, gun, shooting, death
The story centers around a Vietnamese-American woman Linh Ly - in her late twenty, she reckons with the traumas of both her past and present while being unhealthily obsessed with her mother's date after a recent divorce.
Votang delivers an unhinged and almost unreliable main character - meet Linh, a weird and introvert person who tries to be 'normal' and whose behavior is the result of a broken family composed of abusive father and absent mother. She is definitely not doing fine. Slice-of-life is embedded in the narrative, of Linh cringing all the time with multiple concerns and often being judged. In this way, one joins the narrator to be in perpetual state of limbo, in which our minds wander through uncertainties and existentialism issues. In the hopes of offering a more intimate look, the plot is driven by internal monologues, mostly unresolved with the intention to mirror the character's certain guarded way of living - these, however, can feel aimless for readers looking for momentum.
The story is utterly mundane, dramatic in a way that invites 'roll-my-eyes' moments. With fluid prose, I recognize the author's attempt to examine themes of regret, loss, family, belonging and adulthood, grounded in reality, yet I had expected a more profound reflection about them.
Brutally honest, one will find satisfaction with some personal growth, contrasting with the frustration that might simultaneously come when the easy conclusion is that the main character only needed a mental intervention. In short, LINH LY IS DOING JUST FINE is recommended for those who enjoy a funny and lighthearted story of a character who finds herself in the process.
[ I received an ARC from Get Red PR . All opinions are my own ]
cw: mental issue, gun, shooting, death
December 21, 2023
Linh Ly is Doing Just Fine follows Linh, a 27-year-old Vietnamese-American, as she grapples with her quarter-life crisis. In Linh Ly is Doing Just Fine, Votang captures the isolating experience of being Asian in Texas . . . but I couldn't shake off the feeling that something was missing throughout the time I was reading the book that rendered the book not as relatable/engaging. Contrary to what the blurb suggests, Linh Ly is Doing Just Fine is neither reminiscent of nor .
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
July 9, 2024
Thank you GetRedPRBooks, Thao Votang, Alcove Press, and Tantor Audio for my #gifted copies of Linh Ly is Doing Just Fine! #linhlyisdoingjustfine
饾悡饾悽饾惌饾惀饾悶: 饾悑饾悽饾惂饾悺 饾悑饾惒 饾悎饾惉 饾悆饾惃饾悽饾惂饾悹 饾悏饾惍饾惉饾惌 饾悈饾悽饾惂饾悶
饾悁饾惍饾惌饾悺饾惃饾惈: 饾悡饾悺饾悮饾惃 饾悤饾惃饾惌饾悮饾惂饾悹
饾悕饾悮饾惈饾惈饾悮饾惌饾惃饾惈: 饾悇饾惍饾惂饾悽饾悳饾悶 饾悥饾惃饾惂饾悹
饾悘饾惍饾悰 饾悆饾悮饾惌饾悶: 饾悏饾惍饾惀饾惒 饾煇饾煈, 饾煇饾煄饾煇饾煉
4.5鈽�
There is so much to love about this debut novel by Thao Votang! It was such a unique read and I loved Linh鈥檚 character so much. Votang used humor and honesty to create such a relatable main character.
Linh Ly is dealing with trauma from her past and her present. When her recently divorced mother starts dating a coworker, Linh will do whatever it takes to make sure he is worthy of her mother. After seeing the men she has dated in the past, and knowing what her father was like, she is determined to make sure her mother gets it right this time. Her desire to help her mom quickly turns into an obsession, and gives her something to focus on, especially after a university shooting at her work. Over time, Linh starts to realize there might be differences between the mother from her childhood and the woman she is getting to know as an adult.
I love how this book explores themes of family trauma, family dynamics, Vietnamese heritage, self-discovery, and mental health, to name a few. This book reminded me in some ways of Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, and I think fans of that book will enjoy this one.
馃帶About halfway through reading the physical book, I realized that my absolute favorite Eunice Wong was narrating the audiobook so I had to make the switch. It鈥檚 no surprise that Wong delivered a stellar performance. I will forever be in awe of how well she brings every single character to life. I could listen to Wong all day long. You can feel so much emotion and heart in her voice and I truly loved my time listening to this audiobook!
饾悡饾悽饾惌饾惀饾悶: 饾悑饾悽饾惂饾悺 饾悑饾惒 饾悎饾惉 饾悆饾惃饾悽饾惂饾悹 饾悏饾惍饾惉饾惌 饾悈饾悽饾惂饾悶
饾悁饾惍饾惌饾悺饾惃饾惈: 饾悡饾悺饾悮饾惃 饾悤饾惃饾惌饾悮饾惂饾悹
饾悕饾悮饾惈饾惈饾悮饾惌饾惃饾惈: 饾悇饾惍饾惂饾悽饾悳饾悶 饾悥饾惃饾惂饾悹
饾悘饾惍饾悰 饾悆饾悮饾惌饾悶: 饾悏饾惍饾惀饾惒 饾煇饾煈, 饾煇饾煄饾煇饾煉
4.5鈽�
There is so much to love about this debut novel by Thao Votang! It was such a unique read and I loved Linh鈥檚 character so much. Votang used humor and honesty to create such a relatable main character.
Linh Ly is dealing with trauma from her past and her present. When her recently divorced mother starts dating a coworker, Linh will do whatever it takes to make sure he is worthy of her mother. After seeing the men she has dated in the past, and knowing what her father was like, she is determined to make sure her mother gets it right this time. Her desire to help her mom quickly turns into an obsession, and gives her something to focus on, especially after a university shooting at her work. Over time, Linh starts to realize there might be differences between the mother from her childhood and the woman she is getting to know as an adult.
I love how this book explores themes of family trauma, family dynamics, Vietnamese heritage, self-discovery, and mental health, to name a few. This book reminded me in some ways of Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, and I think fans of that book will enjoy this one.
馃帶About halfway through reading the physical book, I realized that my absolute favorite Eunice Wong was narrating the audiobook so I had to make the switch. It鈥檚 no surprise that Wong delivered a stellar performance. I will forever be in awe of how well she brings every single character to life. I could listen to Wong all day long. You can feel so much emotion and heart in her voice and I truly loved my time listening to this audiobook!
September 3, 2024
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鈥檚 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.
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鈥檚 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.
December 27, 2023
Linh is a 29 year old Vietnamese American girl living in Dallas Fort Worth, Texas, USA.
She is absolutely not doing just fine.
She is an introvert who mainly works (in marketing for a university) and plays tennis. She is very introverted and seems socially awkward, perhaps due to being on the spectrum. She often checks herself is she is joining in just enough, and mirroring people she talks to. She is pretty cold and distant.
Her mother is finally divorced from an abusive spouse, and Linh is worried about her.
The book mentions 鈥渕etroplex鈥� a lot. I don鈥檛 really get how that is different from a big city, or why it keeps getting repeated.
I鈥檓 not quite sure what this book is trying to be or going for. Besides the paranoia Linh lives with, the book is quite mundane. Not that much happens and the characters could have been more fleshed out. At times it verges on horror or a thriller, but not quite.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.
TW: Death, stalking, paranoia, guns, shooting
She is absolutely not doing just fine.
She is an introvert who mainly works (in marketing for a university) and plays tennis. She is very introverted and seems socially awkward, perhaps due to being on the spectrum. She often checks herself is she is joining in just enough, and mirroring people she talks to. She is pretty cold and distant.
Her mother is finally divorced from an abusive spouse, and Linh is worried about her.
The book mentions 鈥渕etroplex鈥� a lot. I don鈥檛 really get how that is different from a big city, or why it keeps getting repeated.
I鈥檓 not quite sure what this book is trying to be or going for. Besides the paranoia Linh lives with, the book is quite mundane. Not that much happens and the characters could have been more fleshed out. At times it verges on horror or a thriller, but not quite.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.
TW: Death, stalking, paranoia, guns, shooting
September 30, 2024
Going into it, I didn鈥檛 expect to identify with Linh Ly is Doing Just Fine the way I did; not being a young Vietnamese woman. But there in the pages I found myself. The unwanted daughter of a man who valued the patriarchy more than his own child, simply because I wasn鈥檛 the 鈥渇irst-born son鈥� he鈥檇 actually wanted. The university administrator who thinks it鈥檚 inconceivable that I had to do more active shooter/emergency threat training on my campus than I did in a short stint working for a police department. The isolation and loneliness that became comforting from having a hard-working single mother who left me to my own devices so she could support me. This story is beautiful and touching, an exploration of relationships and the ways our differences unite us.
September 3, 2024
鉁� Linh Ly is Doing Just Fine鈥ut is She Really? 鉁�
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鈥檚 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鈥檚 work in the future!
Thank you so much Get Red PR for sending a copy my way!
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鈥檚 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鈥檚 work in the future!
Thank you so much Get Red PR for sending a copy my way!
Read
December 6, 2023Thank you Netgalley, Alcove Press, and author Thao Votang for providing an ARC in exchange for a review! I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. It鈥檚 difficult to express my thoughts regarding this book. I could relate to Linh in many aspects (because being a woman in your 20s is terrifying!), but at the same time, I couldn鈥檛 really engage with the story. It is, however, a perfect blend of funny and sad.
December 29, 2024
Linh is nuts. Absolutely bonkers. It鈥檚 hard to like her but I think that鈥檚 is the point.
January 31, 2025
My first time giving a book one star. Absolutely no plot. Main character is insufferable. I told my cat he is lucky he can鈥檛 read and is spared from this book. The only reason why I finished it is because my book club is reading it.
December 29, 2023
"The headstone was carved with his name and dates. No epitaph. What would I say that wasn't a lie? He wasn't a good husband. He wasn't a good father. His life was destroyed by imperialism and war"
~ Linh Ly is Doing Just Fine
"Linh Ly is Doing Just Fine" unfolds a nuanced narrative that delves into the philosophy of loneliness. The emotional architecture of the protagonist is delivered with a precise monotonous cadence and unvarnished honesty. Notably, there is an absence of a structured plotline鈥攁 deliberate choice that may not appeal to all readers but significantly contributes to the authenticity of the work. The story adopts a gentle approach to address emotional wounds while cleverly interjecting racial and political biases. Despite the absence of extravagant emotional dispositions, the protagonist's deadpan sense of humour beautifully illuminates the pensive intricacies of emotional vulnerability. While the compositional choice of "Linh Ly is Doing Just Fine" may not cater to everyone, it's clear that the novel is targeted towards a specific demographic, appreciative of decelerated pacing and contemplative atmosphere.
Thank you NetGalley and Alcove Press for the arc.
~ Linh Ly is Doing Just Fine
"Linh Ly is Doing Just Fine" unfolds a nuanced narrative that delves into the philosophy of loneliness. The emotional architecture of the protagonist is delivered with a precise monotonous cadence and unvarnished honesty. Notably, there is an absence of a structured plotline鈥攁 deliberate choice that may not appeal to all readers but significantly contributes to the authenticity of the work. The story adopts a gentle approach to address emotional wounds while cleverly interjecting racial and political biases. Despite the absence of extravagant emotional dispositions, the protagonist's deadpan sense of humour beautifully illuminates the pensive intricacies of emotional vulnerability. While the compositional choice of "Linh Ly is Doing Just Fine" may not cater to everyone, it's clear that the novel is targeted towards a specific demographic, appreciative of decelerated pacing and contemplative atmosphere.
Thank you NetGalley and Alcove Press for the arc.
February 10, 2024
I absolutely loved reading Linh Ly is Doing Just Fine. Linh Ly was such a likeable and complex character to me, it was so easy to read this novel in just one sitting and absorb myself in her world (NB: I did start it at the end of Jan but then ended up restarting it today to read in one sitting). There was a level of relatability for me as a Vietnamese-Australian young woman, I loved seeing parts of myself in Linh.
Linh was funny, fiercely protective, and intense. It was entertaining to read about her relationships, how she followed her Mum around and a range of other things that happened (trying not to spoil!). I also really liked the ending.
I will be recommending this book to everyone I know. I know for a fact that I鈥檒l be picking it up when it鈥檚 available in print, and re-reading it as soon as I can. However, I could see some people disliking this novel as it is more character-driven than plot-driven, and doesn鈥檛 necessarily have a big 鈥渉appy ending鈥�.
Thank you to Netgalley and Alcove Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Linh was funny, fiercely protective, and intense. It was entertaining to read about her relationships, how she followed her Mum around and a range of other things that happened (trying not to spoil!). I also really liked the ending.
I will be recommending this book to everyone I know. I know for a fact that I鈥檒l be picking it up when it鈥檚 available in print, and re-reading it as soon as I can. However, I could see some people disliking this novel as it is more character-driven than plot-driven, and doesn鈥檛 necessarily have a big 鈥渉appy ending鈥�.
Thank you to Netgalley and Alcove Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 20, 2024
[Copy provided by publisher]
READ IF YOU LIKE...
鈥� Overthinking and social anxiety
鈥� Analyzing psych cases
鈥� Stalking people online
I THOUGHT IT WAS...
An exploration of a young woman not quite sure how to live her life, told through a novel that isn't quite sure how to tell the story. Linh is in her late 20s working in publicity at a university. When her recently divorced mother starts dating again, Linh becomes obsessed with making sure her mother stays safe. So she starts to tail her on her dates.
The first third of this novel had such potential to be a great character study. Similar to the protagonist of THE COIN, which I had read right before this, Linh clearly carries a lot of repressed feelings and anxieties, causing her to act in unhealthy ways. I was fascinated by her devotion, then obsession, with tailing her mother, a woman who seems perfectly capable of taking care of herself and eager to embrace a new chapter in her life. This foil, this flip of expectations, was something I was excited to dig into.
The beginning of the novel also features a tense moment when Linh is on campus when an active shooter situation occurs. Trapped alone in an art studio waiting it out, she spirals and there's a powerful moment when she reflects on how parenting similar to the type she experienced could be what plants the seed for future shooters to bloom. I really looked forward to exploring this and the lasting effects from this terrible experience.
Unfortunately, the farther I got in the story, the farther these elements drifted away. Linh's neuroses become too unfocused, too all encompassing. She starts to simply come off as unpleasant, one of those people who always assumes the worst in everything and is quick to point out wrongs but never makes an effort themselves to make things right. Similarly, the storytelling also loses its way -- I think it wants to be heartfelt, poignant, and earnest, yet there are some scenes so outlandish it feels more appropriate for satire.
As evidenced by books like THE COIN, the unhinged woman trope is most effective when it's focused in execution. This novel had the potential to be that, but ended up not quite hitting the mark.
READ IF YOU LIKE...
鈥� Overthinking and social anxiety
鈥� Analyzing psych cases
鈥� Stalking people online
I THOUGHT IT WAS...
An exploration of a young woman not quite sure how to live her life, told through a novel that isn't quite sure how to tell the story. Linh is in her late 20s working in publicity at a university. When her recently divorced mother starts dating again, Linh becomes obsessed with making sure her mother stays safe. So she starts to tail her on her dates.
The first third of this novel had such potential to be a great character study. Similar to the protagonist of THE COIN, which I had read right before this, Linh clearly carries a lot of repressed feelings and anxieties, causing her to act in unhealthy ways. I was fascinated by her devotion, then obsession, with tailing her mother, a woman who seems perfectly capable of taking care of herself and eager to embrace a new chapter in her life. This foil, this flip of expectations, was something I was excited to dig into.
The beginning of the novel also features a tense moment when Linh is on campus when an active shooter situation occurs. Trapped alone in an art studio waiting it out, she spirals and there's a powerful moment when she reflects on how parenting similar to the type she experienced could be what plants the seed for future shooters to bloom. I really looked forward to exploring this and the lasting effects from this terrible experience.
Unfortunately, the farther I got in the story, the farther these elements drifted away. Linh's neuroses become too unfocused, too all encompassing. She starts to simply come off as unpleasant, one of those people who always assumes the worst in everything and is quick to point out wrongs but never makes an effort themselves to make things right. Similarly, the storytelling also loses its way -- I think it wants to be heartfelt, poignant, and earnest, yet there are some scenes so outlandish it feels more appropriate for satire.
As evidenced by books like THE COIN, the unhinged woman trope is most effective when it's focused in execution. This novel had the potential to be that, but ended up not quite hitting the mark.
February 1, 2024
Boring, flat & for a character driven novel, the characters were awful 馃槶
So far-fetched. Trying to be modern and edgy, but failed.
So far-fetched. Trying to be modern and edgy, but failed.
January 24, 2024
3/5
I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher
Linh Ly is doing just fine. It's not like there's been any sudden changes in her life, like say her mother's divorce from her abusive alcoholic father, that make her feel a deep loss of control. Suddenly concerned and paranoid that something awful could befall her newly single mother, especially now that she's reentering the dating world, Linh begins to stalk and spy on her. When a shooting at the university where she works at reafirms her beliefs, that the world is dangerous and out foor blood, her life slowly unravels in slow motion, making Linh face everything she is.
The idea is there, that little spark that makes this book diferent, but the execution needed something extra. It should have gone farther or picked a lane. What drew me into this book was the mother-daughter relationship and it didn't deliver on that promise. The author did not manage to show me the bond between the two of them nor advance anything in their relationship. I wish the book had dug deeper into the conflict originating from the divorce. How the mother was now free to discover herself and enjoy life while Linh was still stuck in her ways, in survivor mode, partially due to how she was raised. That would have been an interesting thread to unravel and confront. This book was too ambitious, it wanted to tackle family relationships, the trauma of immigration, racism, classism, even gun control in America, and it ended up stretching itself too thin.
The talent and the effort is there, the prose in this is firm and easy to read without sacrificing style. I did like Linh, she was relatable even in the midst of her downward spiral. While the relationships needed more work the characters themselves were good, they felt human enough.
I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher
Linh Ly is doing just fine. It's not like there's been any sudden changes in her life, like say her mother's divorce from her abusive alcoholic father, that make her feel a deep loss of control. Suddenly concerned and paranoid that something awful could befall her newly single mother, especially now that she's reentering the dating world, Linh begins to stalk and spy on her. When a shooting at the university where she works at reafirms her beliefs, that the world is dangerous and out foor blood, her life slowly unravels in slow motion, making Linh face everything she is.
The idea is there, that little spark that makes this book diferent, but the execution needed something extra. It should have gone farther or picked a lane. What drew me into this book was the mother-daughter relationship and it didn't deliver on that promise. The author did not manage to show me the bond between the two of them nor advance anything in their relationship. I wish the book had dug deeper into the conflict originating from the divorce. How the mother was now free to discover herself and enjoy life while Linh was still stuck in her ways, in survivor mode, partially due to how she was raised. That would have been an interesting thread to unravel and confront. This book was too ambitious, it wanted to tackle family relationships, the trauma of immigration, racism, classism, even gun control in America, and it ended up stretching itself too thin.
The talent and the effort is there, the prose in this is firm and easy to read without sacrificing style. I did like Linh, she was relatable even in the midst of her downward spiral. While the relationships needed more work the characters themselves were good, they felt human enough.
November 18, 2023
鈥淲hen I was in high school, there were days when I would wake up to find all the dishes broken and swept into the trash bin. I assumed it was all normal. Parents were never happy.鈥�
Thank you to @Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC! I was super excited to get it!
This book managed to perfectly blend sadness and humor together in the most confounding way. Linh was brutally hilarious in the most deadpan, half life sort of way that just made you sad... after the laugher had subsided. It truly felt like Linh was barely alive, even as she was spiraling it was hard to truly see how bad she was spiraling because she herself couldn't really tell.
I won't lie, Linh scared the hell out of me. Like girly... you're freaking us out. Have you considered intensive therapy? I respect her deeply for staying true to her deeply depressing and very intense self but DAMN GIRL, you have problems!! Her parental issues were out of control in a way I just couldn't fathom and it was very easy to see how Linh got to the way she is now. And I liked the offhanded yet subversive comments about racism that Linh would make - usually I don't like that but I found that Votang did it really well.
Overall, sad yet weirdly funny book. I think Votang did a really good job of writing a pretty unreliable narrator who appears to have it all together and yet, under that thin veneer of success, there's just a parade of insanity that you just can't help but gawk at.
Thank you to @Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC! I was super excited to get it!
This book managed to perfectly blend sadness and humor together in the most confounding way. Linh was brutally hilarious in the most deadpan, half life sort of way that just made you sad... after the laugher had subsided. It truly felt like Linh was barely alive, even as she was spiraling it was hard to truly see how bad she was spiraling because she herself couldn't really tell.
I won't lie, Linh scared the hell out of me. Like girly... you're freaking us out. Have you considered intensive therapy? I respect her deeply for staying true to her deeply depressing and very intense self but DAMN GIRL, you have problems!! Her parental issues were out of control in a way I just couldn't fathom and it was very easy to see how Linh got to the way she is now. And I liked the offhanded yet subversive comments about racism that Linh would make - usually I don't like that but I found that Votang did it really well.
Overall, sad yet weirdly funny book. I think Votang did a really good job of writing a pretty unreliable narrator who appears to have it all together and yet, under that thin veneer of success, there's just a parade of insanity that you just can't help but gawk at.
Read
January 7, 2025disclaimer: I don鈥檛 really give starred reviews. I hope my reviews provide enough information to let you know if a book is for you or not. Find me here:
I didn鈥檛 know which was worse: that I鈥檇 never told my mom that I loved her, or that I鈥檇 never said those words to anyone, period. I drove home, mouthing those three little words silently, as if muscle memory could make me feel something. What was love supposed to feel like? What was it supposed to look like? I had no idea.
Linh Ly is not doing fine actually. I sped through this because I could not get enough of Linh's deadpan, perpetually unimpressed and unbothered thoughts; and unintentional quips at those around her. Her mother and father are navigated divorced life apart, and Linh is stalking her mom as she re-enters the dating pool and goes on dates. Linh has never been close to her father, who is an emotionally abusive asshole who calls them "whores," and he struggles with alcoholism. Linh also begins casually hooking up with Chandler, someone she had a crush on in high school, and navigates her friendships with Hoa, her best childhood friend who wants to move to New York City out of the DFW metroplex, and her tennis friends.
Thao Votang's writing was captivating, clever, and layered; I was so impressed with Linh's depth and representation of a possibly neurodivergent mind. The neurodivergence is never named, and maybe I am projecting or self-inserting, but Linh seemed very nd-coded to me. She struggled to grasp why folks cared or placed such high value on certain topics of conversation or parts of life; she took many of her relationships at face value and only questioned them later on when she was alone with her thoughts; and she de-compressed and re-charged by laying in bed in only her underwear. I literally looked around and said, "Is this fucking play about us?" (Euphoria nod if you're unfamiliar with the trauma porn that is that HBO Max show). I felt the way Thao Votang illustrated Linh's experience was unflinching and felt so authentic! I was so impressed by how curious and funny Linh was, and the writing made me feel like Linh was telling me a story directly.
Overall, I thought this was a great new adult coming of age and slice of life story about Linh, exploring human connection, contending with complex feelings around grief and loss, and how to find and make meaning in a seemingly bleak and brief existence on this floating rock in space. I will absolutely seek out more of Thao Votang's work in the future.
Quotations that stood out to me:
It wasn鈥檛 an unusual thought. What kind of woman didn鈥檛 constantly gauge her surroundings for danger and death?
How could I know so little about the person who had given me life?
The vastness of Sundays had never bothered me before, and now I tried to think of how my mom was spending her time. Was she out shopping? Was she working on the garden she had mentioned? She鈥檇 never grown anything before. Of course, she鈥檇 never had time to do something for herself and only herself before. I was parking in front of her house before I realized that maybe I should have messaged her first. But no, she was my mom. Not a friend. Our lives didn鈥檛 have the same rules as social acquaintances. We were family, and it was different. I knocked, even though I had a key.
鈥淒id you have a garden in Vietnam?鈥� I didn鈥檛 usually bring up Vietnam. The few times I had in the past, the overwhelming sadness that seemed to come over my mom was too much. I learned to avoid it, so we didn鈥檛 drown in the feeling.
Our relationship had softened to the point where we could cry around each other, but we mustn鈥檛 watch each other cry.
Mom never brought up my father, so I didn鈥檛 either. Still, I wondered who cleaned up after him now. His ideal life was living like some white man in an American movie from the fifties. He must have dreamed that kind of life when he was a teenager, based on what he had seen in old movies that had made their way over the Pacific. Maybe he鈥檇 had time to dream a life for himself before the newest war pulled him into its violence. Maybe he had never known peace. Maybe he had never had time to dream at all.
When I was in high school, there were days when I would wake up to find all the dishes broken and swept into the trash bin. I assumed it was all normal. Parents were never happy.
The quiet of the bar made me miss a younger version of myself. Despite all the things I regretted from my past, there had been a time when I鈥檇 felt invincible. A time when I would go places alone, looking for danger and uncaring about making it to morning. A time when I surrounded myself with people so drunk you didn鈥檛 know what would happen. Teetering on that edge made me feel like something remarkable could happen to me. It didn鈥檛 matter what, so long as something did.
I鈥檇 read by street lamplight and watch her move around her house, turning lights on and off as she moved from room to room. She had made sure I had everything I needed growing up. Now it was my job to look after her, and I fully embraced it.
Tennis was an extremely social sport, even though you spent most of your time across the court from the other player. I thrived on how nonverbally social tennis was. Even while playing singles across the net, the two players influenced each other. Senses heightened as you tried to read your opponent. You learned their body language better than their families did.
Like every Saturday after practice, I went home and took a shower to relax my muscles. Dressed only in my underwear, I flopped onto my bed with my air-conditioning running and the ceiling fan going on high. I could stay like that for hours without moving. Sometimes I went back to sleep. Most times, I watched the fan鈥檚 arms go around and around, marking the passage of time. It was soothing. It was nothing. It was everything to me: the quiet, the peace, the uninterrupted aloneness.
鈥淒o you want to be somewhere quiet or loud?鈥� Chandler asked. 鈥淚 want to be somewhere beautiful,鈥� I said, and I meant it. If you had this much money, why would you waste your time with anything else?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Racism, Toxic relationship, and Stalking
Moderate: Death, Sexual content, and Death of parent
Minor: Cancer, Gun violence, and Mass/school shootings
I didn鈥檛 know which was worse: that I鈥檇 never told my mom that I loved her, or that I鈥檇 never said those words to anyone, period. I drove home, mouthing those three little words silently, as if muscle memory could make me feel something. What was love supposed to feel like? What was it supposed to look like? I had no idea.
Linh Ly is not doing fine actually. I sped through this because I could not get enough of Linh's deadpan, perpetually unimpressed and unbothered thoughts; and unintentional quips at those around her. Her mother and father are navigated divorced life apart, and Linh is stalking her mom as she re-enters the dating pool and goes on dates. Linh has never been close to her father, who is an emotionally abusive asshole who calls them "whores," and he struggles with alcoholism. Linh also begins casually hooking up with Chandler, someone she had a crush on in high school, and navigates her friendships with Hoa, her best childhood friend who wants to move to New York City out of the DFW metroplex, and her tennis friends.
Thao Votang's writing was captivating, clever, and layered; I was so impressed with Linh's depth and representation of a possibly neurodivergent mind. The neurodivergence is never named, and maybe I am projecting or self-inserting, but Linh seemed very nd-coded to me. She struggled to grasp why folks cared or placed such high value on certain topics of conversation or parts of life; she took many of her relationships at face value and only questioned them later on when she was alone with her thoughts; and she de-compressed and re-charged by laying in bed in only her underwear. I literally looked around and said, "Is this fucking play about us?" (Euphoria nod if you're unfamiliar with the trauma porn that is that HBO Max show). I felt the way Thao Votang illustrated Linh's experience was unflinching and felt so authentic! I was so impressed by how curious and funny Linh was, and the writing made me feel like Linh was telling me a story directly.
Overall, I thought this was a great new adult coming of age and slice of life story about Linh, exploring human connection, contending with complex feelings around grief and loss, and how to find and make meaning in a seemingly bleak and brief existence on this floating rock in space. I will absolutely seek out more of Thao Votang's work in the future.
Quotations that stood out to me:
It wasn鈥檛 an unusual thought. What kind of woman didn鈥檛 constantly gauge her surroundings for danger and death?
How could I know so little about the person who had given me life?
The vastness of Sundays had never bothered me before, and now I tried to think of how my mom was spending her time. Was she out shopping? Was she working on the garden she had mentioned? She鈥檇 never grown anything before. Of course, she鈥檇 never had time to do something for herself and only herself before. I was parking in front of her house before I realized that maybe I should have messaged her first. But no, she was my mom. Not a friend. Our lives didn鈥檛 have the same rules as social acquaintances. We were family, and it was different. I knocked, even though I had a key.
鈥淒id you have a garden in Vietnam?鈥� I didn鈥檛 usually bring up Vietnam. The few times I had in the past, the overwhelming sadness that seemed to come over my mom was too much. I learned to avoid it, so we didn鈥檛 drown in the feeling.
Our relationship had softened to the point where we could cry around each other, but we mustn鈥檛 watch each other cry.
Mom never brought up my father, so I didn鈥檛 either. Still, I wondered who cleaned up after him now. His ideal life was living like some white man in an American movie from the fifties. He must have dreamed that kind of life when he was a teenager, based on what he had seen in old movies that had made their way over the Pacific. Maybe he鈥檇 had time to dream a life for himself before the newest war pulled him into its violence. Maybe he had never known peace. Maybe he had never had time to dream at all.
When I was in high school, there were days when I would wake up to find all the dishes broken and swept into the trash bin. I assumed it was all normal. Parents were never happy.
The quiet of the bar made me miss a younger version of myself. Despite all the things I regretted from my past, there had been a time when I鈥檇 felt invincible. A time when I would go places alone, looking for danger and uncaring about making it to morning. A time when I surrounded myself with people so drunk you didn鈥檛 know what would happen. Teetering on that edge made me feel like something remarkable could happen to me. It didn鈥檛 matter what, so long as something did.
I鈥檇 read by street lamplight and watch her move around her house, turning lights on and off as she moved from room to room. She had made sure I had everything I needed growing up. Now it was my job to look after her, and I fully embraced it.
Tennis was an extremely social sport, even though you spent most of your time across the court from the other player. I thrived on how nonverbally social tennis was. Even while playing singles across the net, the two players influenced each other. Senses heightened as you tried to read your opponent. You learned their body language better than their families did.
Like every Saturday after practice, I went home and took a shower to relax my muscles. Dressed only in my underwear, I flopped onto my bed with my air-conditioning running and the ceiling fan going on high. I could stay like that for hours without moving. Sometimes I went back to sleep. Most times, I watched the fan鈥檚 arms go around and around, marking the passage of time. It was soothing. It was nothing. It was everything to me: the quiet, the peace, the uninterrupted aloneness.
鈥淒o you want to be somewhere quiet or loud?鈥� Chandler asked. 鈥淚 want to be somewhere beautiful,鈥� I said, and I meant it. If you had this much money, why would you waste your time with anything else?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Racism, Toxic relationship, and Stalking
Moderate: Death, Sexual content, and Death of parent
Minor: Cancer, Gun violence, and Mass/school shootings
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