Những Đứa Trẻ Thượng Lưu

by 吳曉樂, Ngô Hiểu Lạc, Trần Trúc Ly (Translator)

Những đứa trẻ thượng lưu là câu chuyện của một gia đình trung lưu ấp ủ ước vọng đưa con mình bước vào môi trường giáo dục của giới thượng lưu. Nhân vật chính của truyện, Trần Vân Nhàn, là một cô gái tỉnh lẻ lấy chồng Đài Bắc. Cô có một cậu con trai nhỏ thông minh và đặt rất nhiều kỳ vọng vào cậu bé. Tuy nhiên với điều kiện kinh tế của gia đình mình, việc lựa chọn một trường học tốt cho con không hề đơn giản. Tình cờ, cô có được một cơ hội vàng để đạt được mục tiêu của mình. Sếp của chồng Vân Nhàn tổ chức sinh nhật cho con trai và gia đình cô cũng được mời đến dự. Trong bữa tiệc này, hai cậu bé rất nhanh chóng đã kết thân với nhau và tình bạn đó khăng khít đến nỗi cha mẹ giàu có của cậu bé kia đề nghị trả học phí cho con trai của Vân Nhàn tại một trường tư thục sang trọng. Mẹ con Vân Nhàn từ đó bắt đầu đặt chân vào thế giới thượng lưu hào nhoáng. Nhưng càng dấn sâu, Vân Nhàn càng nhận ra rằng người ta đã giăng sẵn cho cô một tấm lưới mà với những tham vọng quá lớn của mình, cô đã vô tình mang theo cả con trai khờ khạo lao vào.

Bằng văn phong giản dị mà mạch lạc, tác giả dẫn dắt người đọc đi qua những câu chuyện đan xen giữa hiện tại - quá khứ trong hơn mười năm cuộc đời Vân Nhàn. Quãng thời gian tuy không dài nhưng đầy biến cố của nhân vật đã phác nên một bức tranh xã hội sống động, với đủ những hỉ nộ ái ố, những ảo mộng, những cạm bẫy... Và hơn cả, tác phẩm đặt ra một câu hỏi đầy trăn trở: những người làm cha mẹ, tại sao thay vì thực hiện giấc mơ của chính mình lại đặt giấc mơ đó vào những đứa con?

Câu chuyện của Vân Nhàn với bối cảnh xã hội Đài Loan hiện đại nhưng lại khá gần gũi, tương đồng với bối cảnh Việt Nam khi mà các bậc cha mẹ sấp ngửa, vật vã với đủ mọi áp lực với hy vọng mang đến cho con những cơ hội tốt nhất, sẵn sàng hy sinh, đánh đổi thực tại của mình để làm bàn đạp cho con cái bước vào thế giới thượng lưu. Vì vậy Những đứa trẻ thượng lưu dương như cũng mang tính “thời sự”, “toàn cầu” cho công cuộc làm cha mẹ.

Genres: Fiction, Audiobook, Contemporary, Mystery Thriller, Asia, Parenting, Suspense

380 pages, Paperback

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.

[shubiektywnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Od rana zastanawiałam się, czy dać tej książce 5 gwiazdek, ale no kurcze, nie mam jej nic do zarzucenia, topka roku będzie.

Więcej na dniach 🔜

[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.

[Roni · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5⭐️

a good book with a great moral

[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 🎧

[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.

[Sandra || Tabibito no hon · Rating 5 out of 5]

zajebiste

[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.

[Hania Andrysiak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Takie obyczajówki chce czytać!!!

[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。

[Domi Bilik · Rating 2 out of 5]

2,75⭐️

[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.

[Tahera · Rating 3 out of 5]

To live a rich, privileged lifestyle with all the opportunities at your disposal is something I am sure everyone has fantasized about.

In this novel, a mother, Chen Yunxian is ready to go to any length to secure the best education and future for her son, and through him finally get to fulfill her own wish to move in the upper echelons of high society. 

An interesting concept and a few of Chen Yunxian's moments of introspection and social commentary at large were relatable but the overall execution left a lot to be desired. I am not sure if it has to do with the translation or the original writing style but the pacing was uneven in places and the shocking event that hints at something darker at play didn't turn out to be either shocking or dark. When the dreaded incident happens I was like 'that's it?' because it was something that got resolved pretty quickly.

My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher Amazon Crossing and the author for the digital ARC of the book.

[Katarzyna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ale wciągnęła mnie ta historia! Bardzo mi się podobała, było w niej coś innego, świeżego, a równocześnie bardzo znajomego.
Nie ma tu żadnego zabójstwa, żadnej sprawy kryminalnej, a jednocześnie cały czas czuć napięcie, które tylko rośnie.
Czy była przerysowana? Prawdopodobnie, ale jest to uzasadnione i do wybaczenia.
Chętnie przeczytałabym więcej takich książek!

[Meg Staggs · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

[Mona Garg · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had enjoyed an excerpt of this book so much that I requested my local library to purchase it. It did not disappoint.

Set in Taiwan, it was a very readable and relatable story about the life struggles of a married couple with a young son. Their lives did not turn out as expected, leading to resentment. The protagonist’s efforts to rectify that and become one of “The Privileged” seemed to bear fruit until…

I liked this book. The simple language and short chapters made for a quick read. It imparted valuable life lessons via a captivating plot.

[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。

[Oliwia Kwiatecka · Rating 5 out of 5]

Po genialnej książce „Niedoskonałe” autorka zaserwowała nam kolejną historię, od której absolutnie nie mogłam się oderwać 😍 Tym razem zabiera nas w głąb świata bogatych elit, gdzie ambicje rodziców stają się dla dzieci największym zagrożeniem, a pogoń za społecznym awansem szybko zamienia się w bezwzględną grę.

Główna bohaterka, Chen Yunxian, całe życie próbowała uciec od swojego skromnego pochodzenia. Pod presją partnera i teściów rezygnuje z planów o niezależności i decyduje się na szybki ślub, który zamiast obiecanych gwiazd z nieba przynosi jej rolę darmowej pomocy domowej. Prawdziwa akcja zaczyna się jednak, gdy na świat przychodzi jej syn 👶🏻

Coś tak z pozoru niewinnego jak wybór nowej szkoły dla dziecka staje się jednak początkiem końca. Wejście w świat tajwańskich elit wcale nie było tak piękne, jak mogło się wydawać, a pogoń za statusem i chciwość szybko zaczynają zaślepiać bohaterkę 🫣 Śledzenie tego, jak łatwo można się w tym wszystkim pogubić, było fascynujące, ale i niezwykle smutne.

Sama wizja macierzyństwa, jaką wykreowała autorka, jest niesamowicie bolesna. Druga połowa książki idealnie obnaża to, jak krytyczne potrafią być wobec siebie kobiety. Okazuje się też, że nikt nie ocenia matek tak surowo, jak… inne matki!

Ta lektura zmusza do głośnego zadania pytania: jak daleko mogą posunąć się rodzice w imię rzekomego dobra swojego dziecka i jakie będą tego konsekwencje? Autorka stworzyła niezwykle trafną, momentami wręcz bolesną opowieść o ambicjach, która pokazuje, że pogoń za statusem rzadko kiedy idzie w parze z prawdziwym szczęściem. Choć tłem dla tej historii jest Tajwan, to te toksyczne mechanizmy mogłyby dziać się dosłownie wszędzie 🌎

Mnie ta historia absolutnie zachwyciła i z całą pewnością ląduje wysoko w moim rankingu. Polecam ją każdemu, kto lubi realistyczne, mocne dramaty społeczne i szuka literatury, która zostaje w głowie na długo po przewróceniu ostatniej strony 🧐

Moja ocena: 4,5/5 ⭐️

Dziękuję wydawnictwu za egzemplarz recenzencki (współpraca reklamowa)

ig: @o.kwiatecka

[Heidi Zuva · 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

[Latawiec_ania · Rating 3 out of 5]

Drogie ubrania, piękne mieszkania, elitarne szkoły i ogromne pieniądze. Niby idealne życie... ale czy na pewno?

Autorkę znałam już z "Niedoskonałych" i ponownie, tak jak w poprzedniej książce porusza tutaj ważne i życiowe tematy

Yunxian to mama, która chce dla swojego syna jak najlepiej. Kiedy dostaje szansę, by posłać go do prestiżowej prywatnej szkoły, zgadza się bez wahania. I tu się zaczyna cała historia.

Powoli zaczyna wciągać ją swiat luksusu, bogatych ludzi i pozorów. Z czasem coraz bardziej się zmienia, zatraca siebie i skupia głównie na tym co inni o niej pomyślą. W tym wszystkim zaczyna zapominać o rodzinie i o tym, co naprawdę było dla niej ważne i o co tak naprawdę w tym wszystkim chodziło.

I właśnie to było w tej książce najbardziej ciekawe. Z jednej strony bardzo jej współczułam, bo chciała dobrze i momentami rozumiałam jej wybory ( bo w końcu ile rodzic jest w stanie zrobić dla dobra dziecka? No właśnie...). A z drugiej strony aż irytowało mnie to, jak bardzo dała się wciągnąć w ten świat i jak mocno zaczęła się przez to zmieniać.

Jak na ironię, już pierwsze zdanie tej książki brzmi "Dawniej Chen Yunxian nie miała zbyt wiele współczucia dla ofiar oszustw. [...] No jak daleko może sięgać ludzka naiwność?" i muszę przyznać, że sama szybko dała nam odpowiedź na to pytanie - bardzo daleko.

Autorka świetnie pokazała, jak łatwo można pogubić się w pogoni za byciem lepszym i jak wiele brzydkich rzeczy kryje się za fasadą tego jakże idealnego świata.

Polecam wszystkim, którzy lubią powolne dramaty psychologiczne. Nie ma tu wielkich zwrotów akcji ani spektakularnego "wow", ale to jedna z tych książek, które zostają w głowie na długo i sprawiają, że sami zaczynamy sobie zadawać masę pytań...

[współpraca]

[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 .

[kazda_przeczytana · Rating 2 out of 5]

Jestem ostatnio zafascynowana literaturą pozwalającą na zajrzenie pod kołdrę innej kultury, podglądanie jak żyją, jak pracują, jak się bawią ludzie żyjący np. na Dalekim Wschodzie. Ich sposób wychowywania dzieci, przynajmniej w książkach, które czytałam, wydaje się strasznie rygorystyczny i nastawiony wyłącznie na zawodowy sukces - w tym świecie zwykłe dzieciństwo uznaje się za stratę czasu.
 
Biorąc do ręki „Wyższe sfery” myślałam, że poznam jakieś nowe smaczki i tu się zdziwiłam. Już w połowie książki zorientowałam się, że Autorka nie opisuje sposobu wychowania dzieci wyłącznie w Tajwanie, że to co się wydarzyło, równie dobrze mogłoby się wydarzyć się w Stanach Zjednoczonych czy w Polsce.
Na całym świecie przecież rodzice, teoretycznie walcząc o dobro swojego dziecka, tak naprawdę rywalizują z innymi rodzicami, poprzez dziecko spełniają swoje niespełnione ambicje.
 
W tej opowieści nierówności społeczne zostają mocno uwypuklone, podobnie jak fakt, że plasowanie się wyżej na drabinie społecznej pomaga dzieciom na starcie. Jednocześnie posiadanie dóbr materialnych wcale nie sprawia, że ludzie są lepsi czy mądrzejsi – na szczytach drabiny społecznej też prowadzane są zakulisowe potyczki, nie wiem czy nie gorsze niż wśród ludzi z tzw. średniej klasy. A najgorszym wrogiem matki jest ona sama, jej kompleksy, aspiracje i lęki.
Oraz oczywiście inne matki.
 
Dobry dramat psychologiczny.