Dennis's Reviews > White Ivy

An utterly unputdownable coming of age story, White Ivy is a story about love and deceit; it's a story about being an immigrant in the United States; it's a story about a woman accepting herself, while also continually trying to grow. Ivy and her family have immigrated to the United States from China and are all trying to balance their new lives in a world completely new to them. Ivy is taught at an early age to steal by her grandmother and it becomes sort of a way of life for her. When she hits those dreaded teenage years, she finds herself deeply obsessing over classmate Gideon Speyer. As she gets closer to Gideon and his family, Ivy starts having deeply rooted internal battles on love and friendship. While I don't agree with this book being labeled a thriller in any sense of the word, this book is a very powerful read. Ivy's struggle between her varying thoughts throughout her young adult life is very relatable. Ivy's battle between her Chinese heritage and American dream is very intriguing as well. While at times this book can feel a bit slower paced, White Ivy delivers an amazing and gripping ending that will leave you speechless.