上流儿童（章子怡倾情推荐！继《你的孩子不是你的孩子》后，作家吴晓乐携家庭情感类小说再度回归，直击中国式家长强控制欲、教育焦虑、亲子关系等热点话题！多少家长用“为你好”耽误了孩子的一生！）

by 吳曉樂

1.作者吴晓乐有十五年家庭教师经历，继《你的孩子不是你的孩子》后再度创作家庭情感类小说，直击中产阶级教育、内卷、鸡娃、择校等社会热点话题。2.《你的孩子不是你的孩子》被奈飞改编为剧集全球播出，2019年揽获金钟奖5项大奖！入选豆瓣年度社科·纪实图书！3.一场跨越阶层的上流游戏悄然开启，数以万计的家庭争先入席，他们借由孩子之手，完成自己一厢情愿的“梦想”。4.读者评论：“蝇营狗苟的经营关系、地位、财富，再把这种压迫传导给孩子，否定孩子的快乐，以爱之名绑架孩子重塑孩子对价值的定义。对于我的儿子，只希望他健康快乐一生。”吴晓乐毕业于台北大学法律专业，毕业后没有选择律师之路，而是专注家庭教育，17岁开始从事家庭教师职业。2014年将自己从事家庭教师观察到的真实家庭故事，结集为《你的孩子不是你的孩子》一书出版，引发全民讨论。代表作有《你的孩子不是你的孩子》、《可是我偏偏不喜欢》、《上流儿童》等。为了“青出于蓝，而胜于蓝”的梦想，陈匀娴力争上游，想给儿子杨培宸最好的一切，但现实的经济压力让她不得不屈服。直到一天，命运之门华丽开启。在先生的老板为儿子举办的生日派对上，小寿星与儿子意外投缘，这难得的缘分给陈匀娴送来大礼：老板愿意出资让培宸就读贵族私立学校，好和自己的孩子作伴。眼看着陈匀娴一家即将登上“上流之路”，她也随之成为一位“贵妇妈妈”，恶性事件却接踵发生。原来这场上流社会游戏，即使已踏入门槛，也无参赛资格……

Genres: Fiction, Audiobook, Mystery Thriller, Suspense, Mystery

233 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2018

Reviews

[Ga.selle (Semi-hiatus) Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Humans have always excelled at the art of self-deception. Even when they sense that something is amiss, they manage to turn a blind eye and lend a deaf ear."



possible spoiler ⚠️


📖A Riveting Look at Adult Peer Pressure and Privilege
This story is truly compelling and resonated deeply, proving you don't necessarily have to be a mother or a parent to relate to its core themes. The narrative shines a harsh light on the persistence of peer pressure, suggesting it exists—and sometimes thrives—even more acutely in the adult world.
The book offers a fascinating, albeit troubling, glimpse into the world of the privileged, detailing how greed and ambition can blind people. The plot is thick with extreme manipulation, bribery, and gaslighting, painting a disturbing picture of social climbers and backstabbers.
My heart went out to the main character; her plight was genuinely moving. The betrayal by her "friend," Jiaqi, was particularly difficult to read. Jiaqi truly did the MC dirty.
My only significant complaint is with the conclusion. The ending felt unsatisfying and, quite frankly, infuriating. Jiaqi simply running away and leaving the MC to face the devastating consequences of their actions felt truly despicable. It was a disappointing and incomplete resolution to a meticulously built conflict.
Despite the frustrating ending, I highly recommend this novel for its sharp social commentary and powerful character dynamics.


3.85✨


thanks to Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

[Lucette 梅 · Rating 3 out of 5]

C'est un livre intéressant. On y découvre la terrible vie de l'élite Taïwanaise, sans tomber dans la caricature.
J'ai seulement eu un peu de mal à m'attacher aux personnages, mais je pense que c'est dû à la thématique.

[Maven_Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Privileged by Wu Xiaole is a compelling contemporary novel about a Taiwanese mother Chen Yunxian whose deep desire for a better life for her young son leads her into the dazzling world of high society, only to uncover how corrosive the pursuit of privilege can be when it exacts a hidden, frightening price.

After marrying her first love and raising her son Peichen, Yunxian is offered a chance to have Peichen attend an elite private school through her husband’s wealthy employer, thrusting her into extravagant parties, new friends, and the allure of status that she once only dreamed of. But as Yunxian embraces this new world, she begins to suspect that the cost of belonging may be far greater than she ever anticipated, forcing her to confront the darker side of social ascent and the tensions between love, ambition, and moral compromise.

From the start I was drawn into this story because Yunxian’s ambitions and anxieties felt deeply human: the longing to give your child every advantage is such a universal fear, yet Wu Xiaole paints it with a sharp, almost uncomfortably intimate lens. Yunxian’s journey made me reflect on how easy it is to blur the line between opportunity and exploitation when your heart is set on security, and I found myself rooting for her even when her choices made me uneasy.

What stood out most was how the novel dissolves classic thriller tropes into a more subtle, psychological tension rooted in domestic life and societal expectations, making the unease feel personal rather than sensational. The pacing and quiet twists kept me turning pages, not for shocking reveals, but because I cared about where Yunxian’s path would lead, and how her relationships might change under the weight of her ambitions and fears. While it may not be a high‑octane thriller in the traditional sense, the way it examines class, motherhood, and self‑worth stays with you long after the last page.

My rating: 4 out of 5 stars. I’m giving it four stars because it is thoughtful, sharply observed, and emotionally resonant, even if its subtle tension may not satisfy readers looking for very fast pacing or dramatic twists.

[Jo Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

A first read for me from the author, translated beautifully to English and narrated equally well by Nancy Wu.

Chen Yunxian is a young working wife and mother from a modest background, she wants so very much more from life, she expects her husbands family to provide them with an apartment, she expects her husband to get a promotion and when none of that transpires she accepts what seems to be a kindness from her husbands boss’s wife. They will pay for her son to attend the esteemed private school that is entirely out with her families means. Kindness comes at a cost though and she soon learns how the wealthy work,

I found the pace of the novel to be quite slow, quite predictable but it does leave you thinking which I appreciate.

Huge thanks to Brilliance publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this ALC 🎧

[Frey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Moi : haha ! moi ? ressentir de l'empathie pour un personnage suffisamment pour me sentir mal à l'aise ? avoir pitié d'un personnage ? ResSenTir De LA SyMpAtHiE ???? JAMAIS
Moi recevant des dommages psychiques et mentaux à chaque fois que j'ouvre le livre : ouuuughh ouwaaaahaahaha oauuehhahehzhaehehae uuuuuh guwaaaaaaaah yaahahaaaaaaaa ouyyyheaaargh

[RoosBookReviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

A tale of a mother who dreams of more for her son, but at a price she cannot pay.
a familiar story about those who use people with their money and influence. The cultural difference was interesting, but the story is the same from either side of the ocean. While I am not the target Audience for this book I can see its merit.

thank you to NetGalley, the author Wu Xiaole, and Brilliance Publishing for my ARC of this audiobook.

[Basalt · Rating 5 out of 5]

實在是好看，非常流暢，一氣呵成，劇情設計得嚴絲無縫。媽媽這個角色幾乎踩了所有小朋友的雷點，只覺得當她的小孩不可能幸福的。

[Helen Wu ✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25

The Privileged is my second book by this Taiwanese author, though my first time reading her in English. It’s all about what parents will do to push their kids to the top…even before middle school. The comparisons among the wealthy, the endless ambition, the gossip, the never-ending parental chat groups (which I truly can’t stand) made me both fascinated and frustrated. How far would you go to sacrifice for your children, your ego, or your own strange goals? I found myself both relating and not relating at the same time, which made it all the more thought-provoking. I really enjoy her writing style and her willingness to tackle darker themes. Recommend!

Thank you NetGalley and AmazonCrossing for the ARC!

[Kuu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

This was a very interesting exploration of motherhood and the pressures that come along with it, as well as the responsibilities pushed wholly upon women, while the husbands still feel they should have a say _when they want to_. I enjoyed reading this novel, enjoyed the ways Taiwanese high society, class structures and belonging were explored, the motives of the various characters and their struggles, as well as how these struggles interact, leading to conflicts and exploitation, while each character is understandable still.

What I found a little disappointing, though, was that the shocking events in this novel really weren't all that shocking. I expected more, with the whole "how far would you go?" kind of thing that was my main pull into this novel. This is listed as general fiction, not a thriller or anything like that, so maybe I should have expected it, but still, I was hoping for more. These events ultimately weren't all that shocking.

3.5 stars, because it left me with a feeling of "that's it?"

[KT · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s interesting that, while many countries are experiencing higher costs of living and other global calamities, parenthood is still expected and an indicator of ‘success’. I appreciated how frank and real the approach to parenthood was in this book. The need to be seen as a perfect parent with a perfect child, even if tenuous strings are orchestrated to be so. Yunxian was more self-aware than she would have liked but just couldn’t detach from the pursuit of climbing the social ladder. Sure, she loved her son, but she also reveled in how she was perceived as a result of his achievements. I think it’s normal (or more truly normalised) for a parent to want their kids to have what they don’t have access to, but I think sometimes it’s easy to hide behind this platitude instead of confronting personal disappointments and growing seeds of resentment. I really liked the introduction of people being gullible enough to get in on ‘the ground room floor’ and be scammed as a through line in which there’s more than one way to be swindled. Really enjoyed this one.

[Meg Staggs · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

[云 · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.7/5。
看上流兒童這本過半時，我的整體感覺就像在看個體與社會病灶觀察實例，可以看到分工和社會期待上的性別不平等，貧富差距導致階級焦慮，現代人的情緒管理問題，母親承擔的生育壓力，家長把小孩當成寶可夢在養投射期待自我膨脹並覺得為了下一代好，等等等等。 簡而言之我就是邊看邊想簡直有病。主角和其他人都。文中出現的親子部落客更簡直噁心實例，可怕的是恐怕還真有人把她所代表的理念當作真理，呃啊啊啊啊。
然後後面等到事件爆發時其實就……還好。主角有種自怨自艾的特質──這句話的意思並不是她無法體認事情到底是怎麼走到釀成大錯的，而是她能在看清哪些是自己的慾望作祟導致一步錯步步錯、能看清這個有問題的體制導致許多人有心理偏差的同時，無力掙脫而又上癮，也算是一種可悲。
本書中也可以看到幾個可以當作警報的要素：謊言，越來越多逐漸習以為常的謊言，對他人也對自己那個自知出錯的預感；別人點出時的惱羞成怒自我防衛；社交疏離；錯誤歸因。其實「我是為你好」和「她情有可原」都不是藉口。主角在最後離開遊戲時縱使自知但還是忍不住投入小孩遠大前程的幻想，這其實有點恐怖。只怕最後她還是會成為那種「我對你不好嗎？我一直跟別人說你是我的驕傲！」的家長吧。
她真的跳脫了嗎？我不覺得。我只想到了曾經聽聞的一句話：體制內的被壓榨者往往也會成為體制的維護者。這彷彿是個不詳的預言。
最後紀錄一個幾天前看到的段子，感覺很適合這本書……
『小孩在看到大人時常常覺得他們很自由，其實他們錯了。
自由的大人根本就不會有小孩（笑）』
就這樣吧w

[Sougeitu · Rating 3 out of 5]

無意間點開，一口氣讀完。
情節環環相扣，描寫細緻入微。看到一半甚至因為太緊張去查劇透（雖然沒查到），就如同其他本書書評所說：也許唯一遺憾的地方就是最後的展開太倉促。

[Luna · Rating 4 out of 5]

作者把渴望階級流動的貪婪和焦慮描寫得很傳神，我對母憑子貴的價值觀無話可說，充滿虛榮和面具的社交遊戲也讓人覺得好悶。

[Bhuku · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up. This read like a more literary PRIMATES OF PARK AVENUE, so I’d recommend it for fans of that one.

Premise - when a Chen Yunxian’s young son is accepted (via connections) into an elite private school, she finds herself vaulted into Taiwan’s high society. She’s been aiming for this since college, when she married a man who supposedly came from money, but it fell through when his mother sickened with cancer and his father lost the family fortune. She’s not going to let this new opportunity slip through her fingers, but it soon becomes clear that there’s a reason the connections wanted her son at that fancy school…

I know Chen Yunxian is a product of her culture, the focus on material success and class and so on, but WOW was she unlikeable. She marries for money/a comfortable lifestyle, then resents her in-laws after the money/property she’d planned to inherit dries up… rather than maybe deducing that she married for the wrong reasons? I just wanted her to take some responsibility for her choices and she comes close a few times, but defaults back to entitlement while also considering herself an underdog, because her parents were just middle class small business owners.

The themes that popped out the most here are surrogacy (of responsibility, not gestational), the true value of money, keeping up with the Joneses materialism, expectations for mothers, and the ways in which women can be seen to succeed.

I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Nancy Wu. She delivered such a lovely read - full of tension in the right spots, but still so warm and cozy that it was easy to want to settle in for hours at a time. A perfect accompaniment for holiday travels!

Thanks, NetGalley and Brilliance Audio, for the audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Monique · Rating 4 out of 5]

many thanks and gratitude to NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing for providing me with an early audiobook copy of The Privileged by Wu Xiaole in exchange for my thoughts and honest review.

this is the first novel i’ve read by this author. hopefully more of her work will be translated in the future because i am a fan! The Privileged explores wealth and class divides, social hierarchy, ethical dilemmas, parenting, and the dynamics within communities of families with young children, especially between mothers. the women in those book are not just engaged but have made it their mission to place their children in the best school as a means of ensuring that these young people will go on to be successful (rich) in their lives.

the plot moves quickly, is tense, atmospheric and eerie. it’s hard to not feel for the main character, Chen Yunxian, who isn’t from a wealthy family and desires to have more than her working class parents. the author does such an incredible job describing Chen’s desire to be part of a higher social class, to be wealthy, and her desperation to experience a life like the affluent mothers of the children her son goes to school with.

as i listened to this audiobook (fantastically narrated by Nancy Wu), i couldn’t help but think about the way all cultures seem to have an aspiration to do better and have more. while i think it’s ok to aspire to have the best in life, there is so much more. in these characters there is so much pain and sadness; the women Chen interacts with are all shallow and lack a
sense of living in the moment. with that said, i loved this book and its layered narrative.

again, the audiobook is fabulous and i highly recommend if you are able to listen!

The Privileged will be published on December 16, 2025

[Janine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a compelling read. It posits the question: what would you do to have your child succeed? While set among the upper echelon of Taiwanese society, it could definitely apply to any country or culture where status is more valued than not.

Chen Yunxian is in a quandary. Needing to work but incredibly dedicated to making sure her son, Peichen, succeeds, she rides a roller coaster of indecision, insecurity and fear. Then through a matter of luck brought about by her husband’s employer, she and Peichen attend the birthday party for Hoaqian, her husband’s employer’s son, where the two boys bond. When Liang Jiaqi, Hiaqian’s mother, agrees to pay for Peichen’s education at a private prestigious school attended by Hoaqian, Chen Yunxian is elated and foresees a bright future for her son. But there are dark secrets bubbling beneath all of this which soon emerge threatening the strength of her marriage and threatening the trust with her child. The author takes on the corrosive allure of wealth against the tediousness of domesticity that in the book becomes a parental nightmare.

I listened to this excellently narrated novel. It’s an atmospheric thriller with intense tension as Chen Yunxian’s parental nightmare grows such that it was hard to stop listening. The clever twist that reveals a truth hidden from a mother who believes anything is worth getting son’s happiness and success packs quite a punch. I truly enjoyed this book and highly recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley and Brilliance Audio for allowing me to listen to this ARC.

[Aurora Jay · Rating 3 out of 5]

𝗤𝗨𝗜𝗖𝗞 𝗣𝗟𝗢𝗧 𝗣𝗘𝗘𝗞
Chen Yunxian, a former noodle-seller’s daughter, claws her way into high society by getting her son into an elite private school - but the deal she made comes with a chilling, hidden cost.

𝗔𝗨𝗗𝗜𝗢 𝗧𝗔𝗞𝗘
Great narrator - it was hard at first to follow the names, so it was helpful to have the book to read. Once I got it, the narrator was perfect. Her performance is outstanding, especially towards the end.

𝗦𝗧𝗢𝗥𝗬 𝗧𝗔𝗞𝗘
This is a story of how far a mother will go to secure their child’s future.

This felt like another example of a thriller that isn’t a thriller. It’s literary fiction with a strong emphasis on being a woman - a mother and the struggles that come with it.

Our female MC isn’t particularly likable but she feels “normal” and aspires to have a comfortable life and makes decisions that are maybe not for the right reasons. It’s a very small cast which made it easy to follow and I was grateful as the Taiwanese names weren’t easy to remember.

I felt it was predictable even though it was satisfying when something “thrillery”started to happen. That said, the stakes never felt very high.

𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗧𝗛 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗?
I don’t think this would make a good read for hardcore thriller fans. It’s very “thriller-light”. However, if you enjoy a slow burn, wealthy people behaving badly this is a great pick.

Thank you Brilliance Publishing and AmazonCrossing and NetGalley for this #gifted ARC.

🎧 Narrated by Nancy Wu
📖 Publishes 12•16•25 | 271 pages | 8h 27m

[Annette Jordan · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Privileged by Wu Xiaole with translation by Michael Berry is a book about social class, motherhood and the impossibility of having it all.
Chen Yunxian would do anything for her young son Peichen, she dreams of giving him a better future than that of his parents. Despite initial promises her husband Yang Dingguo's career has stalled and opportunities for promotion and the upward social mobility that would follow are disappearing rapidly. Her hopes of sending Peichen to the best school are simply financially untenable until the unexpected happens and not only does Peichen form a friendship with Dingguo's boss, but his wife takes a liking to Yunxian too. When they offer to pay for Peichen's school tuition Yunxian seizes the opportunity but soon finds herself caught up in a web of fake friendships, social climbing and unexpected quid pro quos. In this story everything has a price but at what point is that price to high to pay?
This book is not a thriller, the pacing is far too slow and deliberate for that, however there is clearly something ominous and as I read I was always waiting for the other foot to fall. Peer pressure is not just for the children and teens, as we see in this tale, it never really goes away. The blend of social commentary and storytelling was well handled and the translation felt very unobtrusive.
I read an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own .

[Samuel · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent exploration of class tension, motherhood, and exploitation in Taiwan's high society, but readers expecting a dark thriller based on the book's marketing will likely be disappointed.

Chen Yunxian finds herself in over her head when she and her husband take their boss up on his offer to pay their young son's tuition at an exclusive private school. As she struggles to navigate the deceptively complex waters of the social scene that makes up the school's mothers' group, Chen Yunxian realizes too late that what seem like kind intentions may have dark motivations.

I enjoyed The Privileged a lot - the characters were well developed and the cultural critique was interesting, but if this is a domestic thriller, the emphasis is far more on the domestic than on the thriller. There is tension, suspense, and intrigue, but it is not the primary driver of the book. The climax occurs a little early, so the conclusion seems to drag on a bit - this might be due to differing literary conventions as this is a book in translation.

The audiobook is well done.

Thank you to NetGalley for access to an advance copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

[Valerie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25⭐

Wanting to get ahead and get your kids the best opportunities are desires known to cultures all over the world. This novel takes us to Taiwan, where a mom gets in over her head while trying to exist in the upper echelons of her local community.

This isn't a thriller, it even feels like a stretch to call it suspense. I feel as if the reception of this novel may be effected by the marketing and genre designation. There is tension, but it doesn't occur until far into the book.

Other than our main character's son, most of the characters are pretty unlikable, though I feel like this is often the case in books taking place amongst the most privileged in society (oh look, the book title).

What are you willing to do to get ahead? If you convince yourself you're doing it for your child, how much damage will be done before you realize what you've done? Even within a culture very different from the one I was raised in, the story has a lot of familiar beats. It's nothing groundbreaking, but I wanted to see where the story went.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

[VeroniCanRead · Rating 4 out of 5]

👜 For Fans of:
- motherhood commentary
- domestic suspense
- Taiwanese culture
- lowkey suspense
- working vs stay at home mothers

⭐️ 3.5 True Rating
✏️ Spoiler-Free ARC Review
This book was a very interesting look into the culture, society, and social structure of Taiwan as it dives into a struggling young family, motherhood, domestic married life, and asks the question of how far a mother would go to secure their child’s future.

I enjoyed it, especially the look into family and social pressures of motherhood and how they were so similarly related to the pressures of mothers in the United States.

I’d recommend this book for anyone wanting a domestic suspense story dealing in motherhood.

Translation Notes - The translation is somehow both very direct/formal but also casual thoughts. It’s an odd mix but it works, especially with the high society and class that this story takes place in. Everything made sense and was well translated.

🖤 Thank you to NetGalley for the digital advanced reader copy. As always, my reviews are honest, my own, and voluntary!

[Erica Moore · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book could have easily been called Striving! The story centers on a mother who is carrying old wounds related to her and her husband's economic position and how life didn't turn out the way she thought it would. She pours all her energy, and it's attendant anxiety, into ensuring her son has the best opportunities in life. We get a glimpse of how the other half lives, how the FMC strives to be like them and how everyone is ratcheting up the antics and "keeping up with the Joneses" to unsustainable levels.

The book was tagged as a thriller, which isn't really an accurate descriptor for this novel, and could lead to confusion and disappointment from readers looking for a suspenseful, taut, action-filled jaunt. This is a slow-burning character study, a deep dive into the lives of a group of co-workers and their families. I loved it; it really reminded me of Wanting by Claire Jia, which touched on similar themes of envy, ambition and relentless materialism.

The narration was top-notch and I really enjoyed the audiobook production. Thanks NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing | Brilliance Audio for the advance listening copy!

[Jacque Engen · Rating 4 out of 5]

At what point does “doing anything” for your child’s future begin to hurt more than help?

This audiobook follows a woman as she navigates being thrust into a wealthy circle after her husband’s boss offers to pay tuition for their son to attend private school with theirs.

Our main character made me sooo agitated the entire book but I think that may have been the point. As outsiders we are able to see the missteps much easier. The other mothers in “class H” are constantly competing, whether it’s their child’s grades, birthday parties, etc.. the pressure is huge and you can see the toll it takes. Who do you trust to truly be in your corner in an environment like this? That’s the other question.

Overall, I really enjoyed listening to this audiobook and it gave a glimpse into a world I’m multiple tax brackets below experiencing. —and I’m glad for it. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

[Farah G · Rating 3 out of 5]

Most parents want the best for their offspring. The lengths that they are willing to go to in order to ensure that does, however, vary.

When Chen Yunxian discovers her husband's career has taken a downturn, she is relieved when his boss offers her an opportunity for her son Peichen that will allow him (and her) access to the higher echelons of the society in which they operate. But the real cost of this chance she has so eagerly grasped at may end up being more than she has bargained for.

This offers an interesting look at how Taiwanese society operates, along with considering the perhaps eternal dreams of opportunity that many parents - not least Asian parents - dream for their children. It gets 3.5 stars.

I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was hooked from the first chapter. The Privileged is a slow burn but a fast read/listen. The chapters are short and the narrator does a great job throughout the whole book. I loved how it was broken up into different parts and I really enjoyed how we got a glimpse into Chen Yunxian’s past as a way to get deeper grasp and understanding for the rest of the book. I wouldn’t say this is super thriller-y in she sense of the thrillers I am normally reading, but it did still give me the sense of needing to turn the page to find out what happens and how it plays out. This book made me reflect a lot more than I do with others after I’m finished.
Thank you to Net Galley and Brilliance Publishing for the ALC!

[Vanessa Renderos · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley, brilliance Audio, & Wu xiaole for this ALC.

I rate this one a 2.5 star out of 5 I rounded it out to a 3. I personally did not feel like this was a mystery or a thriller. There was nothing that really had me wondering who did why or what was happening? I figured it out from the beginning what was happening and what was going on so there wasn’t a while factor for me. It could also be that it was translated. I did not like the main female character. It was just a lot of back-and-forth rich people problems didn’t have a wow factor for me. The narrator was great I think that’s why I kept listening.

[Paloma · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Priviledge gives us a look at how peer pressure, greed and ambition can bring out the worst in all of us. It shines a mirror into many societies where we have been made to believe that only certain achievements matter.
Chen Yunxian learns the hard way that the rich work in a different way. She sacrifices everything, including her own child. I enjoyed the book and the author's writing. This is a common topic in any culture and I liked that this book showed how dark it can get to achieve certain goals. How much sacrifice is success worth?
Thank you Netgalley and Amazon Crossing for this eARC. All opinions are entirely my own.

[Maria Vickers - MysteryLFL · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars, rounded down. This book was okay. It’s a thriller in the same way that “The Push” is a thriller, which is not much at all. It’s more just general or women’s fiction. The story was interesting enough, but I listened on audio so I struggled HARD with all the Taiwanese names. I was usually able to figure out who they were talking about by context, but even now, having just finished, I couldn’t tell you a single Taiwanese name from the book. I think if the translation of this book had included the names (English names are often mentioned in the book, just not used widely), it would be a lot more accesible to non-Taiwanese readers.

[Melody · Rating 3 out of 5]

How far would you go to give your child the world? This story is a classic case of moms who will stop at nothing to provide what they think is best for their children… to their own detriments. Private schools and private tutors, cut throat gossiping moms who are your friend one moment and at each others’ throats the next, all play out in ways that are obvious but still make a great story.
I was able to listen to the English translation of the audiobook and the narrator did a lovely job.

Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC