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Want
Jason Zhou survives in a divided society where the elite use their wealth to buy longer lives. The rich wear special suits that protect them from the pollution and viruses that plague the city, while those without suffer illness and early deaths. Frustrated by his city’s corruption and still grieving the loss of his mother, who died as a result of it, Zhou is determined to change things, no matter the cost.
With the help of his friends, Zhou infiltrates the lives of the wealthy in hopes of destroying the international Jin Corporation from within. Jin Corp not only manufactures the special suits the rich rely on, but they may also be manufacturing the pollution that makes them necessary.
Yet the deeper Zhou delves into this new world of excess and wealth, the more muddled his plans become. And against his better judgment, Zhou finds himself falling for Daiyu, the daughter of Jin Corp’s CEO. Can Zhou save his city without compromising who he is or destroying his own heart?
With the help of his friends, Zhou infiltrates the lives of the wealthy in hopes of destroying the international Jin Corporation from within. Jin Corp not only manufactures the special suits the rich rely on, but they may also be manufacturing the pollution that makes them necessary.
Yet the deeper Zhou delves into this new world of excess and wealth, the more muddled his plans become. And against his better judgment, Zhou finds himself falling for Daiyu, the daughter of Jin Corp’s CEO. Can Zhou save his city without compromising who he is or destroying his own heart?
328 pages, Hardcover
First published June 13, 2017
244 people are currently reading
17220 people want to read
About the author
Cindy Pon
13 books1,104 followersCindy Pon is the author of Silver Phoenix (Greenwillow), which was named one of the Top Ten Fantasy and Science Fiction Books for Youth by the American Library Association’s Booklist, and one of 2009′s best Fantasy, Science Fiction and Horror by VOYA. Her most recent duology Serpentine and Sacrifice (Month9Books) were both Junior Library Guild selections and received starred reviews from Kirkus and School Library Journal. WANT (Simon Pulse), also a Junior Library Guild selection, is a near-future thriller set in Taipei releasing June 13th. RUSE, the sequel, is slated for spring 2019. She is the co-founder of Diversity in YA with Malinda Lo and on the advisory board of We Need Diverse Books. Cindy is also a Chinese brush painting student of over a decade. Learn more about her books and art at http://cindypon.com.
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February 4, 2019Is everyone just sleeping on this book? I feel like no one is talking about it! This was excellent! I loved each and every one of the characters, the futuristic take on Taipai was fascinating to read about, and the story arc developed really nicely! I won't say it's a book that had me SHOOK to the core, but it was a super enjoyable read. Can't wait for the next book!
July 31, 2020
We live in tumultuous times. Pollution and global warming are on the rise, the rich are getting richer while the poor are getting poorer, and we live in a society where corporations have a startling amount of power over our own lives. It is for these reasons that we need more books that tackle social and political issues, and books that offer critique of our own society. It is important, now more than ever, that we read books like Pon's Want. We need books that not only examine such issues, but books that do so well and with a critical lens. There are very few books that ever satisfy my sociologically-inclined and discoursing heart, but Want was such a book - and more.
Set in the distant future, Taipei is perpetually covered in a thick layer of toxic smog. The rich people, or you (有) which means to have, are able to afford and wear technologically-advanced suits that provide them with clean oxygen thus protecting them against the pollution. Not only can they afford such suits, the you's wealth affords them cosmetic surgery, simulated entertainment, and the luxuries and grandeur of high society. In contrast, the poor people, or mei (没) which means have not, are not able to afford such suits, and thus succumb to disease, homelessness, hunger, and early death. Within the very first chapter, Pon sets the scene of such a Taipei where the wealth disparity is visible and palpable.
The writing was fantastic; it transported me to a bustling and overcrowded city lit by the stark light of giant billboards, filled with the scents of good food and smoke. The imagery of Taipei was reminiscent of my motherland, where giant apartment complexes were built next to squat slums. And then I thought: The juxtaposition of wealth, even in such proximity, does not only exist in Want, which provoked the question: how different is this futuristic Taipei from our society today or what it may be tomorrow? How much longer until our future becomes Want's Taipei?
The discourse in this book was amazing, and I was hooked and intellectually stimulated. The book tackles a variety of important topics, all absolutely necessary to discuss and reflect on. A big issue explored in Want is environmentalism. However, rather than present the ideas through self-gratuitous monologues, we see the consequences of pollution and industrialization manifest in the story's narrative, a series of questions asking what if's about our own world and environment. And thus, a distinct strength (and personal favourite) of Want is that its discourse and ideas are extremely accessible, or easy to understand and engage with, thus making it a perfect read for seasoned science-fiction readers as well as those who do not read science-fiction often. Essentially, Want does something more profound than answer the world's socio-political questions: it asks thought-provoking questions that are difficult to answer and, most importantly, give you a glimmer of hope in unexpected ways.
Want may indeed be very topical, but it also possesses a compelling story that carries itself with exceptional momentum. Complete with dangerous missions, including infiltration, reconnaissance, going undercover, and befriending the enemy, Want will certainly satisfy readers who love something a little more heart-stopping and thrilling. Of course, the story would not be the story it is without its phenomenal and memorable cast of characters. At the forefront is Zhou, the lead and narrator of Want. Best of all, set against the larger narrative, Zhou's character development was gripping. Though determined in his mission, Zhou still experiences doubt and a unsettling awareness of the implications of his actions. His internal conflict provoked me to contemplate and weigh out what was more important: the so-called 'greater good' or the common good, when both entail destructive consequences?
Although Zhou was a great lead and narrator, I was inevitably drawn to his friends. I found myself loving every single one of them, each character a vital game-piece necessary to complete their ambitious mission. And when the friends are not working together to take down corporations, they are eating together and laughing. Zhou and his friends reminded me of summer days when I hung out with my friends, eating and laughing together. In other words, seeing such friendships, one so real and relatable, gave me such a warm and genuine feeling of nostalgia. The romance was splendid too - there was fantastic chemistry, which was balanced by a dynamic pulled taut by circumstance and differences. You would think that, amidst bringing down hegemony and corruption, there would be no time for a romance, but it was a welcome and meaningful addition to the story.
So when I say, 'everyone needs to read this', it's not only because Want is absolutely spectacular, but it also has thoughtful critique of modern society. Indeed, Want is, and has the potential to be, a momentous cornerstone of young adult science-fiction. Hard to fault, everything about Want is incredible: characters, story, action, discourse -- everything. If you haven't read Want, I implore you to read it; it has my highest praises, highest esteem, and highest recommendation. An effortless favourite of 2017.
Rating: 5 / 5
-
Is this book for you?
Premise in a sentence: A group of friends work together to take down a corrupt corporation.
Perfect for: Readers who love science-fiction with accessible discourse, want an exciting and fast-paced heist-like story, and want to read a book that tackles important social issues, especially environmentalism.
Genre: Young adult, science-fiction
Recommended? Yes, yes, a million times yes.
Book trigger/content warnings: mild violence
-
This review can also be found on my book blog, Read, Think, Ponder!
Set in the distant future, Taipei is perpetually covered in a thick layer of toxic smog. The rich people, or you (有) which means to have, are able to afford and wear technologically-advanced suits that provide them with clean oxygen thus protecting them against the pollution. Not only can they afford such suits, the you's wealth affords them cosmetic surgery, simulated entertainment, and the luxuries and grandeur of high society. In contrast, the poor people, or mei (没) which means have not, are not able to afford such suits, and thus succumb to disease, homelessness, hunger, and early death. Within the very first chapter, Pon sets the scene of such a Taipei where the wealth disparity is visible and palpable.
The writing was fantastic; it transported me to a bustling and overcrowded city lit by the stark light of giant billboards, filled with the scents of good food and smoke. The imagery of Taipei was reminiscent of my motherland, where giant apartment complexes were built next to squat slums. And then I thought: The juxtaposition of wealth, even in such proximity, does not only exist in Want, which provoked the question: how different is this futuristic Taipei from our society today or what it may be tomorrow? How much longer until our future becomes Want's Taipei?
... The truth was a harsh and ugly one: in order to change the status quo, we had to be destructive. Seize control of the narrative. Redirect the plot.
The discourse in this book was amazing, and I was hooked and intellectually stimulated. The book tackles a variety of important topics, all absolutely necessary to discuss and reflect on. A big issue explored in Want is environmentalism. However, rather than present the ideas through self-gratuitous monologues, we see the consequences of pollution and industrialization manifest in the story's narrative, a series of questions asking what if's about our own world and environment. And thus, a distinct strength (and personal favourite) of Want is that its discourse and ideas are extremely accessible, or easy to understand and engage with, thus making it a perfect read for seasoned science-fiction readers as well as those who do not read science-fiction often. Essentially, Want does something more profound than answer the world's socio-political questions: it asks thought-provoking questions that are difficult to answer and, most importantly, give you a glimmer of hope in unexpected ways.
Want may indeed be very topical, but it also possesses a compelling story that carries itself with exceptional momentum. Complete with dangerous missions, including infiltration, reconnaissance, going undercover, and befriending the enemy, Want will certainly satisfy readers who love something a little more heart-stopping and thrilling. Of course, the story would not be the story it is without its phenomenal and memorable cast of characters. At the forefront is Zhou, the lead and narrator of Want. Best of all, set against the larger narrative, Zhou's character development was gripping. Though determined in his mission, Zhou still experiences doubt and a unsettling awareness of the implications of his actions. His internal conflict provoked me to contemplate and weigh out what was more important: the so-called 'greater good' or the common good, when both entail destructive consequences?
Maybe by the end of all this, I wouldn't be able to look at anyone in the eye. Or maybe I'd do just that, and simply not care any longer.
Although Zhou was a great lead and narrator, I was inevitably drawn to his friends. I found myself loving every single one of them, each character a vital game-piece necessary to complete their ambitious mission. And when the friends are not working together to take down corporations, they are eating together and laughing. Zhou and his friends reminded me of summer days when I hung out with my friends, eating and laughing together. In other words, seeing such friendships, one so real and relatable, gave me such a warm and genuine feeling of nostalgia. The romance was splendid too - there was fantastic chemistry, which was balanced by a dynamic pulled taut by circumstance and differences. You would think that, amidst bringing down hegemony and corruption, there would be no time for a romance, but it was a welcome and meaningful addition to the story.
So when I say, 'everyone needs to read this', it's not only because Want is absolutely spectacular, but it also has thoughtful critique of modern society. Indeed, Want is, and has the potential to be, a momentous cornerstone of young adult science-fiction. Hard to fault, everything about Want is incredible: characters, story, action, discourse -- everything. If you haven't read Want, I implore you to read it; it has my highest praises, highest esteem, and highest recommendation. An effortless favourite of 2017.
Rating: 5 / 5
-
Is this book for you?
Premise in a sentence: A group of friends work together to take down a corrupt corporation.
Perfect for: Readers who love science-fiction with accessible discourse, want an exciting and fast-paced heist-like story, and want to read a book that tackles important social issues, especially environmentalism.
Genre: Young adult, science-fiction
Recommended? Yes, yes, a million times yes.
Book trigger/content warnings: mild violence
-
This review can also be found on my book blog, Read, Think, Ponder!
October 4, 2017
MY MOST ANTICIPATED 2017 RELEASE LIVED UP TO MY EXPECTATIONS! oh the joy ! Not to mention I now own a book thats beautiful inside and out. Truly Cindy Pon has blessed me 😭 😭
The closest thing I can compare WANT to is Six of Crows - except it's Six of Crows but with characters of the exact opposite motivations. The SoC team are all chaotic bads, but the WANT crew are all chaotic goods. Jason Zhou, and the crew of friends behind him just want to help their city - they just want to stop the pollution, the corruption, and help those around them live a healthier life.
WANT is set in future Taipei, a city in which the rich were suits that generates air for them. The city is incredibly polluted, and those who can't afford the suits die early from breathing the toxic air. There's widespread poverty, pollution and sickness in Taipei. Jason and friends decide to tackle this injustice head on, by infiltrating and taking down the corrupt corporation that manufactures the suits and perpetuates the continued inequality and injustice against the poor.
The thing I liked most about this book is how relevant it was If you can't see the similarities in this book and the actual world we live in ..... what rock are YOU living under? Environmentalism is a huge issue, pollution is on the rise, the gap between the rich and poor gets bigger - and despite it all most of us sit, watch, and do nothing. I think WANT tackled a lot of environmental and political issues head on, and did it in a really good way. Pon shows us the way the government is exploiting the poor, and how little they care about their needs. We're shown the huge difference between the rich and the poor, and the suffering of the 没 (mei: have nots)
I think Cindy Pon addressed and tackled these issues really well. The themeing was really tight, it was obvious what ideas this book was presenting, and then they were dealt with concisely. I loved this narrative of teens realising there is injustice, and taking it down in a way that meaningful.
I also loved the setting Set in a future Taipei, the setting was tangible to me. I felt transported to the city, I felt like I was within the smog covered streets and it was so easy to picture and grasp the setting fully. The worldbuilding was great! The technology and aesthetic of the future, and how this was incorporated with the social and political aspects of the world was excellent.
REPRESENTATION WANT features Jason Zhou, who's ethnically from the Han majority. Of the other crew member, one (Victor) is from the Philippines, one (Arun) is Indian. Lingyi is Chinese and bisexual, and Iris is in a relationship with Lingyi. Her sexuality is not stated but she is in a f/f relationship.
An #OwnVoices (For Taiwanese rep) review
Finally, I really enjoyed the crew here too While I would have loved to see more development overall, I did quite enjoy the group dynamics. The scenes of the kids laughing together, teasing eachother and hanging out were some of my favourites. There is also a side relationship between two girls in the crew which I loved and I hope is more prominent in Book2: RUSE.
On the little downside I had to dock a star for two reasons. First of all, I didn't enjoy the romance in this one. I found the trope of wooing the girl really cliche and I didn't really love how it played out in WANT. I liked Daiyu as a character, and I think she's brilliant and smart - I just don't love that trope.
I also had pacing issues. I thought this book would be more action packed but it did drag a little in the middle. The romance focus, rather then action focus, was a little bit of a let down to me.
I REALLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK and it's soo slept on! The whole premise is amazing - if you're looking for the next Six of Crows LOOK NO FURTHER. The setting, theming and group dynamics are so tight, and I adored this crew of characters so much. Plus this book is fucking beautiful in real life yo !
Cannot wait for RUSE, the sequel. I HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL 2019 THATS INJUSTICE
The closest thing I can compare WANT to is Six of Crows - except it's Six of Crows but with characters of the exact opposite motivations. The SoC team are all chaotic bads, but the WANT crew are all chaotic goods. Jason Zhou, and the crew of friends behind him just want to help their city - they just want to stop the pollution, the corruption, and help those around them live a healthier life.
WANT is set in future Taipei, a city in which the rich were suits that generates air for them. The city is incredibly polluted, and those who can't afford the suits die early from breathing the toxic air. There's widespread poverty, pollution and sickness in Taipei. Jason and friends decide to tackle this injustice head on, by infiltrating and taking down the corrupt corporation that manufactures the suits and perpetuates the continued inequality and injustice against the poor.
The thing I liked most about this book is how relevant it was If you can't see the similarities in this book and the actual world we live in ..... what rock are YOU living under? Environmentalism is a huge issue, pollution is on the rise, the gap between the rich and poor gets bigger - and despite it all most of us sit, watch, and do nothing. I think WANT tackled a lot of environmental and political issues head on, and did it in a really good way. Pon shows us the way the government is exploiting the poor, and how little they care about their needs. We're shown the huge difference between the rich and the poor, and the suffering of the 没 (mei: have nots)
I think Cindy Pon addressed and tackled these issues really well. The themeing was really tight, it was obvious what ideas this book was presenting, and then they were dealt with concisely. I loved this narrative of teens realising there is injustice, and taking it down in a way that meaningful.
I also loved the setting Set in a future Taipei, the setting was tangible to me. I felt transported to the city, I felt like I was within the smog covered streets and it was so easy to picture and grasp the setting fully. The worldbuilding was great! The technology and aesthetic of the future, and how this was incorporated with the social and political aspects of the world was excellent.
REPRESENTATION WANT features Jason Zhou, who's ethnically from the Han majority. Of the other crew member, one (Victor) is from the Philippines, one (Arun) is Indian. Lingyi is Chinese and bisexual, and Iris is in a relationship with Lingyi. Her sexuality is not stated but she is in a f/f relationship.
An #OwnVoices (For Taiwanese rep) review
Finally, I really enjoyed the crew here too While I would have loved to see more development overall, I did quite enjoy the group dynamics. The scenes of the kids laughing together, teasing eachother and hanging out were some of my favourites. There is also a side relationship between two girls in the crew which I loved and I hope is more prominent in Book2: RUSE.
The truth was a harsh and ugly one: in order to change the status quo, we had to be destructive. Seize control of the narrative. Redirect the plot.
On the little downside I had to dock a star for two reasons. First of all, I didn't enjoy the romance in this one. I found the trope of wooing the girl really cliche and I didn't really love how it played out in WANT. I liked Daiyu as a character, and I think she's brilliant and smart - I just don't love that trope.
I also had pacing issues. I thought this book would be more action packed but it did drag a little in the middle. The romance focus, rather then action focus, was a little bit of a let down to me.
I REALLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK and it's soo slept on! The whole premise is amazing - if you're looking for the next Six of Crows LOOK NO FURTHER. The setting, theming and group dynamics are so tight, and I adored this crew of characters so much. Plus this book is fucking beautiful in real life yo !
Cannot wait for RUSE, the sequel. I HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL 2019 THATS INJUSTICE
February 7, 2017
Cindy Pon's Want is an incredible insight into a future rocked by pollution and corruption. Dripping in Diversity and delicious romance.
A FANTASTIC SciFi novel.
YOU WILL 'WANT' THIS!
A FANTASTIC SciFi novel.
YOU WILL 'WANT' THIS!
June 26, 2017
A copy was provided by the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
Its hard enough to get me into sci-fi, make it YA and I'll do my best to skip it. So why did I decide to pick up this one? Simply because my friends will not shut up about it (plus the cover is stunning) and I can see why.
"...the truth was a harsh and ugly one: in order to change the status quo, we had to be destructive. Seize control of the narrative. Redirect the plot."
The book is written in the point of view of our main character, Jason Zhou, who lives in the highly polluted city of Taipei. This entire book is set in the future; a future that may not lay so far from our own time. Zhou and his friends Arun, Lingyi, Victor and Iris hatch a plan to finally make a move and infiltrate Jin Corp, the evil corporation capitalizing on people's suffering an the destruction of nature. Zhou must impersonate one of the rich yous and become one of them in order to befriend Jin's sole heir and daughter, Daiyu Jin. Once that's settled? Bomb the evil guys, find the cure, save the world. Easy right?
In this world you are born either a you or a mei. Yous live in excess and have access to the most advanced tech needed to survive the acidic rain that falls down daily on the streets of Taipei and the privilege remain oblivious to the damage that has been done to the world. Zhou's group (or more suitably, Lingyi's group) is consisted of meis of course.
Cindy Pon leads us through the intricacies of human relationships and how not everything is necessary black and white; us versus them; yous vs. meis. With obvious criticism towards today's exploitative society, Cindy Pon makes us check our own privilege as people who benefit from a system and government that is doing nothing to preserve our environment and our people. To say its an eye-opening and important conversation is an understatement.
Moving on to the story:
It only takes one thing to steal my heart.
Awesome. Group. Dynamics.
The one thing I've seen lacking in YA in the past few years; unwillingly replaced by romance as the main plot point. Don't get me wrong, I totally get the appeal of a cute teenage romance filled with angst and drama but sometimes I just wanna see how people work together. I'm simple like that.
WANT had all of that and more. Not only is this group precious to my heart, but they also kick tremendous amounts of ass several times throughout the book. I love strong and fierce characters. I love three dimensional characters! Well-rounded personalities are what I want to sink my teeth into when I pick up any book of any genre. This rag-tag group of teens (all PoC, all with issues of their own.) made me rot for them from start to finish. Admittedly, my faves were Lingyi and Victor. Lingyi is your typical lavender haired hacker with a heart of gold. She's the mom of the group and also, the love of my, excuse me, Iris's life. Victor is a cocky rick kid who is also plenty mysterious. He keeps his heart hidden but we all now he's just a big old softie. You guys know I love the softies.
I only docked one star because I felt like the pacing dragged a bit in the middle and the romance between Daiyu and Zhou felt a bit forced. Regardless, the narrative style is very beautiful and to the point, making it a quick read for anyone who picks it up; a good characteristic to have when dealing with YA. I highly recommend this book if you're a fan of Marie Lu's Legend trilogy.
As far as I know, WANT is getting a sequel and I'm ecstatic to see what else these kids have to give. Watch out for Cindy Pon guys, we've got a winner in our mists.
Its hard enough to get me into sci-fi, make it YA and I'll do my best to skip it. So why did I decide to pick up this one? Simply because my friends will not shut up about it (plus the cover is stunning) and I can see why.
"...the truth was a harsh and ugly one: in order to change the status quo, we had to be destructive. Seize control of the narrative. Redirect the plot."
The book is written in the point of view of our main character, Jason Zhou, who lives in the highly polluted city of Taipei. This entire book is set in the future; a future that may not lay so far from our own time. Zhou and his friends Arun, Lingyi, Victor and Iris hatch a plan to finally make a move and infiltrate Jin Corp, the evil corporation capitalizing on people's suffering an the destruction of nature. Zhou must impersonate one of the rich yous and become one of them in order to befriend Jin's sole heir and daughter, Daiyu Jin. Once that's settled? Bomb the evil guys, find the cure, save the world. Easy right?
In this world you are born either a you or a mei. Yous live in excess and have access to the most advanced tech needed to survive the acidic rain that falls down daily on the streets of Taipei and the privilege remain oblivious to the damage that has been done to the world. Zhou's group (or more suitably, Lingyi's group) is consisted of meis of course.
Cindy Pon leads us through the intricacies of human relationships and how not everything is necessary black and white; us versus them; yous vs. meis. With obvious criticism towards today's exploitative society, Cindy Pon makes us check our own privilege as people who benefit from a system and government that is doing nothing to preserve our environment and our people. To say its an eye-opening and important conversation is an understatement.
Moving on to the story:
It only takes one thing to steal my heart.
Awesome. Group. Dynamics.
The one thing I've seen lacking in YA in the past few years; unwillingly replaced by romance as the main plot point. Don't get me wrong, I totally get the appeal of a cute teenage romance filled with angst and drama but sometimes I just wanna see how people work together. I'm simple like that.
WANT had all of that and more. Not only is this group precious to my heart, but they also kick tremendous amounts of ass several times throughout the book. I love strong and fierce characters. I love three dimensional characters! Well-rounded personalities are what I want to sink my teeth into when I pick up any book of any genre. This rag-tag group of teens (all PoC, all with issues of their own.) made me rot for them from start to finish. Admittedly, my faves were Lingyi and Victor. Lingyi is your typical lavender haired hacker with a heart of gold. She's the mom of the group and also, the love of my, excuse me, Iris's life. Victor is a cocky rick kid who is also plenty mysterious. He keeps his heart hidden but we all now he's just a big old softie. You guys know I love the softies.
I only docked one star because I felt like the pacing dragged a bit in the middle and the romance between Daiyu and Zhou felt a bit forced. Regardless, the narrative style is very beautiful and to the point, making it a quick read for anyone who picks it up; a good characteristic to have when dealing with YA. I highly recommend this book if you're a fan of Marie Lu's Legend trilogy.
As far as I know, WANT is getting a sequel and I'm ecstatic to see what else these kids have to give. Watch out for Cindy Pon guys, we've got a winner in our mists.
July 30, 2017
4-4.5 stars. Leaning towards 4.5, because I can't stop thinking about this book. WOW.
Cindy Pon's newest novel, WANT, is a thrill of a ride through a futuristic Taipei covered in smog with a cast of marginalized characters you cannot help but fall in love with.
I want to start this review by saying: I rarely read sci-fi. It's a genre I usually cannot get into, but WANT grabbed my heart and took me by complete surprise. This is a fast-paced, high-stakes whirlwind of a story set in a vividly imaginable world of a future in Taipei where citizens are dying left and right because of the ecological problems.
The characters of WANT are carefully built to be real, flawed, and relatable, and you'll fall in love with each and every one of them. Jason Zhou, the protagonist, is a well-crafted and just plain awesome character, but so are the side characters: Victor, Arun, Iris, Lingmi, and Daiyu. Their relationships and interactions feel real and are done so perfectly, and you can imagine yourself being friends with them.
My one small quibble with the book is that the writing feels awkward in a few places, but this is a tiny factor that barely lessened my enjoyment of the story.
WANT is an all-around incredible book, and I want everyone I know to read it.
If you liked SIX OF CROWS, you'll love WANT. And who doesn't love SIX OF CROWS? I want everyone, no matter your usual genre preferences, to pick up WANT. You won't be disappointed.
Cindy Pon's newest novel, WANT, is a thrill of a ride through a futuristic Taipei covered in smog with a cast of marginalized characters you cannot help but fall in love with.
I want to start this review by saying: I rarely read sci-fi. It's a genre I usually cannot get into, but WANT grabbed my heart and took me by complete surprise. This is a fast-paced, high-stakes whirlwind of a story set in a vividly imaginable world of a future in Taipei where citizens are dying left and right because of the ecological problems.
The characters of WANT are carefully built to be real, flawed, and relatable, and you'll fall in love with each and every one of them. Jason Zhou, the protagonist, is a well-crafted and just plain awesome character, but so are the side characters: Victor, Arun, Iris, Lingmi, and Daiyu. Their relationships and interactions feel real and are done so perfectly, and you can imagine yourself being friends with them.
My one small quibble with the book is that the writing feels awkward in a few places, but this is a tiny factor that barely lessened my enjoyment of the story.
WANT is an all-around incredible book, and I want everyone I know to read it.
If you liked SIX OF CROWS, you'll love WANT. And who doesn't love SIX OF CROWS? I want everyone, no matter your usual genre preferences, to pick up WANT. You won't be disappointed.
July 30, 2017
Originally posted on my blog.
There were three major reasons I was super excited about this book. The first is that I’ve read Cindy’s previous books and was interested in seeing how she would tackle a different genre than usual. The second is that I’ve read “Blue Skies,” the original short story that Want was based on, so I wanted to see how the novel version builds upon it. The third is that it takes place in Taiwan, where my family is from, and there is basically no Taiwanese representation in YA, so I was glad that my motherland was finally getting the spotlight in the fiction I love so much. There was a lot pinned on this book, and by and large, Want did not disappoint.
An alternate version of the Taipei I know and love comes to life in this story, familiar in many ways, such as its night markets, karaoke joints, 7-Elevens, and landmarks (Taipei 101 included), but also different, having evolved into a near future dystopia where high tech commodities and abject poverty brush against each other in stark juxtaposition. The sights and sounds, smells and tastes give the setting texture and presence. In particular, the descriptions of food will leave you desperate to take a trip to Taiwan to indulge multiple cravings.
Want is a great example of diversity within diversity when it comes to the cast of characters. Although our protagonist, Jason Zhou belongs to the ethnically Han majority, we also have supporting characters who reflect some the increasing ethnic diversity in Taiwan. One is the dapper Victor who works and sends money back to his family in the Philippines, and the other is the pragmatic Arun, who is Indian and comes from a family of brilliant research scientists. In addition to the ethnic diversity, we have two Asian girls in a relationship: bisexual glasses-wearing hacker girl Lingyi and silent but deadly and athletic Iris. Together, the five of them form the perfect team and supportive family to one another.
In order to accomplish their mission, Jason and friends have to break through both physical and social barriers. The latter means that Jason must pass as a rich boy to infiltrate Jin Corporation, and this is by far the toughest part of the mission. Jason comes from a poor family, and his mother died of sickness because they couldn’t afford healthcare, and he has to adopt the mannerisms and attitude of the wealthy elite for whom money has never been an issue, of the people he resents the most. His disorientation and discomfort and heightened class consciousness while navigating privileged spaces are visceral and tangible and portrayed very well.
Jason is a very relatable character for me. His love for books and use of books as escapism resonated with me and show in his references to both Western and Chinese literary classics. His struggle to trust others, especially those in the privileged class that treats him as disposable, is familiar to me as well. Also, his desperation to do something to change the toxic system he lives in is basically the story of my life. I empathized with his frustrations, doubts, disgust, and conflicting feelings.
Much of the conflict of this story centers on class tensions. In particular, it explores systemic oppression and how privilege affects someone’s worldview. This conflict is played out in Jason’s interactions with Daiyu, who is sensitive and kind but also sheltered and ignorant due to her upbringing. Her individual niceness and good intentions don’t negate her privilege or complicity, so Jason struggles with his affections toward her as an individual while he is plotting to destroy the foundation of her unearned privilege.
If you’re looking for a slow-burn, angst-filled romance, this book has that. Jason and Daiyu manage, in spite of their differences in class, to gradually find common ground and let down their barriers enough to be vulnerable around and real with each other in key moments. For those who live for it, there is an abundance of unresolved sexual tension that both frustrates and entertains.
The story balances the heist with the romance and character arcs, stringing the reader along with a mix of suspense and action. The final one-third of the book ups the stakes and packs an emotional punch several times over with twists and revelations and a heart-stopping climax. The ending ties up enough loose ends to satisfy but is realistic in its developments as systemic change doesn’t happen overnight.
My one minor critique of this book is the mixed treatment of beauty standards. Although it recognized the ever-changing nature of fashion and beauty trends, it also uncritically described certain people’s bodies as “perfect” in one or two places without addressing how factors like racism, colorism, sexism, cissexism, ableism, sizeism, etc. affect what society views as aesthetic/physical “perfection.”
Recommendation: Highly recommended for the thrills, the feelings, and the food.
There were three major reasons I was super excited about this book. The first is that I’ve read Cindy’s previous books and was interested in seeing how she would tackle a different genre than usual. The second is that I’ve read “Blue Skies,” the original short story that Want was based on, so I wanted to see how the novel version builds upon it. The third is that it takes place in Taiwan, where my family is from, and there is basically no Taiwanese representation in YA, so I was glad that my motherland was finally getting the spotlight in the fiction I love so much. There was a lot pinned on this book, and by and large, Want did not disappoint.
An alternate version of the Taipei I know and love comes to life in this story, familiar in many ways, such as its night markets, karaoke joints, 7-Elevens, and landmarks (Taipei 101 included), but also different, having evolved into a near future dystopia where high tech commodities and abject poverty brush against each other in stark juxtaposition. The sights and sounds, smells and tastes give the setting texture and presence. In particular, the descriptions of food will leave you desperate to take a trip to Taiwan to indulge multiple cravings.
Want is a great example of diversity within diversity when it comes to the cast of characters. Although our protagonist, Jason Zhou belongs to the ethnically Han majority, we also have supporting characters who reflect some the increasing ethnic diversity in Taiwan. One is the dapper Victor who works and sends money back to his family in the Philippines, and the other is the pragmatic Arun, who is Indian and comes from a family of brilliant research scientists. In addition to the ethnic diversity, we have two Asian girls in a relationship: bisexual glasses-wearing hacker girl Lingyi and silent but deadly and athletic Iris. Together, the five of them form the perfect team and supportive family to one another.
In order to accomplish their mission, Jason and friends have to break through both physical and social barriers. The latter means that Jason must pass as a rich boy to infiltrate Jin Corporation, and this is by far the toughest part of the mission. Jason comes from a poor family, and his mother died of sickness because they couldn’t afford healthcare, and he has to adopt the mannerisms and attitude of the wealthy elite for whom money has never been an issue, of the people he resents the most. His disorientation and discomfort and heightened class consciousness while navigating privileged spaces are visceral and tangible and portrayed very well.
Jason is a very relatable character for me. His love for books and use of books as escapism resonated with me and show in his references to both Western and Chinese literary classics. His struggle to trust others, especially those in the privileged class that treats him as disposable, is familiar to me as well. Also, his desperation to do something to change the toxic system he lives in is basically the story of my life. I empathized with his frustrations, doubts, disgust, and conflicting feelings.
Much of the conflict of this story centers on class tensions. In particular, it explores systemic oppression and how privilege affects someone’s worldview. This conflict is played out in Jason’s interactions with Daiyu, who is sensitive and kind but also sheltered and ignorant due to her upbringing. Her individual niceness and good intentions don’t negate her privilege or complicity, so Jason struggles with his affections toward her as an individual while he is plotting to destroy the foundation of her unearned privilege.
If you’re looking for a slow-burn, angst-filled romance, this book has that. Jason and Daiyu manage, in spite of their differences in class, to gradually find common ground and let down their barriers enough to be vulnerable around and real with each other in key moments. For those who live for it, there is an abundance of unresolved sexual tension that both frustrates and entertains.
The story balances the heist with the romance and character arcs, stringing the reader along with a mix of suspense and action. The final one-third of the book ups the stakes and packs an emotional punch several times over with twists and revelations and a heart-stopping climax. The ending ties up enough loose ends to satisfy but is realistic in its developments as systemic change doesn’t happen overnight.
My one minor critique of this book is the mixed treatment of beauty standards. Although it recognized the ever-changing nature of fashion and beauty trends, it also uncritically described certain people’s bodies as “perfect” in one or two places without addressing how factors like racism, colorism, sexism, cissexism, ableism, sizeism, etc. affect what society views as aesthetic/physical “perfection.”
Recommendation: Highly recommended for the thrills, the feelings, and the food.
October 2, 2017
I have... no feelings. I mean, I never do, but I have especially few feelings after finishing this. For such a hyped book on twitter, I was really expecting a bit more? This didn't do much beyond entertain me. It was fine. I think I might've even liked this more if not for the hype.
¥ | PLOT —> cliche but entertaining
Sometimes I read books that feel like action movies. And that's fine. Those are perfectly entertaining, if not necessarily the most meaningful. Maybe you'll enjoy this more if you're a big fan of action movies, but man, this was not for me.
But here's my real question: why was this so cliche? This book focuses on Zhou, a revolutionary who's trying to take down a powerful corporation's head. How will he do that? Oh yes, by seducing the man's daughter, Daiyu. Take a wild guess as to what will happen next. Will he fall in love with her? Will they have... an angsty romance?
Well, yes. Want is a bit of a cliche book. It's a fun book, but i felt as if I'd read the whole thing before. In Fox Forever by Mary E. Pearson. And Daughter of Deep Silence by Carrie Ryan. And a lot of other books. I'm reading Now I Rise by Kiersten White right now, and even that book skirts this trope. This really isn't a new trope.
I almost want to quibble with this being a series. Really, I don't usually like plot-driven series. This was mostly plot driven, and I just don't know how this is going to continue in a narratively satisfying way. This almost could've stood alone - the conclusion is fairly satisfying, although it doesn't wrap up the world. I'm just worried as to how Cindy Pon will follow this up.
That being said, there was a lot I liked about the plot. It's super fast-paced, first of all. I felt more entertained than annoyed with the plot, even despite the cliches. This is a trope for a reason, after all - it leads to a lot of entertainment.
¥ | WORLDBUILDING —> has potential
I've seen this book recommended a lot for worldbuilding, so I'm going to talk a little about this!! I'd probably compare the level of worldbuilding complexity to that of The Abyss Surrounds Us by Emily Skrutskie. There are a lot of things about the worldbuilding that are intriguing, but there's really not much there on page.
That being said, I do love the themes of environmentalism. This book focuses on corporate greed and poverty in an interesting way, if a little heavy-handed. I also appreciated that this isn't set in the US.
All that being said, I'm not necessarily in love with the worldbuilding here. It was fine, it was intriguing, I wanted more. Same as every other category.
¥ | CHARACTERS —> lukewarm
Well, it is an action movie. These characters aren't terrible, I didn't dislike them, they were fine. They were just so lukewarm. Where are the personalities? Can y'all name a single one of Zhou's character traits beyond brooding?
I actually think this book would've been better if it had been told in dual point of view between Daiyu and Zhou. Daiyu, the love interest, was probably my favorite character - she's funny and sweet and badass without being a jerk. I'm really interested in seeing more about her.
And since I've talked about the love interest, maybe I should talk about the romance. It was... cute. It was fine. Can I be honest and say there should've been more angst? This should be full of tension, and somehow it wasn't.
Aside from her, however, I liked but didn't love the rest. I did like Zhou's squad dynamic and several of those side characters. Iris and Lingyi are a cute side couple and a great addition to the batch, and Arun, Dr. Nataraj's son, was a sweet nerdy character. Unfortunately, I was not a big fan of Lingyi's ex Victor. He was literally just there to be angsty over the fact that his ex was dating someone else. Should I care? I don't.
¥ | CONCLUSION —> fine, but I expected more
This wasn't by any means a bad book - it was just aggressively not for me. If you're a fan of action books, this one is fine. I just wanted more, I guess??
Blog | Goodreads | Twitter | Youtube
¥ | PLOT —> cliche but entertaining
Sometimes I read books that feel like action movies. And that's fine. Those are perfectly entertaining, if not necessarily the most meaningful. Maybe you'll enjoy this more if you're a big fan of action movies, but man, this was not for me.
But here's my real question: why was this so cliche? This book focuses on Zhou, a revolutionary who's trying to take down a powerful corporation's head. How will he do that? Oh yes, by seducing the man's daughter, Daiyu. Take a wild guess as to what will happen next. Will he fall in love with her? Will they have... an angsty romance?
Well, yes. Want is a bit of a cliche book. It's a fun book, but i felt as if I'd read the whole thing before. In Fox Forever by Mary E. Pearson. And Daughter of Deep Silence by Carrie Ryan. And a lot of other books. I'm reading Now I Rise by Kiersten White right now, and even that book skirts this trope. This really isn't a new trope.
I almost want to quibble with this being a series. Really, I don't usually like plot-driven series. This was mostly plot driven, and I just don't know how this is going to continue in a narratively satisfying way. This almost could've stood alone - the conclusion is fairly satisfying, although it doesn't wrap up the world. I'm just worried as to how Cindy Pon will follow this up.
That being said, there was a lot I liked about the plot. It's super fast-paced, first of all. I felt more entertained than annoyed with the plot, even despite the cliches. This is a trope for a reason, after all - it leads to a lot of entertainment.
¥ | WORLDBUILDING —> has potential
I've seen this book recommended a lot for worldbuilding, so I'm going to talk a little about this!! I'd probably compare the level of worldbuilding complexity to that of The Abyss Surrounds Us by Emily Skrutskie. There are a lot of things about the worldbuilding that are intriguing, but there's really not much there on page.
That being said, I do love the themes of environmentalism. This book focuses on corporate greed and poverty in an interesting way, if a little heavy-handed. I also appreciated that this isn't set in the US.
All that being said, I'm not necessarily in love with the worldbuilding here. It was fine, it was intriguing, I wanted more. Same as every other category.
¥ | CHARACTERS —> lukewarm
Well, it is an action movie. These characters aren't terrible, I didn't dislike them, they were fine. They were just so lukewarm. Where are the personalities? Can y'all name a single one of Zhou's character traits beyond brooding?
I actually think this book would've been better if it had been told in dual point of view between Daiyu and Zhou. Daiyu, the love interest, was probably my favorite character - she's funny and sweet and badass without being a jerk. I'm really interested in seeing more about her.
And since I've talked about the love interest, maybe I should talk about the romance. It was... cute. It was fine. Can I be honest and say there should've been more angst? This should be full of tension, and somehow it wasn't.
Aside from her, however, I liked but didn't love the rest. I did like Zhou's squad dynamic and several of those side characters. Iris and Lingyi are a cute side couple and a great addition to the batch, and Arun, Dr. Nataraj's son, was a sweet nerdy character. Unfortunately, I was not a big fan of Lingyi's ex Victor. He was literally just there to be angsty over the fact that his ex was dating someone else. Should I care? I don't.
¥ | CONCLUSION —> fine, but I expected more
This wasn't by any means a bad book - it was just aggressively not for me. If you're a fan of action books, this one is fine. I just wanted more, I guess??
Blog | Goodreads | Twitter | Youtube
June 24, 2021
the idea of the book is so fun but i just don’t think it was executed well? also there’s only so much “she’s not like other girls” a girl can take lol
September 11, 2017
you can find this review and others over on my blog!
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This is the type of dystopian that we need more of! There's no overthrowing a government. There's no chosen one. There's no faction. It's a very real, very plausible, and a very fun book, if I do say so myself. Which, I admit, is a very strange thing to say about a book where our future looks bleak and rather gross, but combined with the characters and the action—yeah, this book is definitely fun.
There's so much going on in this novel. At its heart, this book is about fixing the HUGE environmental issue in a futuristic Taipei. It has come to a point where many people, mostly the upper class, have to wear protective and expensive suits to keep from breathing in the toxic air that hangs above them like a persistent cloud. Those who can't afford the suits are destined to live a short, sickly life. The government refuses to pass a law that would help the environment and the man behind the expensive suits is part of that reason.
So enter Jason Zhou and his ragtag group of friends, who aren't really ragtag. They're AMAZING, diverse, unique, and so full of life. They're dedicated to each other and their cause and they'll see it to its end. I loved their tenacity and, more importantly, their camaraderie. It's so easy putting friends in a book but to truly showcase that sort of bond? It's difficult but Cindy Pon does it so well! There are parts where they aren't there because of REASONS (which I'll briefly mention!) but when they are, it felt amazing reading about them.
Okay so another thing about the book. It's a HEIST book, sort of. The mission? Take down the big boss man. Which is easier said than done. The plan has a LOT at stake and from the very get-go, you're thrown into a kidnapping. That's right. Never say I didn't warn you this book is wild.
Anyway, later on, it's up to Zhou to infiltrate the upper class, also known as the you (pronounced yo), and get close to the boss' daughter, Daiyu, so he can have access to the main building. It's risky and Daiyu isn't the type of person who trusts easily, so Zhou definitely had his work cut out for him.
Can I just say that I LOVED Daiyu? She was such an amazing and complex character! There were so many layers to her and it was amazing to see Zhou and her interact with one another. It's clear she's not what she seems and it just makes her all the more intriguing. She's smart, open minded, genuine, caring—everything Zhou didn't expect from a you girl. I'm pretty sure that I'm 98% in love with her.
Jason himself was an interesting main character. He, too, was complex, and he really grows throughout the novel. He's also set in his ways, sort of, and his stubbornness is apparent throughout the novel. And I admired that! For the mission he had to undergo, that kind of attitude was definitely necessary at times. It was also great to see him develop and change because of the mission and Pon did a wonderful job with that. It felt genuine and it shows just what a great writer she is.
Umm, what else is there... The romance! Don't think I've forgotten this. I don't want to say too much because the romance was so sweet! And somewhat of a slow burn, too. There's a lot of back and forth between the two, a smart, dangerous sort of attraction between them. It was done AMAZINGLY and I loved it. I never felt that the romance became too much or that it tried to overtake the plot, Jason, or the mission. It was perfectly balanced and well written. It was definitely one of the many things I adored about this novel!
So! Overall, this was a BRILLIANT sci-fi novel. Even if you think that sci-fi isn't your thing, I truly urge you to check this novel out. It's different and fresh and fun and has great writing with an amazing diverse cast! I can't wait for the sequel! 4.5 stars!
---
What a fabulous story.
---
This is the type of dystopian that we need more of! There's no overthrowing a government. There's no chosen one. There's no faction. It's a very real, very plausible, and a very fun book, if I do say so myself. Which, I admit, is a very strange thing to say about a book where our future looks bleak and rather gross, but combined with the characters and the action—yeah, this book is definitely fun.
There's so much going on in this novel. At its heart, this book is about fixing the HUGE environmental issue in a futuristic Taipei. It has come to a point where many people, mostly the upper class, have to wear protective and expensive suits to keep from breathing in the toxic air that hangs above them like a persistent cloud. Those who can't afford the suits are destined to live a short, sickly life. The government refuses to pass a law that would help the environment and the man behind the expensive suits is part of that reason.
So enter Jason Zhou and his ragtag group of friends, who aren't really ragtag. They're AMAZING, diverse, unique, and so full of life. They're dedicated to each other and their cause and they'll see it to its end. I loved their tenacity and, more importantly, their camaraderie. It's so easy putting friends in a book but to truly showcase that sort of bond? It's difficult but Cindy Pon does it so well! There are parts where they aren't there because of REASONS (which I'll briefly mention!) but when they are, it felt amazing reading about them.
Okay so another thing about the book. It's a HEIST book, sort of. The mission? Take down the big boss man. Which is easier said than done. The plan has a LOT at stake and from the very get-go, you're thrown into a kidnapping. That's right. Never say I didn't warn you this book is wild.
Anyway, later on, it's up to Zhou to infiltrate the upper class, also known as the you (pronounced yo), and get close to the boss' daughter, Daiyu, so he can have access to the main building. It's risky and Daiyu isn't the type of person who trusts easily, so Zhou definitely had his work cut out for him.
Can I just say that I LOVED Daiyu? She was such an amazing and complex character! There were so many layers to her and it was amazing to see Zhou and her interact with one another. It's clear she's not what she seems and it just makes her all the more intriguing. She's smart, open minded, genuine, caring—everything Zhou didn't expect from a you girl. I'm pretty sure that I'm 98% in love with her.
Jason himself was an interesting main character. He, too, was complex, and he really grows throughout the novel. He's also set in his ways, sort of, and his stubbornness is apparent throughout the novel. And I admired that! For the mission he had to undergo, that kind of attitude was definitely necessary at times. It was also great to see him develop and change because of the mission and Pon did a wonderful job with that. It felt genuine and it shows just what a great writer she is.
Umm, what else is there... The romance! Don't think I've forgotten this. I don't want to say too much because the romance was so sweet! And somewhat of a slow burn, too. There's a lot of back and forth between the two, a smart, dangerous sort of attraction between them. It was done AMAZINGLY and I loved it. I never felt that the romance became too much or that it tried to overtake the plot, Jason, or the mission. It was perfectly balanced and well written. It was definitely one of the many things I adored about this novel!
So! Overall, this was a BRILLIANT sci-fi novel. Even if you think that sci-fi isn't your thing, I truly urge you to check this novel out. It's different and fresh and fun and has great writing with an amazing diverse cast! I can't wait for the sequel! 4.5 stars!
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What a fabulous story.
July 30, 2017
Boricuan Bookworms- Book Reviews
Mei: without; pronounced "may"
You: to have; pronounced "yo"
Want is set in a near-future Taipei, where pollution is extreme, and big corporations contaminate for profit. Cindy Pon’s world building is excellent and incredibly immersive. It’s easy to believe that this is what our world can become in 70 or 80 years time. We can see that this is direct criticism to today’s society; a society more concerned with profit than environmental collapse.
I’m never a big fan of sci-fi worlds, because they often seem too complex and unbelievable for me to immerse myself in. However, in Want, there’s a seamless bridge between the present and this near-future Cindy writes, each new concept or contraption explained without being overly simplified.
Our narrator is Jason Zhou, a hardened mei boy from the streets who has a particular love for butterfly knives. Zhou is loyal and determined, smart and cunning. He does whatever is needed for the mission, which was very admirable to me. I thought of him as a Slytherin, putting his goals above everything else; I loved that about him. Something else that’s amazing about Zhou? He’s a bookworm. *cheers*
Through Zhou’s mission we meet Daiyu, sole heiress to Jin Corp, the corrupt corporation that Zhou and the gang are trying to take down. With Daiyu we see that things aren’t actually black and white; that having the opulent lifestyle of a you doesn’t necessarily mean heartlessness and ignorance. Pon's writing is so nuanced in the way it explores the different types of privilege in that society, never making it seem heavy handed or insincere.
My favorite aspect of this book by far was the group dynamics. Zhou isn’t a lone wolf, in fact he’s not even the leader of the group. Zhou, along with his friends, Lingyi, Arun, Victor, and Iris, all use their different skills and work together to take down Jin Corp. They’re all a tight-knit family, relying on each other when the rest of the world has forgotten about them. I loved that each member of the group had a deeply developed storyline which made me love each and every one of them. (My favorites are Lingyi, Iris, and Victor!)
The diversity here is wonderful, and it’s obvious that there was never any tokenization involved. Zhou and Daiyu are Taiwanese, Lingyi is Chinese and bi/pan, Iris is Asian-born (ethnicity unknown), Victor is filipino, and Arun is Indian. Lingyi and Iris are in a SUPER ADORABLE relationship, one that I actually shipped more than the main couple (oops).
The only reason I knocked a star off my rating was because of the pacing. I loved the constant pace the book was setting, where each twist and turn was leading up to something big. However, when the something big happens, the pacing suddenly speeds up so much that it felt like there was no time to process everything that was happening.
Despite that slight issue, I still highly enjoyed this book and the way it was written. After reading Want I was left emotionally compromised and wanting to know what happened next. I immediately placed a hold on the rest of Cindy’s books because I couldn’t get enough of her writing. This is honestly one of my favorite books of the year, and I highly recommend it.
If you enjoy teens teaming up to destroy evil corporations, a bookworm boy who plays with knives, incredible group dynamics, and intricate world building, Want is the book for you. Don’t let it pass you by.
My Amazon Review.
Meet the Characters of the Book, here!
Mei: without; pronounced "may"
You: to have; pronounced "yo"
Want is set in a near-future Taipei, where pollution is extreme, and big corporations contaminate for profit. Cindy Pon’s world building is excellent and incredibly immersive. It’s easy to believe that this is what our world can become in 70 or 80 years time. We can see that this is direct criticism to today’s society; a society more concerned with profit than environmental collapse.
I’m never a big fan of sci-fi worlds, because they often seem too complex and unbelievable for me to immerse myself in. However, in Want, there’s a seamless bridge between the present and this near-future Cindy writes, each new concept or contraption explained without being overly simplified.
Our narrator is Jason Zhou, a hardened mei boy from the streets who has a particular love for butterfly knives. Zhou is loyal and determined, smart and cunning. He does whatever is needed for the mission, which was very admirable to me. I thought of him as a Slytherin, putting his goals above everything else; I loved that about him. Something else that’s amazing about Zhou? He’s a bookworm. *cheers*
Through Zhou’s mission we meet Daiyu, sole heiress to Jin Corp, the corrupt corporation that Zhou and the gang are trying to take down. With Daiyu we see that things aren’t actually black and white; that having the opulent lifestyle of a you doesn’t necessarily mean heartlessness and ignorance. Pon's writing is so nuanced in the way it explores the different types of privilege in that society, never making it seem heavy handed or insincere.
My favorite aspect of this book by far was the group dynamics. Zhou isn’t a lone wolf, in fact he’s not even the leader of the group. Zhou, along with his friends, Lingyi, Arun, Victor, and Iris, all use their different skills and work together to take down Jin Corp. They’re all a tight-knit family, relying on each other when the rest of the world has forgotten about them. I loved that each member of the group had a deeply developed storyline which made me love each and every one of them. (My favorites are Lingyi, Iris, and Victor!)
The diversity here is wonderful, and it’s obvious that there was never any tokenization involved. Zhou and Daiyu are Taiwanese, Lingyi is Chinese and bi/pan, Iris is Asian-born (ethnicity unknown), Victor is filipino, and Arun is Indian. Lingyi and Iris are in a SUPER ADORABLE relationship, one that I actually shipped more than the main couple (oops).
The only reason I knocked a star off my rating was because of the pacing. I loved the constant pace the book was setting, where each twist and turn was leading up to something big. However, when the something big happens, the pacing suddenly speeds up so much that it felt like there was no time to process everything that was happening.
Despite that slight issue, I still highly enjoyed this book and the way it was written. After reading Want I was left emotionally compromised and wanting to know what happened next. I immediately placed a hold on the rest of Cindy’s books because I couldn’t get enough of her writing. This is honestly one of my favorite books of the year, and I highly recommend it.
"We had wanted to change the world. This was only the beginning."
If you enjoy teens teaming up to destroy evil corporations, a bookworm boy who plays with knives, incredible group dynamics, and intricate world building, Want is the book for you. Don’t let it pass you by.
My Amazon Review.
Meet the Characters of the Book, here!
May 25, 2017
This book was everything I WANTed it to be. Seriously.
Full review soon, but my goodness. Get this book.
Full review soon, but my goodness. Get this book.
July 6, 2017
Want has been on my most anticipated list since I heard about earlier this year and I’m so happy that I managed to find the time to read it! I find it really hard to find science fiction stories that are the right for me. I love sci-fi, but I think I prefer watching it in the form of television and film rather than reading it. However, when I find one that I know I would absolutely love reading, I’ve hit the jackpot! Want was one of those stories for me!
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What I Liked
The setting. Not only was it refreshing to read a story that takes place in Taiwan, an island/country that I have never been to or read about before, but it also takes place in the not-too-unrealistic near future. Want features a futuristic Taiwan that is dealing with extreme pollution. The pollution has gotten so bad that those who aren’t rich enough to afford protective suits will most likely die by the time they reach age 40. Those who are rich enough to afford these special suits created by Jin Corporation ignore the fact that the world is dying because they’re rich enough to be able to ignore the problem and live comfortably. Sadly, this doesn’t seem all that far fetched which makes this setting memorable and slightly unsettling.
Own Voices rep. Want features Taiwanese characters living in Taipei written by a Chinese American author making it a diverse own voices story. I love seeing representation of different cultures and people within the stories that I read. I have never read a story that takes place in Taiwan, nor have I read a story that features Taiwanese characters. Having books that contain a variety of different characters is so important considering there are a variety of different readers. I hope to read more stories like Want in the future!
The cover. Um, can we talk about this cover for a minute? I know you aren’t supposed to judge a book by it’s cover, but I won’t lie, one of the biggest reasons I picked up this book in the first place was because of the beautiful front cover! The subtle cool colours together with the portrait of our main character Jason Zhou was just too perfect to go unnoticed.
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What I Didn’t Like
The pacing. There was something about the pacing that felt a little off for me personally. The story started off strong and really fast paced and then all of the sudden it just hit a bit of a lull. I’m not sure if this was more just me and my inability to concentrate and stay focused, but I found that about halfway through the book, I kept putting it down after reading a couple of pages to watch a youtube video or do something else because I was starting to feel a little bored. The story itself was exciting and entertaining, but there were just certain moments that dragged a little.
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Overall, I absolutely loved Want! While this first novel ended strong and even though it definitely could have worked as a stand-alone, I’m really excited for a sequel. I would love to find out how the world changes based on the events of this first book and how the characters adapt. I can’t wait to continue with this story!
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Initial post reading thoughts:
I just love good YA science fiction stories, and I personally find it so hard to find them! I absolutely loved WANT and I can't wait for the next book in the series to be released! This first one didn't end in with a cliffhanger or anything, but I loved the characters and the story so much that I really can't wait to read more! It was diverse and was written by an own voices author which makes it 10x more awesome! I need to process my thoughts a bit more before writing an in depth review!
April 20, 2017
My very first book by Cindy Pon and Want is definitely one to look out for. You should all add it to your TBR. It's a SFF YA about a young Taiwanese boy named Zhou and his band of friends/misfits create this plan to take down this big bad guy and in order to do so Zhou needs to infiltrate this society he hates so much and befriend the daughter of the bad guy.
It's such an interesting theme and I love love the plot + storyline so very much. Cindy's writing, I believe, is my kind of writing. I think she has me for life. It's soothing and sexy at the same time ~wow~ I am still shook and so emotional after this wild ride. There are glamorous parties and high risk missions, rock climbing and bike riding. This book is filled with all sort of amazing scenes and dangerous ones and action-y ones. It's such a superb book.
My heart goes to this band of misfits = WITH NO WHITE CHARACTERS. I love that we see a Filipino boy that loves to dress in suits and $$ clothes. We have an Indian boy who is a genius. We have a Chinese girl who is the "boss". We have a girl that is like a shadow. And we have Zhou, a boy who wants to take care of his friends and will do anything to do so.
It's such an interesting theme and I love love the plot + storyline so very much. Cindy's writing, I believe, is my kind of writing. I think she has me for life. It's soothing and sexy at the same time ~wow~ I am still shook and so emotional after this wild ride. There are glamorous parties and high risk missions, rock climbing and bike riding. This book is filled with all sort of amazing scenes and dangerous ones and action-y ones. It's such a superb book.
My heart goes to this band of misfits = WITH NO WHITE CHARACTERS. I love that we see a Filipino boy that loves to dress in suits and $$ clothes. We have an Indian boy who is a genius. We have a Chinese girl who is the "boss". We have a girl that is like a shadow. And we have Zhou, a boy who wants to take care of his friends and will do anything to do so.
September 17, 2020
So I have mixed feelings about this. I didn’t really like the narrator that much, so it might have affected the way I felt about the book as a whole.
So the whole aspect of the book with pollution in the air was unique and kind of scary to think that it could possibly be a future for us here on Earth. Those who are rich enough have suits that filter their air and those who are poor breath the polluted air and die young because of it.
So that’s the whole idea of the book. A bunch of poor kids want to break into the rich people’s place of business and such and get suits for people who need them. It’s a whole political pull between the poor and rich and what people need verse what people want.
A lot of people have compared this to the Six of Crows duology, and I for sure can see the resemblance. But the character building and growth and the twist of Six of Crows was lacking here for me. The main hero was a little lacking in personality and the supporting characters didn’t support very well for me.
It was an interesting read, but I really don’t see myself reading it again.
Now, I do feel that this would be a great movie franchise, or a streaming-original series. It has a great premise to it all... and maybe it is just on the wrong platform for execution. Does that make sense? Probably not.
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Is this not the ugliest cover you have ever seen?
So the whole aspect of the book with pollution in the air was unique and kind of scary to think that it could possibly be a future for us here on Earth. Those who are rich enough have suits that filter their air and those who are poor breath the polluted air and die young because of it.
So that’s the whole idea of the book. A bunch of poor kids want to break into the rich people’s place of business and such and get suits for people who need them. It’s a whole political pull between the poor and rich and what people need verse what people want.
A lot of people have compared this to the Six of Crows duology, and I for sure can see the resemblance. But the character building and growth and the twist of Six of Crows was lacking here for me. The main hero was a little lacking in personality and the supporting characters didn’t support very well for me.
It was an interesting read, but I really don’t see myself reading it again.
Now, I do feel that this would be a great movie franchise, or a streaming-original series. It has a great premise to it all... and maybe it is just on the wrong platform for execution. Does that make sense? Probably not.
---
Is this not the ugliest cover you have ever seen?
October 28, 2022
Anyone who's been paying attention to my update feed lately will likely realize that I am adding all the books I've blurbed, and this book is one of my YA favorites.
The quote I offered was this:
"Want by Cindy Pon paints a vibrant picture of futuristic Taipei, with characters that will stay with you long after you finish. A fresh, compelling--and timely--addition to YA science fiction."
That quote is from 2017, but this book is even more timely now than it was then. Highly recommended if you love a cyberpunk-y city setting (I do) and want to dig into some sci fi (always).
The quote I offered was this:
"Want by Cindy Pon paints a vibrant picture of futuristic Taipei, with characters that will stay with you long after you finish. A fresh, compelling--and timely--addition to YA science fiction."
That quote is from 2017, but this book is even more timely now than it was then. Highly recommended if you love a cyberpunk-y city setting (I do) and want to dig into some sci fi (always).
Read
March 6, 2017Cindy Pon's novels always make me hungry, both for the food and for sequels. This story is fast-paced, but not so much that its futuristic Taipei setting is sacrificed. I was fully immersed in the setting, and loved feeling as if this story couldn't have taken place anywhere else. I need more of this crafty crew. Sequel or companion novel pretty please?
July 27, 2019
So this is why a lot of people can’t stand the YA genre anymore?! Finally I understand.
But let’s start at the beginning. What is it all about?
In the near future pollution has gotten so bad that most people in the big cities don’t get much older than forty. But that’s only true for the meis, the have-nots. Though in this case that includes the middle class as well. Because only the very rich, the yous, are capable of buying themselves high-tech suits that protect them from the consequences of pollution.
Those suits are manufactured and sold all over the world by Jin Corp, a company based in Taipei. This is where the story takes place and it is one of the very few positives, as I really liked that setting.
Naturally the meis are not content with their situation and some try to change the status quo. Dr. Nataraj, a prominent ecology professor is trying to push through a legislative to bring down pollution. But she doesn’t make any headway. Because there are some people that are very happy with the way things are. I guess you know already who that might be.
Zhou, our MC, is a 18 yo mei who is friends with Dr. Nataraj’s son. When something spoilery happens they, along with three of their friends, decide to take matters into their own hands and infiltrate the ranks of the yous and Jin Corp, to bring down the enemy from within.
So Zhou has to pose as a you boy and try to become friends with Jin’s daughter Daiyu to obtain access to the headquarters of the company.
Naturally Zhou’s friends all have very special talents, so the five teenagers are well equipped to make this revolution happen.
We have the ingenius scientist Arun, the ninjalike Iris, the very well connected and charming Victor and Lingyi, the girl with the tremendous leadership qualities, who's actually called Boss by the others.
Jin's daughter Daiyu, of course, turns out to be a nice girl and Zhou therefore develops some conflicted feelings about his mission. And … well, I’ve read this story several times already. There’s really nothing surprising I could add here.
The characters are totally superficial and clichéd and most chapters seem to be there only to let them show off their skills rather than actually move the plot forward.
Everything that happens here I've already seen somewhere else (and better). There are zero surprises and also absolutely no tension, because everything just goes very smoothly down these well-trodden paths.
Reading this book, for me, was like playing a video game at too low a difficulty level. There will be some obstacles, sure. But you know they won't stop you. It might be enough to escape reality for some time, but completing the task doesn't give you a feeling of achievement or satisfaction.
I think I'm just not in the target audience here. Which, of course, isn't the fault of the book. Teenagers might possibly enjoy this, I suppose. Because at least Pon's prose has a nice flow and there are some scenes that some might consider fun, in a Michael Bay sort of way. But even then, there are better options out there.
1.5 stars rounded up. Even though it was way too shallow for my liking, it wasn't a total disaster, future Taipei as a setting was cool, it was fairly easy to read and mildly entertaining in a few chapters.
I was pretty surprised to learn, though, that Cindy Pon is one of the cofounders of Diversity in YA and is on the advisory board of We Need Diverse Books.
Because there's very little diversity in this book. And the constant ogling of female characters by the main protagonist was just gross.
But let’s start at the beginning. What is it all about?
In the near future pollution has gotten so bad that most people in the big cities don’t get much older than forty. But that’s only true for the meis, the have-nots. Though in this case that includes the middle class as well. Because only the very rich, the yous, are capable of buying themselves high-tech suits that protect them from the consequences of pollution.
Those suits are manufactured and sold all over the world by Jin Corp, a company based in Taipei. This is where the story takes place and it is one of the very few positives, as I really liked that setting.
Naturally the meis are not content with their situation and some try to change the status quo. Dr. Nataraj, a prominent ecology professor is trying to push through a legislative to bring down pollution. But she doesn’t make any headway. Because there are some people that are very happy with the way things are. I guess you know already who that might be.
Zhou, our MC, is a 18 yo mei who is friends with Dr. Nataraj’s son. When something spoilery happens they, along with three of their friends, decide to take matters into their own hands and infiltrate the ranks of the yous and Jin Corp, to bring down the enemy from within.
So Zhou has to pose as a you boy and try to become friends with Jin’s daughter Daiyu to obtain access to the headquarters of the company.
Naturally Zhou’s friends all have very special talents, so the five teenagers are well equipped to make this revolution happen.
We have the ingenius scientist Arun, the ninjalike Iris, the very well connected and charming Victor and Lingyi, the girl with the tremendous leadership qualities, who's actually called Boss by the others.
Jin's daughter Daiyu, of course, turns out to be a nice girl and Zhou therefore develops some conflicted feelings about his mission. And … well, I’ve read this story several times already. There’s really nothing surprising I could add here.
The characters are totally superficial and clichéd and most chapters seem to be there only to let them show off their skills rather than actually move the plot forward.
Everything that happens here I've already seen somewhere else (and better). There are zero surprises and also absolutely no tension, because everything just goes very smoothly down these well-trodden paths.
Reading this book, for me, was like playing a video game at too low a difficulty level. There will be some obstacles, sure. But you know they won't stop you. It might be enough to escape reality for some time, but completing the task doesn't give you a feeling of achievement or satisfaction.
I think I'm just not in the target audience here. Which, of course, isn't the fault of the book. Teenagers might possibly enjoy this, I suppose. Because at least Pon's prose has a nice flow and there are some scenes that some might consider fun, in a Michael Bay sort of way. But even then, there are better options out there.
1.5 stars rounded up. Even though it was way too shallow for my liking, it wasn't a total disaster, future Taipei as a setting was cool, it was fairly easy to read and mildly entertaining in a few chapters.
I was pretty surprised to learn, though, that Cindy Pon is one of the cofounders of Diversity in YA and is on the advisory board of We Need Diverse Books.
Because there's very little diversity in this book. And the constant ogling of female characters by the main protagonist was just gross.
June 12, 2017
***5+++++ STARS***
This novel immediately made it to my all-time favorite list. It is, no doubt, one of the best Sci-Fi novels I’ve ever read. The world-building, the characters and the overall plot was so well-done, It felt like a movie. It needs to be a movie.
Want is set in near-futuristic Taipei where the world is heavily polluted. The sky is no longer blue, the air so infested you could barely see the sky at all. Taking this into advantage, Jin Corp manufactures protective suits and sells them at extreme prices, making it one of the most powerful companies in the world. Because of these suits, the society is divided into classes: Mei – the poor who can barely afford food let alone suits and the You – sickeningly rich people who live lavish lives and own suits, sometimes several.
Jason Zhou is a Mei and so is his found family — the silent but deadly Iris, her girlfriend, hacker and boss-extraordinaire Lingyi, the incredibly smart Arun and smartly-dressed hustler, Victor. This band of misfits conspires to take down Jin Corp. To do that, Zhou must infiltrate the people he despises the most- the You– and even worse, he’d have to befriend Daiyu, the CEO’s own daughter.
From the very first few pages you’ll fall for Jason Zhou. He just has this confidence and intensity and it’s incredibly sexy. Swoon level 150, trust me!
Cindy Pon’s writing is just amazing, especially when it comes to world-building! I was so immersed in it and I could just picture everything so perfectly. This is where I’ll repeat: it needs to be a damn movie!!
Did I mention how incredibly diverse it is?? It’s #OwnVoices. Zhou is Taiwanese-American, there are also Indian, Chinese, and Filipino characters. The characters stole my heart, especially Daiyu who is confident af and badass. The relationships between Zhou and his friends…squad goals. I’m getting emotional just thinking about it. And I adored the established F/F romance in this book so much I might cry.
There are heists, kidnapping, hacking, corruption, and murder…overall an action-packed and emotional ride. It takes on important topics like prejudice, pollution, corruption and exploitation as well as social divides and extreme economic differences. I LOVED this book so much and now that Book 2 is a thing, I’ll be sitting in a corner crying and rocking back & forth until its release.
Check out more reviews at my blog:
This novel immediately made it to my all-time favorite list. It is, no doubt, one of the best Sci-Fi novels I’ve ever read. The world-building, the characters and the overall plot was so well-done, It felt like a movie. It needs to be a movie.
Want is set in near-futuristic Taipei where the world is heavily polluted. The sky is no longer blue, the air so infested you could barely see the sky at all. Taking this into advantage, Jin Corp manufactures protective suits and sells them at extreme prices, making it one of the most powerful companies in the world. Because of these suits, the society is divided into classes: Mei – the poor who can barely afford food let alone suits and the You – sickeningly rich people who live lavish lives and own suits, sometimes several.
Jason Zhou is a Mei and so is his found family — the silent but deadly Iris, her girlfriend, hacker and boss-extraordinaire Lingyi, the incredibly smart Arun and smartly-dressed hustler, Victor. This band of misfits conspires to take down Jin Corp. To do that, Zhou must infiltrate the people he despises the most- the You– and even worse, he’d have to befriend Daiyu, the CEO’s own daughter.
From the very first few pages you’ll fall for Jason Zhou. He just has this confidence and intensity and it’s incredibly sexy. Swoon level 150, trust me!
Cindy Pon’s writing is just amazing, especially when it comes to world-building! I was so immersed in it and I could just picture everything so perfectly. This is where I’ll repeat: it needs to be a damn movie!!
Did I mention how incredibly diverse it is?? It’s #OwnVoices. Zhou is Taiwanese-American, there are also Indian, Chinese, and Filipino characters. The characters stole my heart, especially Daiyu who is confident af and badass. The relationships between Zhou and his friends…squad goals. I’m getting emotional just thinking about it. And I adored the established F/F romance in this book so much I might cry.
There are heists, kidnapping, hacking, corruption, and murder…overall an action-packed and emotional ride. It takes on important topics like prejudice, pollution, corruption and exploitation as well as social divides and extreme economic differences. I LOVED this book so much and now that Book 2 is a thing, I’ll be sitting in a corner crying and rocking back & forth until its release.
Check out more reviews at my blog:
April 26, 2019
My first ever sci-fi book (HA) and I LOVED it.
One of the best books of 2017...no...best books of all time.
One of the best books of 2017...no...best books of all time.
October 31, 2017
3.5 stars
This started as about a 3 star or so for me, but it ramped up and finished strong and I did love the ending.
I loved the Taipei setting, which felt very unique and different, and the completely non-white cast of characters. Pon has a very tight and clean style of writing, but at the same time is also quite visual, and this lent itself well to the story she told.
This didn't feel like a "message book" despite its clear social justice roots, and the cause motivating the main character and his friends to fight the corporate injustice they see killing the impoverished people around them. The plot maybe suffered a bit from always happening upon the best case scenario in almost every situation, but I still enjoyed it.
This started as about a 3 star or so for me, but it ramped up and finished strong and I did love the ending.
I loved the Taipei setting, which felt very unique and different, and the completely non-white cast of characters. Pon has a very tight and clean style of writing, but at the same time is also quite visual, and this lent itself well to the story she told.
This didn't feel like a "message book" despite its clear social justice roots, and the cause motivating the main character and his friends to fight the corporate injustice they see killing the impoverished people around them. The plot maybe suffered a bit from always happening upon the best case scenario in almost every situation, but I still enjoyed it.
August 13, 2018
Full review originally posted on my blog:
Word Wonders
CW: Kidnapping, death, pandemic disease, corruption, explosion
Want absolutely blew me away!! It was recommended to me by multiple friends but I tried to keep my expectations at a reasonnable level and for some reason, always pushed off reading it in favour of other books. I don't know if it was because I was intimidated by my expectations or just because I wasn't in the mood for it but what gave me the final push to pick it up seeing it the stunning cover for Ruse, the second book in the series.
The writing is absolutely amazing, it's visual and almost cinematic, everytime I opened the book and read, I immediately felt transported to Tapei. The descriptions are so vivid that I could picture it perfectly, the huge buildings, the slums, the suffocating pollution, the people all around. They're also gutting and horrifying considering the context. A near future Tapei where the reach live in their bubbles (quite literally) and filtered air and the poor inhale the dirt, live in devastating poverty and die relatively young. The chapters are long but I was so captivated (by the setting first and then by all the action) that I found myself flying through them.
The setting, plot and story are so scaringly realistic that I found myself often thinking "is this what we're imminently heading towards?". Want makes you think and it makes you think hard. About a slew of topics, the main ones being environmentalism and wealth privilege. And the discourse is great without being confusing or overwhelming. Right off the bat, the book explores what would happen in the not-so-far-away future with the continuing rise of pollution and global industralization. It also dives in depth into the fact that, in those circumstances, money can buy you a longer life span. At first, we see it as a very black and white issue, where the you (translates to to have, the rich) simply do not care about what the mei (translates to without, the poor) deal with.
But as Zhou, a mei boy and the main character goes undercover as a you to dismantle a corrupted system, we discover through his own experiences that the you live so isolated, going from one filtered environment to the other, never at the same places as the mei, are simply not aware to what extent things are bad and not seeking that knowledge is made even easier by the fact that their comfort makes them forget the world around them, which Zhou himself, catches himself in a couple times. This is in no way saying that the book sympathizes with the you, it Simply gives us an insider's look into their lives.
Want is a thrilling, carefully crafted, complex story. If the topics don't sell you on it, you should read it for the heart stopping action and the cast (which I'll get into later). This book is mission after mission, some of which consist in characters just bidding their time before striking and some of which will make you bite your nails with stress and anticipation of the next step or the outcome. I was never bored reading this, not for one second. One other thing I appreciated is how realistic the characters' big mission was, there was never an easy fix to the world and they were well aware of the fact that what they have to do WILL have non-negligible collateral damages but they were still ready to go to any lengths to succeed.
Now to what makes or breaks a book for me, and what definitely made my reading experience of Want a hundred times better. THE CHARACTERS. I adored the found family aspect of their friendship and how they had unwavering faith in one another and had each others' backs no matter what.
First, we have Zhou, the main character and our resident soft broody boy. He is smart and observant and hyperaware of every one of his actions and the consequences they might have. He is full of doubt but his character growth was great to witness because even though that never went away he grew more confident while still having his laughable awkward and flustered moments. Then There's Daiyu, his love interest, a you so technically "the enemy" and I actually loved her!! She's smart and brave, doesn't indulge much in you excentricities and has an unwavering sense of right. Their attraction is palpable and the chemistry the best I have read in a long while. I can't remember the last time I enjoyed a romance arc in a non romance focused book this much.
The rest of the cast is equally amazing and very well developped, each and every one of them has a specific role in the mission, which would fall apart if one of them was to be taken out and I really loved that about it. First we have Lingyi who is the mom friend and therefore the decision taker, they all lean on her and trust her SO MUCH and I loved how deeply she cared about each one of them, she's also a skilled hacker that no system can hold back. The second book will be from her POV and I'm PSYCHED. Then we have her girlfriend, Iris, who is an exceptionally skilled fighter who keeps mostly to herself and opens up to Lingyi alone, I can't wait to find out more about her when we get to the second book. Arun, was the prodigee and medicine nerd who's gentle and has a great sense of humour. Last but not least, Victor is the charismatic boy who dresses to impress and can get you anything from anyone in ways that only he has the secret of.
Want is one of my favourite books I read this year and would recommend it even if you're not a huge fan of sci-fi or if you're looking for a book to start with in this genre. I CANNOT wait for the second book and what adventures it's going to bring. Also ALL THE SAPPHICNESS *heart eyes*
CW: Kidnapping, death, pandemic disease, corruption, explosion
Want absolutely blew me away!! It was recommended to me by multiple friends but I tried to keep my expectations at a reasonnable level and for some reason, always pushed off reading it in favour of other books. I don't know if it was because I was intimidated by my expectations or just because I wasn't in the mood for it but what gave me the final push to pick it up seeing it the stunning cover for Ruse, the second book in the series.
The writing is absolutely amazing, it's visual and almost cinematic, everytime I opened the book and read, I immediately felt transported to Tapei. The descriptions are so vivid that I could picture it perfectly, the huge buildings, the slums, the suffocating pollution, the people all around. They're also gutting and horrifying considering the context. A near future Tapei where the reach live in their bubbles (quite literally) and filtered air and the poor inhale the dirt, live in devastating poverty and die relatively young. The chapters are long but I was so captivated (by the setting first and then by all the action) that I found myself flying through them.
The setting, plot and story are so scaringly realistic that I found myself often thinking "is this what we're imminently heading towards?". Want makes you think and it makes you think hard. About a slew of topics, the main ones being environmentalism and wealth privilege. And the discourse is great without being confusing or overwhelming. Right off the bat, the book explores what would happen in the not-so-far-away future with the continuing rise of pollution and global industralization. It also dives in depth into the fact that, in those circumstances, money can buy you a longer life span. At first, we see it as a very black and white issue, where the you (translates to to have, the rich) simply do not care about what the mei (translates to without, the poor) deal with.
But as Zhou, a mei boy and the main character goes undercover as a you to dismantle a corrupted system, we discover through his own experiences that the you live so isolated, going from one filtered environment to the other, never at the same places as the mei, are simply not aware to what extent things are bad and not seeking that knowledge is made even easier by the fact that their comfort makes them forget the world around them, which Zhou himself, catches himself in a couple times. This is in no way saying that the book sympathizes with the you, it Simply gives us an insider's look into their lives.
Want is a thrilling, carefully crafted, complex story. If the topics don't sell you on it, you should read it for the heart stopping action and the cast (which I'll get into later). This book is mission after mission, some of which consist in characters just bidding their time before striking and some of which will make you bite your nails with stress and anticipation of the next step or the outcome. I was never bored reading this, not for one second. One other thing I appreciated is how realistic the characters' big mission was, there was never an easy fix to the world and they were well aware of the fact that what they have to do WILL have non-negligible collateral damages but they were still ready to go to any lengths to succeed.
Now to what makes or breaks a book for me, and what definitely made my reading experience of Want a hundred times better. THE CHARACTERS. I adored the found family aspect of their friendship and how they had unwavering faith in one another and had each others' backs no matter what.
First, we have Zhou, the main character and our resident soft broody boy. He is smart and observant and hyperaware of every one of his actions and the consequences they might have. He is full of doubt but his character growth was great to witness because even though that never went away he grew more confident while still having his laughable awkward and flustered moments. Then There's Daiyu, his love interest, a you so technically "the enemy" and I actually loved her!! She's smart and brave, doesn't indulge much in you excentricities and has an unwavering sense of right. Their attraction is palpable and the chemistry the best I have read in a long while. I can't remember the last time I enjoyed a romance arc in a non romance focused book this much.
The rest of the cast is equally amazing and very well developped, each and every one of them has a specific role in the mission, which would fall apart if one of them was to be taken out and I really loved that about it. First we have Lingyi who is the mom friend and therefore the decision taker, they all lean on her and trust her SO MUCH and I loved how deeply she cared about each one of them, she's also a skilled hacker that no system can hold back. The second book will be from her POV and I'm PSYCHED. Then we have her girlfriend, Iris, who is an exceptionally skilled fighter who keeps mostly to herself and opens up to Lingyi alone, I can't wait to find out more about her when we get to the second book. Arun, was the prodigee and medicine nerd who's gentle and has a great sense of humour. Last but not least, Victor is the charismatic boy who dresses to impress and can get you anything from anyone in ways that only he has the secret of.
Want is one of my favourite books I read this year and would recommend it even if you're not a huge fan of sci-fi or if you're looking for a book to start with in this genre. I CANNOT wait for the second book and what adventures it's going to bring. Also ALL THE SAPPHICNESS *heart eyes*
August 21, 2022
I was intrigued by the blurb and the cover for both this first one and the second in the series re really cool. Luckily I wasn't disappointed in the story and very excited to continue with the next one
July 14, 2017
Want by Cindy Pon is exceptional action-packed and fast-paced story about a group of teens who are fighting for clean air and healthier environment against a huge powerful corporation which polluted the city and causes innumerable damage.
The book is so so good! If you were following my updates on goodreads, you saw me screaming how awesome the book is and I'm pleased to say that THE BOOK IS AMAZING FROM PAGE ONE TO THE LAST PAGE!
What I loved about Want:
The Setting
The story takes place in futuristic Taipei, Taiwan. The city divided between the wealthy, who can afford air-cleaning body suits and helmets, and the poor, who are dying from the environment pollution and deceases, they can afford the treatment to. The story takes us to all the different parts of the city. The writing is so vivid, the author painted an impressive pictures of many-faced Taipei.
My favorite part is the gadgets! They are nothing "too" futuristic, it are cool tech, the use of which is easy to understand. I love sci-fi for awesome tech. The Internet for rebels or outlaws of sorts is called undernet. The coolest name.
The people of Taipei! We get to meet different people from different backgrounds. Even if we see them only for a scene, they leave a lasting impression.
Want is the first book I've read with 100% Asian cast.
In many scenarios, if the story takes place in Asia, the protagonist is a white European/American, from whose point of view we follow the story.
Want is told entirely from and about the people of Taipei (Taiwanese, Chinese, Filipino etc).
The Characters
The squad goals, guys! The squad goals.
The protagonist is Zhou, Jack-of-all-tread risk-lover. He is a part of the squad led by Lingyi, thoughtful leader and a super hacker. Her girlfriend is kickass Iris, a girl of few words and great combat moves. Arun is genius scientist, who's working on vaccines. Victor is very suave and self-possessed smuggler. He can charm anyone into anything.
I loved the characterizations and their group dynamics.
Zhou is my favorite though. I love this boy. He like rock climbing and knives and fighting for the better future for his city. The protagonist we deserve.
Also there's a Daiyu, a daughter of the head of the Evil Corporation. She has surprised me times and times again. Loved the complexity of her character.
The romance is very subtle in the book. It is there, but the story isn't centered around it. Although, we get see several swoon-worthy and heart-warming.
The Plot
Give me all the books about teens fighting against Evil Corporations.The book doesn't seem to me a dystopia, because I feel like dystopia exaggerates the divide and the structure to emphasize the idea (re: Hunger Games and Divergent, of course). Want shows us the world we can easily reach if we give the free reign to big corporations.
Back to the plot. The above mentioned teens want to destroy the Evil Corporation to be able to start pro environment preservation legislations. And safe the city.
The story is action-packed and gripping. There's not a dull moment or a filler scene. Everything serves the purpose and comes together in the end marvelously.
Without giving much away, I need to say that finale should've been a bit longer, it felt rushed to me.
The epilogue though. Perfection.
The story does wrap up nicely in this book, but there's a clear setup for the sequel and we're getting the sequel! It even has a name already - Ruse. I love it.
All in all, this book is PHENOMENAL and EXCITING! Truly a wonderful read!
Highly recommend!!
P. S. The actual rating is 4.5 stars, because of the rushed ending, but I'm upping it to 5 stars on goodreads because everything else is top-notch and I love the story and the characters so much, as you can already tell from my gushing.
The book is so so good! If you were following my updates on goodreads, you saw me screaming how awesome the book is and I'm pleased to say that THE BOOK IS AMAZING FROM PAGE ONE TO THE LAST PAGE!
What I loved about Want:
The Setting
The story takes place in futuristic Taipei, Taiwan. The city divided between the wealthy, who can afford air-cleaning body suits and helmets, and the poor, who are dying from the environment pollution and deceases, they can afford the treatment to. The story takes us to all the different parts of the city. The writing is so vivid, the author painted an impressive pictures of many-faced Taipei.
My favorite part is the gadgets! They are nothing "too" futuristic, it are cool tech, the use of which is easy to understand. I love sci-fi for awesome tech. The Internet for rebels or outlaws of sorts is called undernet. The coolest name.
The people of Taipei! We get to meet different people from different backgrounds. Even if we see them only for a scene, they leave a lasting impression.
Want is the first book I've read with 100% Asian cast.
In many scenarios, if the story takes place in Asia, the protagonist is a white European/American, from whose point of view we follow the story.
Want is told entirely from and about the people of Taipei (Taiwanese, Chinese, Filipino etc).
The Characters
The squad goals, guys! The squad goals.
The protagonist is Zhou, Jack-of-all-tread risk-lover. He is a part of the squad led by Lingyi, thoughtful leader and a super hacker. Her girlfriend is kickass Iris, a girl of few words and great combat moves. Arun is genius scientist, who's working on vaccines. Victor is very suave and self-possessed smuggler. He can charm anyone into anything.
I loved the characterizations and their group dynamics.
Zhou is my favorite though. I love this boy. He like rock climbing and knives and fighting for the better future for his city. The protagonist we deserve.
Also there's a Daiyu, a daughter of the head of the Evil Corporation. She has surprised me times and times again. Loved the complexity of her character.
The romance is very subtle in the book. It is there, but the story isn't centered around it. Although, we get see several swoon-worthy and heart-warming.
The Plot
Give me all the books about teens fighting against Evil Corporations.The book doesn't seem to me a dystopia, because I feel like dystopia exaggerates the divide and the structure to emphasize the idea (re: Hunger Games and Divergent, of course). Want shows us the world we can easily reach if we give the free reign to big corporations.
Back to the plot. The above mentioned teens want to destroy the Evil Corporation to be able to start pro environment preservation legislations. And safe the city.
The story is action-packed and gripping. There's not a dull moment or a filler scene. Everything serves the purpose and comes together in the end marvelously.
Without giving much away, I need to say that finale should've been a bit longer, it felt rushed to me.
The epilogue though. Perfection.
The story does wrap up nicely in this book, but there's a clear setup for the sequel and we're getting the sequel! It even has a name already - Ruse. I love it.
All in all, this book is PHENOMENAL and EXCITING! Truly a wonderful read!
Highly recommend!!
P. S. The actual rating is 4.5 stars, because of the rushed ending, but I'm upping it to 5 stars on goodreads because everything else is top-notch and I love the story and the characters so much, as you can already tell from my gushing.
March 18, 2018
3.5/5 stars
I really enjoyed myself with this book! I LOVED that it all took place in future Taiwan and the whole heist-type plot line and even concept of the book, but something about the story just didn’t push it over the edge to AWESOME for me.
I think part of it was the lack of development of a villain. Jin Corp is the main “villain” throughout and you hear about all the awful things they’re doing and how it’s blamed on the founder but you only meet him once, really. So he barely felt real.
I also enjoyed the chemistry between Daiyu and Zhou but I would’ve loved to see even more development there.
All in all a great setting and concept but not my favorite execution. Since this is book #1 in a series I’m really curious to see where it goes from here because i felt like everything wrapped up pretty well.
I really enjoyed myself with this book! I LOVED that it all took place in future Taiwan and the whole heist-type plot line and even concept of the book, but something about the story just didn’t push it over the edge to AWESOME for me.
I think part of it was the lack of development of a villain. Jin Corp is the main “villain” throughout and you hear about all the awful things they’re doing and how it’s blamed on the founder but you only meet him once, really. So he barely felt real.
I also enjoyed the chemistry between Daiyu and Zhou but I would’ve loved to see even more development there.
All in all a great setting and concept but not my favorite execution. Since this is book #1 in a series I’m really curious to see where it goes from here because i felt like everything wrapped up pretty well.
July 1, 2018
I loved this corporate infiltration story with secret identities, spy maneuvers and #squadgoals. The futuristic Taipei setting brings to life a vibrant city scene filled with technology, Chinese food and class struggles. Reading this book filled with wonderful Chinese characters made me so happy, there was something so familiar about it. Absolutely loved it!
Full review to come. Subscribe to Happy Indulgence Books for more reviews!
Full review to come. Subscribe to Happy Indulgence Books for more reviews!
March 19, 2017
I am going to go OFF ABOUT HOW MUCH I LOVED THIS BOOK WHEN I HAVE TIME THIS WEEK.
Buy it buy it buy it.
Buy it buy it buy it.
September 25, 2019
“Books weren’t worth the paper they were printed on.”
I don't know about all books, but definitely this one.
Paper was 100% wasted on this one.
Okay.
Let me just reiterate now that just because a story has diverse/POC characters in it, that doesn't necessarily mean it's a good book.
And this book wasn't exceptional in the slightest, unless you mean exceptionally basic.
Book summary in a few sentences:
~ Evil and rich corporation is releasing airborne pathogens to infect poor citizens and encourage the purchasing of high-tech, expensive suits with grade-A filtering. Poor, smart group of people want to bust into the evil overlord's company to reveal their nefarious deeds to the public. This is primarily done by the main character, Zhou, infiltrating high society and getting jiggy with Sly Sludge's (Captain Planet reference) daughter. Themes are heavily centered on poverty, pollution, and societal needs versus wants. *cue zoom in on book title*
I've read and seen this story several times already in all sorts of media formats and in entirely better quality tbh...I'm just done with it. It no longer holds my attention.
All of the characters are incredibly superficial, one-dimensional, and cliched. Chapter progression felt incredibly stagnant primarily because of the lack of character development - the focus was on detailing their skills in relation to the plot rather than having the entire thing flow organically and on a somewhat intimate level, if that makes sense. I should care about these characters in order to care about their plight, but the writing style heavily tried to enforced the opposite.
Main character tho? I. could. not. STAND. HIM.
He was incredibly bland + annoying to me and someone recently described him as a angry fuck boi who likes to read and honestly? yeah. that's hilariously spot on with my mental image of him lol.
(Side note and fun fact about myself: if I begin to hate the majority of the main characters in any given novel or TV show, I actively start rooting for the villains - which I did frequently throughout this book.)
Other things I disliked:
- Everything works out on the first try, there's essentially no conflicts or major obstacles other then the one being told to the reader rather than shown. No stakes are ever heightened. This also ties in with the fact that the group of rebels conveniently has all skills they need to execute their plan.
- Expositions galore.
- Insta-romance is gag-inducing. There's one rock-climbing scene were Zhou is shocked that his love interest is swol and he's constantly being alerted to the fact that she's 'not like other girls' because of *insert generic action here.* Give me a breeeeeak.
- Dramatic and exaggerated one liners that have been overly used. You know the ones - lines like: "I used to see the world as either black or white, but now I know there's shades of gray (50)."
-Barely existent antagonist. Lots of talking shit about the villain but not a lot of scenes with his direct presence wherein additional insight into his thought process is obtained. Why's he evil?? Cuz money! Oh, and power! Thats why. YOLO.
- Fucking horrendous narrator in the audible format. I read and listened along to this book and I firmly believe the audio version simply served to heighten my torture during this reading experience.
Just, don't do that to yourself.
For reals.
Anywho, that's it for my review. I'm thinking that YA just isn't for me. The older I get, the less tolerance I have for it tbh.
Also - People who compared this novel to Six of Crows must have done so to discuss what not to do with a storyline. Six of Crows is a golden book that does not deserve to be lumped in with this piece of coal. #Hellarudeguys I genuinely see no similarities. Six of Crows -> genuine character development and well-thought out heist. Want -> bland characters within a basic plot wherein the majority of work is done through half-ass disguises and communication with upper class folks.
2 Star Rating only because, like, congrats, it was technically a book and I have read worse sooo *shrugs*.
Alright, I've said my piece. Don't @ me.
I don't know about all books, but definitely this one.
Paper was 100% wasted on this one.
Okay.
Let me just reiterate now that just because a story has diverse/POC characters in it, that doesn't necessarily mean it's a good book.
And this book wasn't exceptional in the slightest, unless you mean exceptionally basic.
Book summary in a few sentences:
~ Evil and rich corporation is releasing airborne pathogens to infect poor citizens and encourage the purchasing of high-tech, expensive suits with grade-A filtering. Poor, smart group of people want to bust into the evil overlord's company to reveal their nefarious deeds to the public. This is primarily done by the main character, Zhou, infiltrating high society and getting jiggy with Sly Sludge's (Captain Planet reference) daughter. Themes are heavily centered on poverty, pollution, and societal needs versus wants. *cue zoom in on book title*
I've read and seen this story several times already in all sorts of media formats and in entirely better quality tbh...I'm just done with it. It no longer holds my attention.
All of the characters are incredibly superficial, one-dimensional, and cliched. Chapter progression felt incredibly stagnant primarily because of the lack of character development - the focus was on detailing their skills in relation to the plot rather than having the entire thing flow organically and on a somewhat intimate level, if that makes sense. I should care about these characters in order to care about their plight, but the writing style heavily tried to enforced the opposite.
Main character tho? I. could. not. STAND. HIM.
He was incredibly bland + annoying to me and someone recently described him as a angry fuck boi who likes to read and honestly? yeah. that's hilariously spot on with my mental image of him lol.
(Side note and fun fact about myself: if I begin to hate the majority of the main characters in any given novel or TV show, I actively start rooting for the villains - which I did frequently throughout this book.)
Other things I disliked:
- Everything works out on the first try, there's essentially no conflicts or major obstacles other then the one being told to the reader rather than shown. No stakes are ever heightened. This also ties in with the fact that the group of rebels conveniently has all skills they need to execute their plan.
- Expositions galore.
- Insta-romance is gag-inducing. There's one rock-climbing scene were Zhou is shocked that his love interest is swol and he's constantly being alerted to the fact that she's 'not like other girls' because of *insert generic action here.* Give me a breeeeeak.
- Dramatic and exaggerated one liners that have been overly used. You know the ones - lines like: "I used to see the world as either black or white, but now I know there's shades of gray (50)."
-Barely existent antagonist. Lots of talking shit about the villain but not a lot of scenes with his direct presence wherein additional insight into his thought process is obtained. Why's he evil?? Cuz money! Oh, and power! Thats why. YOLO.
- Fucking horrendous narrator in the audible format. I read and listened along to this book and I firmly believe the audio version simply served to heighten my torture during this reading experience.
Just, don't do that to yourself.
For reals.
Anywho, that's it for my review. I'm thinking that YA just isn't for me. The older I get, the less tolerance I have for it tbh.
Also - People who compared this novel to Six of Crows must have done so to discuss what not to do with a storyline. Six of Crows is a golden book that does not deserve to be lumped in with this piece of coal. #Hellarudeguys I genuinely see no similarities. Six of Crows -> genuine character development and well-thought out heist. Want -> bland characters within a basic plot wherein the majority of work is done through half-ass disguises and communication with upper class folks.
2 Star Rating only because, like, congrats, it was technically a book and I have read worse sooo *shrugs*.
Alright, I've said my piece. Don't @ me.
July 4, 2017
This book has been getting a lot of buzz, but I found it lacking and full of issues.
1. Other than the obvious issues of pollution, global warming, poverty, and disease, there is almost no conflict and very few obstacles. Everything just sort of works out the way it's supposed to on the first try.
2. Everything is way too convenient. Zhou just happens to have a friend who possesses the exact skill set needed for every possible situation? And the author appears to have just thrown in ridiculous technology whenever it best suits the story.
3. The plot is just ridiculous. Nothing is realistic, and I'm not only referring to the science fiction. Daiyu, for example, never seems to have to go to school, and having been raised in basic isolation by a sadistic and ambitious father, she is magically kind, empathetic, and just...."different from other girls."
4. Too much exposition.
5. The romance is stupid and makes me want to gag. Like, Zhou didn't expect a rich girl to smell like strawberries or have toned arms, and thank god for the glass helmets between them at all times so he doesn't accidentally kiss her because she is just so irresistible, right?
6. Characterization of almost all secondary characters is nonexistent.
This is sort of like a terrible YA lit version of Mr. Robot that is way less compelling. Points for social consciousness, but not really recommended.
1. Other than the obvious issues of pollution, global warming, poverty, and disease, there is almost no conflict and very few obstacles. Everything just sort of works out the way it's supposed to on the first try.
2. Everything is way too convenient. Zhou just happens to have a friend who possesses the exact skill set needed for every possible situation? And the author appears to have just thrown in ridiculous technology whenever it best suits the story.
3. The plot is just ridiculous. Nothing is realistic, and I'm not only referring to the science fiction. Daiyu, for example, never seems to have to go to school, and having been raised in basic isolation by a sadistic and ambitious father, she is magically kind, empathetic, and just...."different from other girls."
4. Too much exposition.
5. The romance is stupid and makes me want to gag. Like, Zhou didn't expect a rich girl to smell like strawberries or have toned arms, and thank god for the glass helmets between them at all times so he doesn't accidentally kiss her because she is just so irresistible, right?
6. Characterization of almost all secondary characters is nonexistent.
This is sort of like a terrible YA lit version of Mr. Robot that is way less compelling. Points for social consciousness, but not really recommended.
June 11, 2017
4.5 stars
Dystopian Sci-fi I can root for: brilliant and grounded in reality.
This was great honestly.
Dystopian Sci-fi I can root for: brilliant and grounded in reality.
This was great honestly.
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