Review: XOXO
You know, this is the second blog I am writing in a single span of staying awake. I won't say 24 hours because I do not follow norms and God forbid I have a healthy sleep schedule. And besides, after reading an intense historical fiction love story and a psychological thriller, I need a break. So light hearted it is.
XOXO by Axie Oh follows the story of Jenny Go. Jenny is a young cellist, planning to go to the music school of Berklee to achieve her dreams, but when the results from her audition tell her she lacks spark, she's disheartened. She meets Jaewoo while working and even though they share only one night together, Jenny's nerves still tingle from the spark that emerged that day. And when Jenny has to move to Korea with her mother to take care of Halmeoni, she meets Jaewoo again who, she learns is an idol. Will the spark be reignited between the two or will Jenny be left heartbroken again?
QUICK THOUGHTS AND REVIEW: 4/5, really light and easy read, it felt like a fun detox.
PROS:
1. Characters: Really, loved them. Even though they fit into the cliches we all come across, somehow, they're not as bad as one can imagine. In fact, they're not even one dimensional. They seem human enough for me to want them to exist in real life and that's saying something.
2. Setting: Okay, South Korea. Even better Seoul. Even though I had a very die-hard kpop phase that I have left behind and am no longer as active a member as I used to be in the kpop community, I loved the concept of the glimpse in the K-pop industry. The music already hits me with a sense of nostalgia and so it was refreshing.
3. Style and narration: First person, chef's kiss. First person narration is my preferred style of narration and this book flowed really well, with no drag. So I didn't have to yeet it. So that's a plus.
4. Youngmin, shalt I say anything more?
CONS:
1. Really disappointed with lack of screentime of the other characters. I mean, yeah I get it, Jaewoo and Jenny are the main characters, but geez, more time for other characters please? Like Sun. I'd have wanted to see more of Sun.
2. Lack of moments: Given that Jenny and Jaewoo have tight schedules but I think I would have liked to see them have more moments? The cliche did seem too hard for me too handle even when I knew it was a detox and I was going to be met with cliches. But a bit more character development between them.
3. Development: I didn't understand what was it though?
MOST FAVOURITE CHARACTER:
Gi Taek, hands down. And Nathaniel. Even though Nathaniel gets more screen time than Gi Taek does, both of them compete for their position as a favourite character in the book. Nathaniel is an easy going, happy-go-lucky person who doesn't give a shit about the world, but would lay down his life for his fellow bandmates and perhaps Sori. Gi Taek is a wonderful best friend. He is literally unfazed by the fact that he is surrounded by girls all the damn time and his responses. Oh fucking hell I adore it, the snark.
Honourable mention: Angela.
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