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White Ivy

A Novel

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White Ivy

Written by: Susie Yang
Narrated by: Emily Woo Zeller
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“A truly addictive read” (Glamour) about how a Chinese American woman’s crush on a privileged former classmate becomes a story of love, lies, and dark obsession, offering stark insights into the immigrant experience, as it hurtles to its electrifying ending in this “twisty, unputdownable, psychological thriller” (People).

Ivy Lin is a thief and a liar—but you’d never know it by looking at her.

Raised outside of Boston, Ivy’s immigrant grandmother relies on Ivy’s mild appearance for cover as she teaches her granddaughter how to pilfer items from yard sales and second-hand shops. Thieving allows Ivy to accumulate the trappings of a suburban teen—and, most importantly, to attract the attention of Gideon Speyer, the golden boy of a wealthy political family. But when Ivy’s mother discovers her trespasses, punishment is swift and Ivy is sent to China, and her dream instantly evaporates.

Years later, Ivy has grown into a poised yet restless young woman, haunted by her conflicting feelings about her upbringing and her family. Back in Boston, when Ivy bumps into Sylvia Speyer, Gideon’s sister, a reconnection with Gideon seems not only inevitable—it feels like fate.

Slowly, Ivy sinks her claws into Gideon and the entire Speyer clan by attending fancy dinners and weekend getaways to the Cape. But just as Ivy is about to have everything she’s ever wanted, a ghost from her past resurfaces, threatening the nearly perfect life she’s worked so hard to build.

Filled with surprising twists and a nuanced exploration of class, race, identity, and ambition, White Ivy is a “highly entertaining,” (The Washington Post) “propulsive debut” (San Francisco Chronicle) that offers a glimpse into the dark side of a woman who yearns for success at any cost. Asian Creators Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Women's Fiction World Literature Haunted China Boston
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What the critics say

"Narrator Emily Woo Zeller skillfully steers the dramatic plot of this audiobook. . . . Zeller is commendable in breathing life into the mostly Asian characters. As Ivy, she is a reserved but cunning woman; as Sylvia, Ivy's friend, she is sweet and confident. Zeller's outstanding storytelling also elevates the work's twists and the harsh reality of the immigrant experience."
“Narrator Emily Woo Zeller gives a brilliant performance, bringing a chilling, hard edge to Ivy’s interior calculations, but also capturing the woman’s anguish, causing listeners to feel some sympathy for this complex, if ruthless, character.”
All stars
Most Relevant
this book takes a long time to get to the point. character development or back story is good but shouldn't take three quarters of the book to achieve. the premise was good though.

mystery delayed

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I hate to be so negative but this was one of the least appealing books I’ve ever read. Ivy was without logical motivation and the Roux to the mountain part was the final straw. Totally unbelievable.

Sorry but NOT GOOD

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Struggled to get into this read. Kept at it and the story failed to gain my attention.
Was too slow moving and depth of character and story line never materialized
I always judge a read by its ability to make me want to start and not stop a session
This just didn't happen and finally I just abandoned the read altogether

Not worth the read

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