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Hello Kitty Must Die
Meet Fi. A 28 year old lawyer with a six figure salary and an 80 hour working week, Fi has no intention of being another pretty, passive Hello Kitty type, stuck on a conveyor belt of kids, cooking and cleaning. It's just a shame her parents won't stop setting her up with undesirable men.
Meet Sean. Fi's childhood best friend and teenage delinquent, he's now a very successful surgeon. But there's something you should know about Sean. Some men cook in their spare time, others play sport. Sean kills people.
Meet Freddie, Fi's blind date. Poor Freddie. This really isn't going to end well...
Meet Sean. Fi's childhood best friend and teenage delinquent, he's now a very successful surgeon. But there's something you should know about Sean. Some men cook in their spare time, others play sport. Sean kills people.
Meet Freddie, Fi's blind date. Poor Freddie. This really isn't going to end well...
250 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 2010
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1597 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 404 reviews
July 28, 2014
When will I ever learn?
Once again, I was sucked in by a great title, then kicked in the butt by mediocrity.
When an egomaniacal lawyer with a deep admiration for serial killers meets up with her old school chum, a guy who was once sent to juvie for setting a fellow student on fire, sparks fly, and it seems like a match made inHeaven Hell. But unfortunately, not in a cute, funny, what-if-Wednesday-Addams-found-her-true-love way.
It's more like Sex and the City had a one-nighter with American Psycho and EVERYONE is really embarrassed the next morning.
I LOVE black comedy. The darker, the better. This one tries...but never makes it over the wall and out of wanna-be territory. It's an odd attempt to mix a heartwarming tale of a gal longing to break free from familial restraints with a quirky story of two killers in love. A better writer could have pulled it off. One of the Bizarro authors might have had a field day with the themes. Unfortunately, Choi writes like a lawyer. Everything is very matter-of-fact. Her style never really draws you in and the lack of at least one likable character to root for leaves you yawning.
And for my taste, there was way too much yammering about clothes and shoes.
By the way, Hello Kitty says to shove your Jimmy Choo's up your ass!
Once again, I was sucked in by a great title, then kicked in the butt by mediocrity.
When an egomaniacal lawyer with a deep admiration for serial killers meets up with her old school chum, a guy who was once sent to juvie for setting a fellow student on fire, sparks fly, and it seems like a match made in
It's more like Sex and the City had a one-nighter with American Psycho and EVERYONE is really embarrassed the next morning.
I LOVE black comedy. The darker, the better. This one tries...but never makes it over the wall and out of wanna-be territory. It's an odd attempt to mix a heartwarming tale of a gal longing to break free from familial restraints with a quirky story of two killers in love. A better writer could have pulled it off. One of the Bizarro authors might have had a field day with the themes. Unfortunately, Choi writes like a lawyer. Everything is very matter-of-fact. Her style never really draws you in and the lack of at least one likable character to root for leaves you yawning.
And for my taste, there was way too much yammering about clothes and shoes.
By the way, Hello Kitty says to shove your Jimmy Choo's up your ass!
June 1, 2022
This was definitely a reading experience I won't soon forget. At first I liked the fact that the protagonist was a women who was a bit "crazy" to say the least, not manic pixie dream kind though. And it felt rather refreshing with a girl/woman who wasn't cookie cutter perfect. Although it was short book it got to !much sometimes and as much as I wanted to enjoy it . I just didn't. I'm more in the lane of other reviews rating this low than I am with the one on the higher rate
August 6, 2011
First line: "It all started with a missing hymen."
Thus starts a fictional memoir whose first chapter features rants about body parts I don't have and sex aids I've never used. It is dark and hilarious, the way I like my comedies, yet I wondered if the author has the ability to continue in such a strong manner.
The premise is strong. Fiona is a "Hello Kitty" Chinese-American stuck between modern America and Chinese cultural norms. She is a 28 year old lawyer who is also a virgin and lives at home. Now that she is marriage material her parents expect her to do just that. But Fiona wishes to kill the Hello Kitty part of her..and if anyone is going to take her virginity, she will damn well do it herself! But first she needs to find her hymen. And that is the strange setup that includes serial killers, Lidocaine coated vibrators, lots of loser dates, and a regurgitating parakeet.
There's a lot of material in the clash of cultures. Yet it has been done before. By Amy Tan in a much more serious tone and by comedian Margaret Cho in a funnier but gentler way. In fact, much of this book reads like stand-up material. But I'm not sure Angela S. Choi adds anything to the discussion. The author's rude and chaotic humor starts to fade quickly. When Fiona's obsession with serial killers blends into her reality it starts to pick up but it is also losing its focus. I enjoyed this novel and I was especially floored (as in ROTFL) by the first quarter of the novel. Yet it ultimately fails to provide any insight to the novel's theme of cultural conflict.
Thus starts a fictional memoir whose first chapter features rants about body parts I don't have and sex aids I've never used. It is dark and hilarious, the way I like my comedies, yet I wondered if the author has the ability to continue in such a strong manner.
The premise is strong. Fiona is a "Hello Kitty" Chinese-American stuck between modern America and Chinese cultural norms. She is a 28 year old lawyer who is also a virgin and lives at home. Now that she is marriage material her parents expect her to do just that. But Fiona wishes to kill the Hello Kitty part of her..and if anyone is going to take her virginity, she will damn well do it herself! But first she needs to find her hymen. And that is the strange setup that includes serial killers, Lidocaine coated vibrators, lots of loser dates, and a regurgitating parakeet.
There's a lot of material in the clash of cultures. Yet it has been done before. By Amy Tan in a much more serious tone and by comedian Margaret Cho in a funnier but gentler way. In fact, much of this book reads like stand-up material. But I'm not sure Angela S. Choi adds anything to the discussion. The author's rude and chaotic humor starts to fade quickly. When Fiona's obsession with serial killers blends into her reality it starts to pick up but it is also losing its focus. I enjoyed this novel and I was especially floored (as in ROTFL) by the first quarter of the novel. Yet it ultimately fails to provide any insight to the novel's theme of cultural conflict.
January 13, 2012
Wait, what happened? I had added a longer, detailed review for this one. Did one of the small GR server outages/updates kill it a few nights ago? :(
I could not resist the book, the title was too irresistible. Fiona Yu is a Chinese-American lawyer who is 28 and lives with her parents, who want to marry her to a nice (enough) Chinese-American man. Fiona isn't keen on the idea of getting married, and enjoys more her life as a single (who also has a nice male ... parakeet in her life). So she takes the action in her own hands. First she decides to take her own virginity, which then somehow ends up searching for surgeons who are specialized in reconstructing that single-use membrane for the ladies. The surgeon turns out to be Sean, a friend of hers from the childhood, who helps Fiona by getting some magic karma to get rid of the most losers of the boys her parents introduce her to and arrange her to have dates with. So essentially the hello kitty (= any Chinese- or Japanese-American girl; supposed to be cute, harmless, and always nice) turns out to be occasionally a bit less nice... and you'll hope to be not on her way.
A fast read. A light read too, considering there are definitely a bunch of bodies introduced in the book. Not gruesome or violent in the descriptions though. I didn't have much more ideas what to expect except the small amount of detail on the back of the book. I enjoyed this. I could also imagine this as a film, but if it ever gets to be a movie, please let Fiona be anyone else except Lucy Liu...
I could not resist the book, the title was too irresistible. Fiona Yu is a Chinese-American lawyer who is 28 and lives with her parents, who want to marry her to a nice (enough) Chinese-American man. Fiona isn't keen on the idea of getting married, and enjoys more her life as a single (who also has a nice male ... parakeet in her life). So she takes the action in her own hands. First she decides to take her own virginity, which then somehow ends up searching for surgeons who are specialized in reconstructing that single-use membrane for the ladies. The surgeon turns out to be Sean, a friend of hers from the childhood, who helps Fiona by getting some magic karma to get rid of the most losers of the boys her parents introduce her to and arrange her to have dates with. So essentially the hello kitty (= any Chinese- or Japanese-American girl; supposed to be cute, harmless, and always nice) turns out to be occasionally a bit less nice... and you'll hope to be not on her way.
A fast read. A light read too, considering there are definitely a bunch of bodies introduced in the book. Not gruesome or violent in the descriptions though. I didn't have much more ideas what to expect except the small amount of detail on the back of the book. I enjoyed this. I could also imagine this as a film, but if it ever gets to be a movie, please let Fiona be anyone else except Lucy Liu...
July 9, 2021
vad fan läste jag precis? det här är nog av den mest konstigaste boken jag har läst...
October 17, 2010
Disappointed and annoyed after reading this book.
I'll give Ms. Choi credit for being able to "put the monster at the end of the book". But really, this was a disturbingly sad novel. I'm tired of Asian-American writers constantly making fun of our own culture or trying to prove how American we are.
Fiona, the protagonist, was probably fashioned after Ms. Choi herself. I found Fiona annoying with her persistent resistance of her parents' marriage setups. Got old really fast.
And although her boy friend Sean added a little uniqueness to the story, it got overwhelming reading about his serial killing. Yes, a bit of suspense was good, but that quickly fizzled as well.
Sorry, not the next great Asian-American novel. I'd like to read a novel honoring, celebrating the Asian-American culture rather than bashing it.
I'll give Ms. Choi credit for being able to "put the monster at the end of the book". But really, this was a disturbingly sad novel. I'm tired of Asian-American writers constantly making fun of our own culture or trying to prove how American we are.
Fiona, the protagonist, was probably fashioned after Ms. Choi herself. I found Fiona annoying with her persistent resistance of her parents' marriage setups. Got old really fast.
And although her boy friend Sean added a little uniqueness to the story, it got overwhelming reading about his serial killing. Yes, a bit of suspense was good, but that quickly fizzled as well.
Sorry, not the next great Asian-American novel. I'd like to read a novel honoring, celebrating the Asian-American culture rather than bashing it.
June 27, 2010
Be careful of this one if you don't like dark humor. Would be good for fans of Dexter. Part social commentary on cultural expectations for asian american women, part moral commentary on what would you do if someone you knew was doing illegal things but you benefited like hell from it, part feminist anthem in taking control of your own destiny. I liked this author's voice very much and thought her fearlessness on her chosen story for a first-time novelist is to be admired. I will look forward to more books from her.
August 27, 2025
4 ⭐️—Totally unlike anything I’ve read before. 🤯
Hello Kitty Must Die is exactly the kind of book you didn’t know you needed, and then suddenly can’t put down because Fiona Yu is basically a warning label wrapped in pink bow-shaped cuteness.
Fiona Yu is like Hello Kitty come to life—but like, a sad, frustrated, overeducated, still-virgin Hello Kitty who’s trapped in her parents’ house and hates every second of her own existence. No claws, no sharp teeth, no eyebrows that can arch into murderous intent—just perfect little cuteness that screams, “F*ck you!”
Then there’s her best friend, a Patrick Bateman-meets-Ted Bundy vibe: polished, unnervingly charismatic, casually terrifying, and somehow hilarious in all the wrong ways. It’s the kind of friendship that makes you laugh and go, “Uh… is this legal?” at the same time.
Satire? Check. Black comedy? Check. Absurdity so sharp it makes you snort and cringe simultaneously? Triple check. The first half hits like a perfect Instagram meme: witty, biting, and completely relatable if you’ve ever felt trapped in a life that looks perfect on paper but is a dumpster fire in reality. The second half loses a bit of that razor-sharp edge, but honestly, I didn’t care—I was already inhaling pages like Fiona inhales existential despair.
What’s wild is how Fiona embodies all these cultural and personal contradictions. She’s the ultra-“cute Asian woman” stereotype everyone expects, yet she’s also smart, bitter, frustrated, and entirely unwilling to just smile through the pain. It’s hilarious and kind of heartbreaking. You can’t help but root for her in the most chaotic, please survive this nightmare world, Hello Kitty way.
I mean, this book is just… different. It’s a cocktail of pink bows, existential dread, pitch-black humor, and a side of holy crap, is this really happening? And you just can’t stop drinking it down. Fiona Yu might be a Hello Kitty, but she’s one you won’t forget.
Hello Kitty Must Die is exactly the kind of book you didn’t know you needed, and then suddenly can’t put down because Fiona Yu is basically a warning label wrapped in pink bow-shaped cuteness.
Fiona Yu is like Hello Kitty come to life—but like, a sad, frustrated, overeducated, still-virgin Hello Kitty who’s trapped in her parents’ house and hates every second of her own existence. No claws, no sharp teeth, no eyebrows that can arch into murderous intent—just perfect little cuteness that screams, “F*ck you!”
Then there’s her best friend, a Patrick Bateman-meets-Ted Bundy vibe: polished, unnervingly charismatic, casually terrifying, and somehow hilarious in all the wrong ways. It’s the kind of friendship that makes you laugh and go, “Uh… is this legal?” at the same time.
Satire? Check. Black comedy? Check. Absurdity so sharp it makes you snort and cringe simultaneously? Triple check. The first half hits like a perfect Instagram meme: witty, biting, and completely relatable if you’ve ever felt trapped in a life that looks perfect on paper but is a dumpster fire in reality. The second half loses a bit of that razor-sharp edge, but honestly, I didn’t care—I was already inhaling pages like Fiona inhales existential despair.
What’s wild is how Fiona embodies all these cultural and personal contradictions. She’s the ultra-“cute Asian woman” stereotype everyone expects, yet she’s also smart, bitter, frustrated, and entirely unwilling to just smile through the pain. It’s hilarious and kind of heartbreaking. You can’t help but root for her in the most chaotic, please survive this nightmare world, Hello Kitty way.
I mean, this book is just… different. It’s a cocktail of pink bows, existential dread, pitch-black humor, and a side of holy crap, is this really happening? And you just can’t stop drinking it down. Fiona Yu might be a Hello Kitty, but she’s one you won’t forget.
August 7, 2011
What a different, crazy, cool story to read. The protagonist (Fiona) is an asexual young Asian woman sociopath giving her cold views on the world. Her best friend (Sean) is a serial killer white man whom she's known since grade school and their dialogue/world views are immensely interesting to read.
"The sweet smell of death. Thick, toxic, intoxicating. It made me giddy. It gave me weak orgasms."
He was the product of an abusive home with an overly sexual mother and she has overbearing parents who want to marry her off to the first Asian guy who shows any sort of interest whatsoever. Her father refuses to take no for an answer and she can't seem to get him off her back, so he puts her on blind dates every weekend that always seem to come up missing afterwards only to be found dead later. O_o Accidentally...
The story is laced with Chinese ways/rites/superstitions that she follows or has thrust upon her by her father. For instance, he pressures her into a date with a guy, she says no but he wears her down, then tricks her into an overnight camping trip with the guy (she thought it would be a couple hours hanging out) and because she went overnight with him (she was trapped out in the wilderness, thanks dad!), it meant that she was engaged to the dude and they started setting up her wedding. WTF? So of course she and Sean have to get her out of that situation....some way.
The "Hello Kitty" referenced in the title is in regards to the soft, docile, clawless, cute, mouthless (voiceless), stereotype that many want Asian women to fall into.
Fiona, however, doesn't want marriage, hates children, nor any of the traditional things that her family wants for her. There still is the overachiever aspect that she fulfills as a lawyer, deciding to "rebel" and become a lawyer instead of going to medical school as her parents wanted. Not to mention, she does still go on these dates that her father sets up, even though she knows that they always fail, and she keeps her true thoughts and opinions to herself, so I'm not sure how far from the hello kitty aspect she falls if she only rebels in her head but her actions don't mesh up to it.
She does enjoy causing chaos in other people's lives for her amusement, such as when she works part time at her parent's laundromat she'll put lipstick on a shirt collar or add a telephone number to a pocket to make it appear that the husband was cheating "just to spice things up" because she knows that the couples won't get divorced because they are proud older Chinese families O_o At one point, she went to a funeral home and switched the names on the urns with ashes in them "so that they can have a final adventure" by ending up with the wrong families.
The book opens in such a way that you just know this will be a totally different kind of read. It made me instantly send it to my best friend and she couldn't put it down. This is very different than other things I've read, but reminds me of the show Dexter, which I absolutely love. From the opening scene I just mentioned to her serial killer screensavers at work, Fiona is quite the character.
I give the book 5 out of 5 stars. It's interesting, different, and I couldn't put it down so I finished it in one long sitting on a day off. Most definitely would read her other books whenever she puts them out.
"The sweet smell of death. Thick, toxic, intoxicating. It made me giddy. It gave me weak orgasms."
He was the product of an abusive home with an overly sexual mother and she has overbearing parents who want to marry her off to the first Asian guy who shows any sort of interest whatsoever. Her father refuses to take no for an answer and she can't seem to get him off her back, so he puts her on blind dates every weekend that always seem to come up missing afterwards only to be found dead later. O_o Accidentally...
The story is laced with Chinese ways/rites/superstitions that she follows or has thrust upon her by her father. For instance, he pressures her into a date with a guy, she says no but he wears her down, then tricks her into an overnight camping trip with the guy (she thought it would be a couple hours hanging out) and because she went overnight with him (she was trapped out in the wilderness, thanks dad!), it meant that she was engaged to the dude and they started setting up her wedding. WTF? So of course she and Sean have to get her out of that situation....some way.
The "Hello Kitty" referenced in the title is in regards to the soft, docile, clawless, cute, mouthless (voiceless), stereotype that many want Asian women to fall into.
Fiona, however, doesn't want marriage, hates children, nor any of the traditional things that her family wants for her. There still is the overachiever aspect that she fulfills as a lawyer, deciding to "rebel" and become a lawyer instead of going to medical school as her parents wanted. Not to mention, she does still go on these dates that her father sets up, even though she knows that they always fail, and she keeps her true thoughts and opinions to herself, so I'm not sure how far from the hello kitty aspect she falls if she only rebels in her head but her actions don't mesh up to it.
She does enjoy causing chaos in other people's lives for her amusement, such as when she works part time at her parent's laundromat she'll put lipstick on a shirt collar or add a telephone number to a pocket to make it appear that the husband was cheating "just to spice things up" because she knows that the couples won't get divorced because they are proud older Chinese families O_o At one point, she went to a funeral home and switched the names on the urns with ashes in them "so that they can have a final adventure" by ending up with the wrong families.
The book opens in such a way that you just know this will be a totally different kind of read. It made me instantly send it to my best friend and she couldn't put it down. This is very different than other things I've read, but reminds me of the show Dexter, which I absolutely love. From the opening scene I just mentioned to her serial killer screensavers at work, Fiona is quite the character.
I give the book 5 out of 5 stars. It's interesting, different, and I couldn't put it down so I finished it in one long sitting on a day off. Most definitely would read her other books whenever she puts them out.
August 7, 2011
This was a free Nook book I found one day and decided to read only because of the cute cover. hah
Once I started reading, however, I realized that this story was anything but cute. It sucked me in from the first page, and I devoured this book in a few hours. I've since read another book of Choi's and I love her writing style.
She combines humor with darkness beautifully. She always has a character that is doing something horribly wrong, and right until the very end you think they are going to get away with it, but then they get what's coming to them. It's great for keeping the reader in suspense.
Once I started reading, however, I realized that this story was anything but cute. It sucked me in from the first page, and I devoured this book in a few hours. I've since read another book of Choi's and I love her writing style.
She combines humor with darkness beautifully. She always has a character that is doing something horribly wrong, and right until the very end you think they are going to get away with it, but then they get what's coming to them. It's great for keeping the reader in suspense.
October 10, 2021
Angela Choi’s writing is crazy in a way women rarely gets to be crazy. Refreshing!
February 8, 2011
After reading only 20 pages of this book, I knew that I would be giving it a high ranking. I almost thought I could write the review before finishing the book. Not quite.
This book is dark, very dark. If you like biting sarcasm, mischievous (some would use "evil") thinking, and quick plot lines, this book will appeal to you. And while the opening chapters were rife with all of the above, they led into a middle and finish that added depth and darkness.
Ms. Choi adds a significant helping of family dynamics of the Chinese-American type which increases the tension on the protagonist and forces the plot along its descent into darkness. The darkness itself is instrumental to the further development of our heroine's empowerment and balance, even forging a truce of sorts with her well-meaning, but traditional parents. While we can not be sure that she will live "happily ever after" in the land of Gucci, we know that she exits the book with a certain inner peace and satisfaction.
While the book is clearly intended to be "entertainment" is a well-crafted and readable novel. A first effort that anyone (with the correct sense of humor) could be proud of.
If you're thinking a little edgier version of "The Joy Luck Club", you're wrong. Try thinking it more like "In Cold Blood" meets a Chinese edition of the edgiest version of P. J. O'Rourke. Or better yet, pick up this book and decide for yourself. Just leave your inhibitions and morality at the door.
This book is dark, very dark. If you like biting sarcasm, mischievous (some would use "evil") thinking, and quick plot lines, this book will appeal to you. And while the opening chapters were rife with all of the above, they led into a middle and finish that added depth and darkness.
Ms. Choi adds a significant helping of family dynamics of the Chinese-American type which increases the tension on the protagonist and forces the plot along its descent into darkness. The darkness itself is instrumental to the further development of our heroine's empowerment and balance, even forging a truce of sorts with her well-meaning, but traditional parents. While we can not be sure that she will live "happily ever after" in the land of Gucci, we know that she exits the book with a certain inner peace and satisfaction.
While the book is clearly intended to be "entertainment" is a well-crafted and readable novel. A first effort that anyone (with the correct sense of humor) could be proud of.
If you're thinking a little edgier version of "The Joy Luck Club", you're wrong. Try thinking it more like "In Cold Blood" meets a Chinese edition of the edgiest version of P. J. O'Rourke. Or better yet, pick up this book and decide for yourself. Just leave your inhibitions and morality at the door.
February 6, 2015
Die einzige Frage bei dieser Geschichte war: Kann, und darf mir nach Dumb House ein leichter Roman mit schwarzem Humor über ein witziges Psychopathenpärchen, das mordend durch die Gegend läuft überhaupt gefallen? Ob es das darf kann ich nicht beurteilen, aber es hat mir gefallen :D. Die Unterhaltung ist zwar leicht, aber genau das bezweckt ja dieses Werk. Die kuriosen Figuren strotzen nur so von guten Einfällen der Autorin. Sean hat sich als Psychopath von Kindheitstagen an eine äußerst erfolgreiche Existenz als Hymenrekonstrukteur aufgebaut. Fiona hadert mit dem Spagat zwischen der traditionellen Chinesischen Kultur ihrer Eltern und dem Leben als modernes Amerikanisches Mädchen. Sie kann zwar Nein sagen, aber da ihr nie jemand zuhört, muss sie sich irgendwann abgrenzen und tut dies mit Mord (was übrigens bei weiblichen Massenmördern das übliche Täterprofil ist). Beide treffen sich nach ihrer Schulzeit wieder und ergeben ein kongeniales Duo, das sich zuerst nur von der Vergangenheit und den Fesseln der Kultur emanzipiert. Nach und nach tritt aber die Lust am Töten in den Vordergrund und endet in einem für Psychos ganz logischen Finale.
Fazit: Der Humor ist wirklich bitterböse und grenzwertig, also nichts für jedermann.
Fazit: Der Humor ist wirklich bitterböse und grenzwertig, also nichts für jedermann.
December 11, 2010
I think that when you pick up this book, it goes without saying that you are going to take it with a grain of salt. It's about an Asian American woman whose family follows traditional Chinese culture living in a world where the old traditions no longer make the same kind of sense to her. To contrast the seemingly subservient culture presented by the protagonist, there is the very American, Caucasian, violent foil of the piece, her best friend, Sean. He turns out to be more than what she bargains for as more and more women start dropping off around her and even with her penchant for serial killers can she turn the other cheek on Sean's ever increasing bloodlust.
The author is definitely writing from a place where she is comfortable with. The protagonist is an Asian American lawyer who seeks to make meaning of her life and her culture while cultivating her interest in serial killers. The protagonist is an Asian American lawyer who was once a lawyer and has an interest in serial killers.
I found the story interesting and different. It is definitely a dark comedy. I read some of the reviews before I actually read the book and I found that either people loved the book or hated the book. I thought it was in the middle. I liked it but I didn't love it and I thought it was a very different read that was interesting.
The author is definitely writing from a place where she is comfortable with. The protagonist is an Asian American lawyer who seeks to make meaning of her life and her culture while cultivating her interest in serial killers. The protagonist is an Asian American lawyer who was once a lawyer and has an interest in serial killers.
I found the story interesting and different. It is definitely a dark comedy. I read some of the reviews before I actually read the book and I found that either people loved the book or hated the book. I thought it was in the middle. I liked it but I didn't love it and I thought it was a very different read that was interesting.
October 4, 2012
Dieses Buch hat meine Kollegin/Freundin zufällig auf dem Wühltisch im real,- gefunden und ich muss gestehen, es war ein absoluter Glücksgriff. Ich habe es in der deutschen Übersetzung gelesen, aber ich glaube, in diesem Fall ist es tatsächlich mal egal. Das Buch ist beißend witzig, scharfsinnig und gnadenlos. Es räumt mit kulturellen Zwängen und menschlichen "Fähigkeiten" auf und gerade ich konnte mich ab und zu in Fi's Zwickmühle hineinversetzen, wenn ein "Nein!" mal wieder so überhaupt nichts gebracht hat (wenn es bei mir auch nicht ganz so schlimm ist). Die Protagonistin ist frech und in ihrer eigenen Welt nimmt sie auch keinen Blatt vor den Mund; allerdings wird sie dabei niemals geschmacklos (z.B. wenn sie über "Mr. Happy" redet, ganz anders als Charlotte Roche) und das ist toll. Eine Prise Spannung und eine zunächst eher unerwartete, dann aber immer wahrscheinlichere Wendung trifft auch ein ... also ein Lesevergnügen!
P.S.: Einen Stern Abzug gab es, weil das Ende für mich eben doch n bisschen vorhersehbar wurde, aber vielleicht hab ich da auch zu hohe Ansprüche. ;p
P.S.: Einen Stern Abzug gab es, weil das Ende für mich eben doch n bisschen vorhersehbar wurde, aber vielleicht hab ich da auch zu hohe Ansprüche. ;p
September 24, 2020
This is not a book for everyone. The humour in this book is incredibly dark and witty. From the first line, this book will either draw you in or repel you. Me, it completely sucked me.
It was also interesting reading about an Asian-American that is undeniably her own person that isn’t afraid to be herself and not conform. She is a character that I have yet to see in any other media, let alone be a woman of colour.
The serial killer motifs that run through the book are both smart and ridiculous. To the point that they are slapped in the reader’s face. But that’s part of the fun of this book.
I am so happy I stumbled across this hidden gem, because this is exactly the kind of comedy I love to read.
It was also interesting reading about an Asian-American that is undeniably her own person that isn’t afraid to be herself and not conform. She is a character that I have yet to see in any other media, let alone be a woman of colour.
The serial killer motifs that run through the book are both smart and ridiculous. To the point that they are slapped in the reader’s face. But that’s part of the fun of this book.
I am so happy I stumbled across this hidden gem, because this is exactly the kind of comedy I love to read.
April 13, 2011
A big thanks to my friend Nicole, for buying and passing this book along to me. Based on the title and cover, I would have definitely bought it and I am so glad that I didn’t pay money for this book. It was awful.
There were so many things wrong with this novel, that I almost don’t know where to begin. The main character, Fiona, is completely flat and void of any personality other than bitch. She is cold, spoiled, entitled, self-serving… there is zero to like about Fiona. She also thinks that she is smarter than anyone in the book. The problem is in Angela Choi’s writing. She tells us about Fiona, but we never get to see her actually making smart moves.
Choi has very obviously been influenced by the Bret Easton Ellis novel “American Psycho.” She tries hard to make Fiona a female Patrick Bateman. However, the genius in Ellis’ Bateman is he created a character who may be cocky, but who knows he is flawed. It’s these flaws that create the comedy in the story and actually makes the reader like Bateman. The character of Fiona is not shown to have any flaws. We are never let into Fiona’s life, we only see her on the surface. She goes into rants that are meaningless.
All of the other characters are similar to Fiona with zero. Fiona and Sean’s friendship/relationship makes zero sense. Again, this is a case of Choi telling us, rather than showing us. We get the backstory, but we never really see why they feel compelled to spend time together.
The book really feels more like a rant, than a story. It feels like Choi is dumping her own feelings about law offices, her parents, cultural customs, et, through this book and the character of Fiona. A lot of the ideas are only half formed and just come across as irritating to read.
Choi also severely diminishes her authority as a storyteller through her blatant use of shock value. It was unnecessary and just another thing that called her out as an amateur novelist. It was gross more than anything. It really didn’t serve to move the plot along or support her tirades.
I had a huge problem with the plot. All of these people are getting killed off and no one seems to think it’s a big deal. All of the murders are just brushed off. At no point are you ever worried that Fiona and Sean are going to get caught. There is zero dramatic tension or clear motives in this story. It just plods along with nothing to engage the reader.
There were so many things wrong with this novel, that I almost don’t know where to begin. The main character, Fiona, is completely flat and void of any personality other than bitch. She is cold, spoiled, entitled, self-serving… there is zero to like about Fiona. She also thinks that she is smarter than anyone in the book. The problem is in Angela Choi’s writing. She tells us about Fiona, but we never get to see her actually making smart moves.
Choi has very obviously been influenced by the Bret Easton Ellis novel “American Psycho.” She tries hard to make Fiona a female Patrick Bateman. However, the genius in Ellis’ Bateman is he created a character who may be cocky, but who knows he is flawed. It’s these flaws that create the comedy in the story and actually makes the reader like Bateman. The character of Fiona is not shown to have any flaws. We are never let into Fiona’s life, we only see her on the surface. She goes into rants that are meaningless.
All of the other characters are similar to Fiona with zero. Fiona and Sean’s friendship/relationship makes zero sense. Again, this is a case of Choi telling us, rather than showing us. We get the backstory, but we never really see why they feel compelled to spend time together.
The book really feels more like a rant, than a story. It feels like Choi is dumping her own feelings about law offices, her parents, cultural customs, et, through this book and the character of Fiona. A lot of the ideas are only half formed and just come across as irritating to read.
Choi also severely diminishes her authority as a storyteller through her blatant use of shock value. It was unnecessary and just another thing that called her out as an amateur novelist. It was gross more than anything. It really didn’t serve to move the plot along or support her tirades.
I had a huge problem with the plot. All of these people are getting killed off and no one seems to think it’s a big deal. All of the murders are just brushed off. At no point are you ever worried that Fiona and Sean are going to get caught. There is zero dramatic tension or clear motives in this story. It just plods along with nothing to engage the reader.
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July 19, 2014FINALLY (i put this at the beginning because it's great): i don't know what the fuck the character was thinking, hello kitty being passive. HELLO KITTY RIPS TREE TRUNKS OUT OF THE FUCKING GROUND.
okay, I LOATHED AND ENJOYED THIS BOOK AT THE SAME TIME, for many reasons, most of the loving reasons being OMG CANTONESE PROTAGONIST, and most of the hating reasons being INTERNALIZED RACIST AND MISOGYNISTIC PROTAGONIST and a complete buy-in to VICTIM BLAMING and SHALLOW SLUTS and NONSEXUAL CHINESE BOYS and freely substituting 'chinese' for 'asian' and like indulging in all these stereotypes that are like, okay, yeah, i know where you got this from, i know people who get some of this too, but it was just like too much okay?? and the protag had like ZERO will, which was weird, because lawyer and so money/powerful, and i know people can be like that in real life, but it was just weird, and it's not like i needed this book to be realistic and a lot of the things i hated it for i feel unfair for hating about it because i'm so much more sensitive because it's FINALLY A CANTONESE GIRL and i dont' like her and i'm just like UUGH. because YES horrible people!!!!!! but.....horrible....people....
i did love the end. i wish it could be more clear whether the narrative was condemning not just the whole criminal part of characters' behavior but also their disgusting mindsets.
also idk where this person got 'hello kitty is passive' from. HELLO KITTY RIPS TREE TRUNKS OUT OF THE GROUND.
also just, SO TYPICAL and predictable. and like, funny, but repetitive.
ALSO DOES THE WHOLE, PERSON IS ASEXUAL BECAUSE OF SEXUAL ASSAULT????? what the fuck
okay, I LOATHED AND ENJOYED THIS BOOK AT THE SAME TIME, for many reasons, most of the loving reasons being OMG CANTONESE PROTAGONIST, and most of the hating reasons being INTERNALIZED RACIST AND MISOGYNISTIC PROTAGONIST and a complete buy-in to VICTIM BLAMING and SHALLOW SLUTS and NONSEXUAL CHINESE BOYS and freely substituting 'chinese' for 'asian' and like indulging in all these stereotypes that are like, okay, yeah, i know where you got this from, i know people who get some of this too, but it was just like too much okay?? and the protag had like ZERO will, which was weird, because lawyer and so money/powerful, and i know people can be like that in real life, but it was just weird, and it's not like i needed this book to be realistic and a lot of the things i hated it for i feel unfair for hating about it because i'm so much more sensitive because it's FINALLY A CANTONESE GIRL and i dont' like her and i'm just like UUGH. because YES horrible people!!!!!! but.....horrible....people....
i did love the end. i wish it could be more clear whether the narrative was condemning not just the whole criminal part of characters' behavior but also their disgusting mindsets.
also idk where this person got 'hello kitty is passive' from. HELLO KITTY RIPS TREE TRUNKS OUT OF THE GROUND.
also just, SO TYPICAL and predictable. and like, funny, but repetitive.
ALSO DOES THE WHOLE, PERSON IS ASEXUAL BECAUSE OF SEXUAL ASSAULT????? what the fuck
July 10, 2013
The shocking pink colour book jacket caught my attention. Based on it's title, I would never have picked it. But after it's numerous Silent Invitation on the library shelf, I thought I could at least flip through a few pages and give it a chance. At least, someone else from HongKong has taken her first step to write and published her debut novel.
Giving it a chance i did. I read the first 5 chapters straight, giggling out loud a number of times and breaking the silence in the library before flashing my library card to finish it off at home.
'It all started with my missing hymen...." A purple silicon dildo helped Fiona Yu realize that after 28 years, she had been born without honor. "I had been protecting, preserving, and defending an honor that had never even existed."
The first five chapters were hilarious. It was an easy foreplay in bringing us into serial killing. It was just too easy to be true! The Anti-Hello Kitty living a darker life without guilt or retribution, with an unexpected ending!
Fun, quick, entertaining read.
Giving it a chance i did. I read the first 5 chapters straight, giggling out loud a number of times and breaking the silence in the library before flashing my library card to finish it off at home.
'It all started with my missing hymen...." A purple silicon dildo helped Fiona Yu realize that after 28 years, she had been born without honor. "I had been protecting, preserving, and defending an honor that had never even existed."
The first five chapters were hilarious. It was an easy foreplay in bringing us into serial killing. It was just too easy to be true! The Anti-Hello Kitty living a darker life without guilt or retribution, with an unexpected ending!
Fun, quick, entertaining read.
November 20, 2020
This was so delicious and nasty, I didn't want it to end.
March 27, 2021
Did not expect murder/serial killing as a central theme in the book. Got me out of a reading slump, though
August 3, 2024
Very weird plot twists
December 27, 2019
A cover and title buy.
November 7, 2014
I had to let this one marinate a little bit before I wrote out something. If Christopher Moore was an American-Chinese woman then he could have very well penned this novel. I mean that in the best way possible. I could relate to being a grown woman under traditional Asian regime. I don't know if everyone would understand how much easier it is in her type of family to be blindly obedient and then just sneak around to do the other stuff. For that alone, I appreciate the symbolism in the title.
Dark, quirky and funny. The only way I can possible describe it is the feeling I get when I eat too much bread. I know it makes me feel weird when I eat but I eat it anyway. And so I continued on following this weird journey of Sean and Fi. Murders all around! It was all so nonchalant, almost robotic, that the victims chosen weren't even victims. There was no connection to victims so when they disappeared it felt like just a check off the list. The weird thing for me was I still kinda liked them both. What does that say about me?
The story felt just so weird. I felt the whole "Hello Kitty Must Die" premise could have been better developed since it was the title of the book. Maybe I would've called it "So I'm best friends with a serial killer."
Dark, quirky and funny. The only way I can possible describe it is the feeling I get when I eat too much bread. I know it makes me feel weird when I eat but I eat it anyway. And so I continued on following this weird journey of Sean and Fi. Murders all around! It was all so nonchalant, almost robotic, that the victims chosen weren't even victims. There was no connection to victims so when they disappeared it felt like just a check off the list. The weird thing for me was I still kinda liked them both. What does that say about me?
The story felt just so weird. I felt the whole "Hello Kitty Must Die" premise could have been better developed since it was the title of the book. Maybe I would've called it "So I'm best friends with a serial killer."
October 1, 2012
Like many I was drawn by the title and rather expected it to be chicklit about the struggles of a young Asian-American woman to break away from the expectations of her culture. Hence Hello Kitty must die!
In one way it was though Fiona's journey turned out to be much darker and the novel more bbiting in its humour than I could have imagined at the start.
I loved its strangeness.
In one way it was though Fiona's journey turned out to be much darker and the novel more bbiting in its humour than I could have imagined at the start.
I loved its strangeness.
July 12, 2021
This reads almost more the British black sense of humour than I would have expected. Personally it worked for me, the voice carried it through and the logic was enough to keep things together, but as the friend who lent it to me said: it won’t be for everyone. How to get away with murder, for people with no conscience. Or do they?
September 22, 2018
Another book that makes me question my dark and twisted sense of humour. This was funny and so, so dark and disturbing. I really liked Fiona, and I really hated her, and the fact that the book could make me feel both is high praise.
God, it was DARK. This isn't for the faint hearted at all. But yes, I'd recommend to the right person.
God, it was DARK. This isn't for the faint hearted at all. But yes, I'd recommend to the right person.
May 4, 2024
Apparently I read this book 10 years ago, before I bothered to track books properly. As soon as I started reading this, it came flooding back to me. I loved this book so much when I read it the first time and I still love it now
June 25, 2024
This was great. I wish it went on forever.
November 13, 2024
This fits neatly into the “jaded sag girl” collection. Or feminine nihilism
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