Book Review: “The Comeback” by Lily Chu
Håfa adai! Welcome to my spoiler-free review of The Comeback, by Lily Chu.
This book review consists of two parts: a brief plot summary and my thoughts of the story. There may be some lightweight spoilers—such as how characters interact with each other and the world around them—but I will not give away any major plot twists or endings. I want to share my opinion of the book and encourage you to purchase a copy of your own.
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Spoiler-Free Plot Summary
Ariadne Hui is the personification of the Type A personality: she is assertive, hard-working, goal oriented, and focused on climbing the ladder within the esteemed law firm she works for. She gives immense dedication to the law firm, only for her boss and colleagues to view her as a box to check. The overbearing monotony and constant chasing of the ever-moving goal post is taking its toll on Ari. Her personal life is just as monotonous and boring. And the thought of going on a date with another lawyer keeps her single. But with a tightly-packed schedule like hers, how is she supposed to meet anyone new? It’s not like an eligible bachelor can just appear on her doorstep. Or can he?
Jihoon Choi, her roommate Hana’s handsome cousin, has traveled from Seoul to their apartment in Toronto to recover from a break-up. He’ll only be there for a few weeks. He promises Ari that he won’t bother her and she’ll hardly notice him. But Jihoon spends a lot more time with Ari than with his own cousin. And she definitely notices him. When the true reason for Jihoon’s visit comes to light, Ari is thrown into a whirlwind she was not prepared for. She has spent much of her life trying not to attract too much attention and did not sign up for all eyes to be on her. But the truth that emerges from the lie pushes Ari to ask what she wants in life and for herself.
My Thoughts on The Comeback: 3.75 stars
In The Comeback, Lily Chu shows her talent for taking experiences many are familiar with—horrible racist coworkers, an overbearing parent who refuses to acknowledge boundaries, pre-determined life paths that many parents have for their children, the pressure of family expectations, identity dysphoria within the descendants of diaspora communities, feelings of abandonment, and complicated sibling dynamics—and wrapping it up in a fanciful yet bizarre tale. Scenes describing sex and other physical intimacy are not graphic, which makes the story appropriate to a wide age range of readers as well as for those who are not as comfortable with more literal/erotic depictions.
The Comeback utilizes the “prince in disguise” trope of romance storytelling. And I don’t dislike it! It was cute to see Ari and Jihoon fall for each other without the pressure of the world’s eyes on them. What I did not quite understand was how long Ari was angry against him once the truth came out. I can understand being upset at first. But then she did not want to take the context of the entire situation into consideration and instead chose to stay angry. Perhaps she chose to hold on to that anger towards Jihoon because she could not express her anger towards the garbage people she works with. I am not sure. I would have liked to see either a deeper examination of why Ari felt she had to hold on to the anger for so long or an entirely different source the external drama and pressure on their budding relationship.
I related to so many of Ari’s experiences. I was disappointed by a few of the outlandish assumptions she makes about Jihoon and the way she holds on to anger towards some characters. But those are essential to her arc. The idea that your best friend/roommate’s cousin is a world-renowned celebrity and never once mentioned it is strange. But maybe I’m just atrocious at keeping secrets. And that a celebrity of such renown could go incognito in a major city long enough to establish such a deep connection with a total stranger is strange. But maybe I feel some sort of why for not being able to connect with others so quickly.
I give The Comeback 3.75 out of 5 stars. There were some aspects of the story I did not like, yet I remained interested from start to finish. The Comeback is easy to follow and entertaining. I appreciated Ari’s character arc, where she takes her career, and where things are with her and Jihoon by the end. I also really appreciated Hana’s character growth by the end of the story. I enjoy Lily Chu’s writing style and appreciate her ability to naturally include so many experiences that I can relate to. Phillipa Soo also gives a great performance in the audiobook recording. As an additional side note, I really like the book cover artwork for all of Lily Chu’s novels.
Dångkulo' na' saina ma'åse'! Thank you so much for reading my review of The Comeback by Lily Chu.
Rating Cheat Sheet
4.75 - 5.00 stars: Everyone should read this book! (If you’re into that sort of thing.)
4.00 - 4.50 stars: I appreciated many aspects of this book. I recommend it!
3.00 - 3.75 stars: I liked some aspects of this book. I won’t revisit it, but someone else might really like it.
2.00 - 2.75 stars: There were some things I appreciated about this book, but I do not recommend it.
0.25 - 1.75 stars: I do not recommend this book. I did not enjoy or appreciate the experience of it.
Post Date: 30 August 2024
Published: 14 July 2022
Publisher: Audible Originals
Performed by Phillipa Soo
