Our Wayward Fate

by Gloria Chao

“A story that’s sure to stick with you for a long time.” —BuzzFeed
“More than a coming-of-age novel.” —School Library Journal
“[An] inventive, deeply heartfelt love story that explores connections of many kinds.” —Booklist

A teen outcast is simultaneously swept up in a whirlwind romance and down a rabbit hole of dark family secrets when another Taiwanese family moves to her small, predominantly white midwestern town in this remarkable novel from the critically acclaimed author of American Panda.

Seventeen-year-old Ali Chu knows that as the only Asian person at her school in middle-of-nowhere Indiana, she must be bland as white toast to survive. This means swapping her congee lunch for PB&Js, ignoring the clueless racism from her classmates and teachers, and keeping her mouth shut when people wrongly call her Allie instead of her actual name, pronounced Āh-lěe, after the mountain in Taiwan.

Her autopilot existence is disrupted when she finds out that Chase Yu, the new kid in school, is also Taiwanese. Despite some initial resistance due to the “they belong together” whispers, Ali and Chase soon spark a chemistry rooted in competitive martial arts, joking in two languages, and, most importantly, pushing back against the discrimination they face.

But when Ali’s mom finds out about the relationship, she forces Ali to end it. As Ali covertly digs into the why behind her mother’s disapproval, she uncovers secrets about her family and Chase that force her to question everything she thought she knew about life, love, and her unknowable future.

Snippets of a love story from 19th-century China (a retelling of the Chinese folktale The Butterfly Lovers) are interspersed with Ali’s narrative and intertwined with her fate.

Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Fiction, Audiobook, Young Adult Contemporary, Realistic Fiction

8 pages, Audible Audio

First published October 15, 2019

About the author

Gloria Chao is a USA Today bestselling author and a screenwriter. Her novels include The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club (sequel coming 6.2026), Ex Marks the Spot, When You Wish Upon a Lantern, Rent a Boyfriend, Our Wayward Fate, and American Panda. She graduated from MIT and became a dentist before realizing she'd rather spend her days in fictional characters’ heads instead of real people’s mouths. When she’s not writing, you can find her on the curling ice, where she and her husband are world-ranked in mixed doubles.

Visit her tea-and-book-filled world at GloriaChao.Wordpress.com, and find her on Twitter and Instagram @GloriacChao.

Reviews

[Gloria Chao]

I wrote Our Wayward Fate to explore:
-what it's like to grow up as a teen POC in a mostly white Midwestern town
-stereotypes and racism
-miscommunication between parents and children, especially children of immigrants who don't wholly feel like they belong anywhere

In this book, you can expect humor, romance, banter, martial arts, and so. many. secrets! (One of which is pictured on the cover!)

This is a contemporary story, but a 19th Century retelling of the Chinese folktale, "The Butterfly Lovers," is interspersed.

You can read the first chapter on Bustle here!

And advanced eARCs can be requested on Edelweiss here.

Update: eARCs are now available for request at NetGalley! .

[Rachel Solomon · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW. I adored AMERICAN PANDA, and while this sophomore novel has Gloria Chao's signature incisive, humorous voice, it's a much darker, more intense book. The prose is at turns stunning and visceral, and every character is complex and three-dimensional. An intricate story of identity and family that's impossible to put down.

[Yna from Books and Boybands · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read as an audiobook.

📚 Series:  No.
📚 Genre: YA Contemporary.
📚 Cliffhanger: No.

⚠ Content Warnings:  Parent-Child Conflict. Embezzlement / Scamming. Racism. Asian stereotyping.

Having read American Panda, my hopes for Our Wayward Fate was soaring high. Unfortunately, it had turbulence problems and hit an unsatisfying end.

I read this as an audiobook, and to be fair, the production was good and the narrator did amazing that it was something nice from beginning to end. I loved all the Chinese words and phrases seeped into the dialogue, providing me with something new to learn.

But, why wasn't this book a 5 star read?

One of my initial problems with this book is the insta-love, one that absolutely came from nowhere.

Second, this book promised Chinese mythology through The Butterfly Lovers. But, the transition from the folklore to Ali's circumstances was quite lost and the flow was too forced.

The pacing was also messy. Sometimes quick, sometimes jumpy, and sometimes soooo slow.

In the good points, however, I loved how this book helped Ali develop a sense of pride on her roots, especially as Chinese culture is very rich and fascinating.

I also loved the puns. I am a sucker for literary wordplay and the two leads of the story loved including this in their conversations.

A side character named Yun also shone throughout the story. He is one of the best parts and I enjoyed his charm.

Overall, it was okay. Maybe my hopes were too high.. but still a great audiobook to listen to.

☁ THE CRITERIA ☁

🌼 Blurb:⭐⭐⭐☆☆
🌼 Main Character:⭐⭐⭐☆☆
🌼 Significant Other: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
🌼 Support Characters: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
🌼 Writing Style:⭐⭐⭐☆☆
🌼 Character Development:⭐⭐⭐☆☆
🌼 Romance: ⭐⭐⭐☆☆
🌼 Pacing: ⭐⭐⭐☆☆
🌼 Ending: ⭐⭐⭐☆☆
🌼 Unputdownability: ⭐⭐⭐☆☆
🌼 Book Cover:⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
🌼 Audiobook Production: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆

☁FINAL VERDICT: 3.33/5 ☁

📚 Blog ♡ Bookstagram ♡ Facebook ♡ Twitter 📚

[CW ✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow. This book packs an emotional punch; a fantastic, candid, but ultimately hopeful story about being who you are in a place that wants you to hide who you are, complex family relationships, and taking charge of your fate.

- Follows Ali, a Taiwanese-American teen who is the only Asian in her small-town school - until she Chase, the new kid in school and Taiwanese, shows up. When Ali's mother forbids their budding romance, Ali has to know why, spurring a wild journey that delves into family secrets and the weight of sacrifice.
- Heck, friends. I cannot describe to you the FEELING I had when I figured out the twist just moments before Ali does (I was listening to the audiobook). And I was legitimately devastated for her. DEVASTATED. I haven't felt so affected in this way by a book in a long time - and I think that goes a long way.
- But anyway, this is a story about identity and just... feeling proudly Asian and expressing your identity when you're surrounded by casual racists and ignorant bigots. I felt Ali's confusion but riveted in her affirmation and the confidence she found to be her full and proud Asian self.
- I adored the romance in this. It was a bit quick, but I think that was the point - Ali and Chase had instant chemistry and they just connected effortlessly. I really loved this.
- The family stuff in this was fantastic. Heavy, at times, but so fantastic. I love how Chao is not afraid to delve into tough family dynamics and conversations that would instinctively make any Asian kid squirm. But the confrontational and vulnerable storytelling had such a wonderful impact.
- I loved how this intertwined with the Butterfly Lovers. It was superb and I enjoyed it so much.

Trigger/content warning: microaggressions and racism (mostly challenged in-text)

[♛ may · Rating 3 out of 5]

the n*ah c*ntineo quote notwithstanding, i really enjoyed this book but idk how to put my thoughts into words aaaaaaaaaaaa

so i think that gloria chao is able to write the struggles that come with being an asian kid (or any coloured kid for that matter) in a western country. the way she writes and is able to capture the feelings of isolation and never feeling like fitting in, is captured in such a personal way and makes the reader connect with the main character instantly

i also felt like the book was almost written in a stream-of-conscious form or like a diary, everything is very easy to read but is packed with emotions

the romance was sweet, the realistic aspects of the resolution were great, the plot went somewhere i was not expecting (in an adventerous way)

but i had some difficulties in the beginning of the book. i felt like the characters moved really quickly in development and some subplots were more confusing than helpful to the mainplot

i wish i could have distanced this book from 'american panda' but i found myself constantly comparing the books and while this one was great, i really LOVED and related to american panda so much more and that might have taken away some of my enjoyment of this book

anywhos, 3.5 stars and we never talk about the n*ah c*ntineo quote

[Kathryn S (Metaphors and Miscellanea) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Such a pretty cover. Such a disappointing book 😭😭😭
What do you get when you cross an OwnVoices story with odd mythological tie-ins, a cheesy romance, and parental conspiracies? Hint: it’s this book, and it isn’t very good. At first glance, Our Wayward Fate looked perfect for me (Chinese-American story, discussions of racism, quirky protagonist who likes puns, etc), but like a poorly-planned recipe, the ingredients became stale very quickly and did not blend well, resulting in a forgettable trifle of a read.

As always, I’ll start by giving some of the good elements of the book, because truly, there were some redeeming traits, even if they mostly took the form of side details:

- The very explicit addressing of racism in ultra-white small-town Midwest cities, complete with both overt bullying and subtler microaggressions
- The Chinese culture and language! Ali eats Chinese dishes and intersperses random words of Chinese into her otherwise-English thoughts, and sometimes in other contexts as well. The author noted at the beginning that she put all of the Chinese words in correct Pinyin (or at least correct for the dialect she grew up speaking) but purposely did not include a glossary, trusting the reader to use context clues to understand Ali’s thoughts. I actually studied Chinese for several years, and I was delighted to find that there were only a handful of words/phrases I didn’t recognize (two of which were terms parents use when disciplining children, which obviously I would never have had a reason to learn)
- Yun, the precious, lonely, sweet ball of sunshine. Also, he’s gay and provides great commentary on intetsectionality
- Ali’s Bogóng, a super cool old dude
- The fact that Ali kicks serious butt at kung fu. I am all for girls who know how to fight.

See, unfortunately, while the details were nice, a lot of other elements just didn’t work. Here were some of the most egregious:

- Insta-love. Though the blurb makes it seem more like enemies-to-lovers, Ali spends all of about one chapter annoyed with Chase before the two are suddenly inseparable, swapping jokes and sharing food and shamelessly flirting and sneaking onto rooftops to make out. I am not making this up, I swear.
- Their relationship made so little sense. I get the solidarity in finding someone who has had similar experiences to yours, but beyond that, I didn’t see much real connection between Ali and Chase. To me, it felt more like they were clinging to each other out of desperation and just calling it love.
- The puns sucked. Sorry, but it had to be said. Most of the puns between Ali and Chase were just them making jokes about their last names (“I love Yu.” “Right back at Chu.” Ugh.) And then a handful of cow puns made by Ali and Yun. It got very repetitive, very fast.
- What the heck was that twist? Around 2/3 of the way through, this book went from an exploration of cultural identity to a full-blown parental conspiracy with international consequences. And then it gets handled so quickly and smoothly, it just doesn’t make any sense. Tbh this was my biggest issue, which sucks, because it was the crux of the entire story.
- The mythology integration was awkward. I get what the author was going for, making parallels about forbidden love and whatnot, but it just didn’t flow well. Plus, all the bits talking about “the park, as seen from afar” were very jarring and only made sense at the very end.
- Pacing. The book started okay, then dragged some, then suddenly went way too fast, and then had the longest, slowest, most boring epilogue. Not a fan.
- No consequences for illegal activities. Some legit breaking and entering happens, both at school and at the library, and even though Ali and Chase are caught, they don’t face any repercussions? Also, at one point, Yun steals his dad's credit card. Shortly thereafter, his dad cuts it off, but we never see anyone facing consequences for credit fraud or anything.
- Poorly developed family. Ali’s parents were like caricatures of Asian parents, with very few distinguishing traits and a whole lot of "work hard and be perfect because we want the best for you," and once their “complexity” is “revealed” at the end of the book, the shift feels abrupt and bizarre rather than organic.
- The humor wasn’t very funny. I am shocked that professional reviews described this story as hilarious, because it mostly just read as awkward, and not in an endearing way.

In short, this was an initially promising story meant to address real concerns of racism and Chinese identities in America, but due to sloppy execution, it was not able to deliver on that promise. Alas, perhaps this book and I were simply not meant to be.

Note: I was provided with an eARC of this book by Simon Pulse through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review; however, I was unable to get the file type to open properly on a device where I could actually read it. As such, this is a review of the final edition of the book, which is why it is so much later than the publication date. Thanks for bearing with me!

[Romie · Rating 3 out of 5]

this was cute, but the pacing was off, jumping from one scene to another too quickly. sometimes I couldn't tell how much time had passed. but as I said, it was cute, so if you need something quick to read, here you go. I recommend the audiobook! (3.5)

[Alexa (Alexa Loves Books) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Our Wayward Fate has me a little stirred up when it comes to my overall feelings. I really enjoyed the exploration of Chinese culture (and the details included, particularly the story of the Butterfly Lovers) and the complicated nuances of coming from a Chinese background when also having grown up American. But, on the other hand, I didn’t necessarily completely love the execution. The characters were all right, but the narrative itself just didn’t flow as naturally to me as I’d have wanted it to.

[USOM · Rating 5 out of 5]

(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)

Our Wayward Fate is perfect for fans of Frankly in Love and Picture Us in the Light - some of my other favorites.

I don't even have the words to write a cohesive review of Our Wayward Fate. I could go on and on about the plot which will keep you reading until long after you needed to leave the house. Or the characters which will charm you with their love of Kung Fu and puns. But the icing on the cake was the way I could relate to Ali's struggles as one of the few Asian Americans in her mostly white neighborhood. Our Wayward Fate touched my heart. The ways Ali suffers from self-erasing her identity, her differences, deeply resonated with some of my own experiences growing up. When you laugh, because you think the feeling in your throat will go away, and instead the lump grows larger and more difficult to stomach. How comments make you uncomfortable without knowing the words to voice how. The racism Ali and Chase experience in this book was never as overt as what I experienced growing up, and our experiences are different as I'm a Chinese American adoptee, but I felt deeply seen in some of Ali's experiences.

The arrival of Chase Yu in Ali's school begins a tidal wave explosion. What follows is not only a wake up call to Ali to call out the racism in her friends and school, but also to confront some of the issues within her own family. Ali learned that it was easier to not make a ripple, to exist slightly under the surface. But Chase believes in speaking out at every opportunity. In their relationship they not only find a similar love for cheesy puns and Kung Fu, but also a kinship - a feeling of being seen by someone who can understand your same shorthand.

full review: https://utopia-state-of-mind.com/revi...

[Dani ❤️ Perspective of a Writer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Check out more reviews @ Perspective of a Writer...


The Buzz

American Panda was one of my top books of 2018 (its a really strong debut) so when I saw Gloria Chao had a new book out I knew I wanted to read it ASAP!

And the cover of Our Wayward Fate convinced me further!! I love the dreamy quality to it and how the colors pop. It gives you a sense of fate, destiny and a girl's future. And the title is perfect! I love how it was mentioned in the story and how it reflects Asian belief in fate.


The Premise

I love the purpose and premise of Our Wayward Fate and how it played out in the story. The Butterfly Lovers is a Chinese folktale and Chao uses it as a jumping off point for one character's motivation in Ali's life. It becomes this sort of modern retelling that is woven into the contemporary story without taking over. With it comes this insight into Chinese culture that was subtle and relatable even if we don't have Chinese parents.

But first we meet Ali Chu. She's the only Asian person at her school and in order to fit in she rejects some of her Chinese heritage. Totally understandable!! In fact, white people even reject hobbies and activities they love in order to fit in with high school. So its really something that can be identified with, and gives readers a door into imagining how it feels to be a part of another culture and not able to embrace it.

But it is the way that Ali and Chase clicked that sucked me in!! I loved how we saw Ali bloom into her heritage and embrace that side of herself. Sure it took a boy but it as easily could have been anyone who was Chinese. Sometimes we just click with a person and they become our person and it feels like they've always been at our side. Everything with them feels powerful and emotional... even when we disappoint and hurt them (even when that wasn't our intention!)

This story is about way, way, way more than some high school romance. Because life starts with parents. We all have our own struggles with a parent who doesn't understand us, wants us to be different than we are or is distant instead of interested in us. Ali had this same struggle. And she has to fight for who she wants to be, what she wants her future to look like and find joy in living today too. Our Wayward Fate takes us on a Chinese American journey and I was happy every page of the book!


My Experience

Our Wayward Fate captured me! I remember that while I enjoyed American Panda immensely the writing style was a touch generic. So the contrast between the two books was stark. Ali's narrative voice was so strong and specific. I loved her so much and got where she was coming from. I was fully on her side. Events felt realistic and I think Chao’s writing really was key.

I think one of the reasons this resonated for me too is that I totally got all the steps that Ali took to learn about Chase and her mother. Many will think she was really extreme. She breaks into so many things that you will think she's choosing a career as a criminal!! But the truth, understanding someone was so important to her... Because she was denied this from the person who should have given that to her freely. We all seek such acceptance.

I really love the themes in Gloria Chao's works. Our Wayward Fate interprets The Butterfly Lovers folktale in such a fascinating and contemporary way! The weight of expectations is high... Confrontation really can do wonders in revealing the truth! I liked the end so, so much. Positive but not unrealistically sweet. You'll regret passing up Our Wayward Fate, its better than Amercan Panda if you can believe that!!


⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Authenticity
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Writing Style
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Plot & Pacing
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ World Building
A+ Cover & Title grade

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review. It has not influenced my opinions.

______________________
You can find this review and many others on my book blog @ Perspective of a Writer. Read my special perspective under the typewriter on my reviews...

Please like this review if you enjoyed it! *bow* *bow* It helps me out a ton!!

[chloe · Rating 4 out of 5]

i was expecting our wayward fate to be something similar to american panda (ie. a light, fluffy romance), but this book also explores heavier topics such as arranged marriage and toxic parent-child relationships, which aren't seen that often in the young adult contemporary genre. i also really liked how the chinese butterfly lovers legend was incorporated into the story (and i can't wait to read the full story in chinese, because the heroine's so badass)!!

[- ̗̀ jess ̖́- · Rating 4 out of 5]

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Initially, Our Wayward Fate caught my eye because I'd heard a lot about Gloria Chao's debut, American Panda, and though I hadn't read it I'm always excited to see new books from Chinese authors. Honestly, I was expecting a typical contemporary romance from Our Wayward Fate. What I got was an exploration of being the children of immigrants and reconnecting to your culture intertwined with the cute romance. 

Ali is a really fun protagonist; she's very sarcastic without being overly sullen about it, mostly because a lot of her standoffishness is to cope with being the only Chinese person in a small town and the racism she experiences from her friends and classmates. I've never experienced the kind of racism that Ali does, but I've definitely had similar experiences, and I could really relate to pushing away my culture so I could fit in with my white classmates. 

So the main conflict in the book is between Ali and her immigrant parents who want the best for her while pushing her away from her boyfriend, Chase Yu, the other Taiwanese kid who moves to the town early on in the book. Even though he helps Ali reconnect with her Taiwanese identity, the politics within the Taiwanese immigrant community--and especially Ali's parents--keep them apart. Usually, I'm not really a fan of the forbidden romance trope, especially when it's heterosexual, but the one between Ali and Chase rang true to me. I did find the beginning of their relationship wasn't really developed well, but they did have a lot of chemistry towards the end of the book.

I honestly wasn't a huge fan of Chao's writing. It read as overly rambly and somewhat immature to me, but there were a lot of funny and introspective moments; the last quarter or so of the book is really strong, and if the whole book was similar I think I would have enjoyed the writing more. One of the narrative choices I really liked was Chao's decision to leave most of the Mandarin used in the story untranslated, which made the dialogue more immersive. Ali's story is intertwined with the folk tale of the Butterfly Lovers, which I'd honestly never heard about before this book, but is a very well-known folk tale in China.

Despite some of the problems I had with the romance and writing, I quite enjoyed Our Wayward Fate and found I could relate to a lot of Ali's experiences as a Chinese person. I definitely recommend this for those who are searching for diverse contemporary romance books that will make you think.

representation | chinese main characters, gay side character

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Rukky · Rating 2 out of 5]

So, this book. It started off well. And then it kind of went downhill from there.

Ali is an interesting character. I don't hate her, but I don't love her either. I'm just really lukewarm towards her.

Chase is whatever. (that's not a proper adjective, but it's honestly how I feel about him.) Idk, the characters were just really annoyingly lukewarm. I just didn't care.

What I did care about and hated was the fact that Ali finally stood up against the racism she'd been facing for years, because Mr. Cute Guy comes and tells her she's a coward for not doing so. And then of course, she realizes how bad it is and then finally stands up for herself and that how she and Mr. Cute Guy fall in love. Aww.

Not.

That annoyed me so much. She had to have Chase, this new cute bad Asian boy, come to her school and tell her that she's a coward for her to snap out of it and finally stand up for herself?? And then she falls in love with him?? Cliche much?

And I just didn't like their romance at all either. Their Yu and Chu puns were hilarious but I didn't like them together. Too insta-lovey. Too fast. Too annoying.

Yun is the only one who I really cared about and wanted to know more about but he's only there for the last few chapters of the back. Sigh.

Muqin is a very, um...interesting? mother. Honestly. Wow. She made me feel sorry for Ali a few times.

Honestly, this book was just really lukewarm and I'm kind of really disappointed that it wasn't better especially since I adore that cover (seriously, it's so pretty!!! I got the hardback version and it's just gorgeous) and I had high hopes for it.

So it's more like a 2? 2.5? Yeah, 2.5 rounded down. It was just ok.

[Rebekah · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is so............. bad???? It's so bad. So, so bad. Just... disjointed mess. What the actual hell.

First of all, holy insta-love batman, for fuck's sake. Ali and Chase are madly in love within - I shit you not, 50 pages. And this is after, mind you, Ali is all "no, I can't like the only other Asian boy in the state, it's what the Whites want for me, I must resist." Yeah, she resists for like three sentences and then they're wildly in love, kissing, sneaking out to see each other, going on dates, making sexual innuendos towards one another, etc. Like... what? This robs them of having any chemistry or any meaningful development in their relationship. Consider that the first part of the book is strongly focused on Ali and Chase fighting back against the rampant racism they face, is it not too much to ask that they gradually fall for one another while battling the racists?

Second of all, the high school setting is just a convenience. Nothing of value happens when we're at school with Ali and Chase, absolutely nothing. It's very obvious that Ali and Chase need to meet each other somehow, and I guess it had to be at school. Clearly, we're supposed to see Ali deal with everyday, overt racism at school, and while I don't doubt how legitimate it is - having experienced going to school with racist classmates every day for several grades - here it feels somewhat cartoonish in scope. (I know that people are terrible and racists are everywhere, but I really don't believe that in this whole school there's allegedly only one semi-woke person there, who is only semi-woke on account of having a family member who adopted a Chinese baby. Like, the internet exists now, I'd like to think more people are a little less shitty, even in Indiana) The point of this is showing Ali, who is so downtrodden, that she's willing to give up her heritage so she can fit in - the problem is this huge crisis that I think a lot of Asian-American kids go through when they're in areas devoid of other Asians is solved by the appearance of one special boy. Miss me with that straight bullshit, please. There's no push and pull here - Ali talks to Chase one time about not speaking up against racists because that makes life easier, and then she's mouthing off every time we see her confronted with racism at school. That's a switch!

Furthermore, Ali's "friends" don't make sense. Why does Ali have friends? This sounds like a weird thing to say, but really, why does Ali have friends? If everyone hates her Chinese-ness so much, why do these three white girls deign to be her friend. Because really, they make it clear, they deign to be her friend. They drop her like a hot potato the second she claps back for their racist bs, but Ali shows no signs of being torn about it. Did she need these friends as a defense? As a way to feel less alone and these were the only bitches that would do? She clearly doesn't like them, but they don't seem to fulfill any other need. But I guess she doesn't need female friends anymore because she has a boyfriend uwu

(Also, the absolute hissy fit that Ali and Chase throw over The Joy Luck Club... uh, I'm gonna have to reread that some time to remember what the fuck that's about)

School really doesn't make sense because halfway through the book, we just drop school. The scope of the book narrows down entirely to Ali's love life and her mother's secrets (which go hand in hand). Ali goes to China and we like... never go back to high school. Okay, they have a Lunar New Year party at the end for two pages, but that's it (and magically people are being less racist now, again with zero effort on anyone's part).

This book relies so heavily on miscommunication, lack of communication, keeping secrets, and snooping in other people's business. Despite this, heartfelt chats come rather effortlessly and people reconcile almost immediately. If you could always communicate this well and forgive so easily, why is this book even happening? Nobody works for it in this book. Miscommunication isn't a trope I like anyway, but this whole book can be solved with a trip to a competent therapist so I really wasn't feeling it. There are also so many plot strands that just feel overcomplicated, and I really hate messy plots. There is so much going on and yet everything gets tied up in a relatively neat bow by the end and it feels incredibly disingenuous because this whole book there's so much melodrama about deep dark family secrets, and the way Ali feels mistreated by her mother. Ali's mother is one of the biggest problems in this book. She is so awful to literally everyone the entire book but by the end, basically all is forgiven because she gets a little emotional. What???

This is a sophomore novel. I own American Panda, but I've got to tell you, I am now scared as hell to read it. Theoretically, sophomore novels make improvements on debut novels (see, Yangsze Choo, Ghost Bride to Night Tiger). If this is the improvement... damn, I'm not sure I want to see the other guy. Absolute mess.

[lil · Rating 4 out of 5]

➳ 3 1/2 stars. I think I may have lost a small part of my heart to this book.

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[Kylee Jackson · Rating 2 out of 5]

God, this was frustrating to read. I think this is going to be another review that'll be best in list format.

Things I hated:
-Ali is your stereotypical "not like other girls" "strong female character." Being trapped in her head for an entire novel was painful.
-The pacing is bad. Just plain bad.
-Yet another case of insta-love in Chao's books. I could tolerate it in AMERICAN PANDA because I actually liked the book, but here it was just painful to read. I skimmed any and all interactions between Chase and Ali after about the 20% mark because I cannot handle the fact they think they're soulmates after knowing each other for a week.
-The plot is almost non-existent. Normally, I don't mind because character-driven novels can be really great, but I didn't like any of the characters so this didn't work for me.
-The... plot twist, I guess... is a let down. Almost 90% of the book built up to this big secret Ali's mother was keeping from her, and when it was finally revealed, I was like "oh, that's it?" I can admit that maybe this is something that would impact Chinese readers more and I just don't understand it because of cultural differences, but it fell flat for me.
-Ali is totally cool with her friends being racist af until Chase shows up to tell her that racism is wrong. I really wish I was joking.
-There's just very little nuance or subtlety in this book. Everything is black and white (or Ali is right and everyone else is wrong, which is not annoying at all) and every message hits with the subtlety of a marching band. I'm fine with books with an underlying message of "racism is bad," and I actually think Chao was onto something here, but maybe instead of have every non-Chinese character be overtly racist, we can move to showing the little microaggressions that white people wouldn't necessarily pick up on as racist? I mean, Ali's friends literally say "ew," when Ali pronounces her name properly, and that is the tamest of the racism in this book. In a book seriously lacking in nuance, it would've been nice to have a little bit of subtlety and variability in the depictions of racism.
-Along those lines, I cannot suspend reality enough to believe that Ali's family are the only people of color in their entire town, especially in a book set contemporaneously. The only Chinese, or even Asian, family? Sure, that's believable. But you mean to tell me that there isn't a single Black person in town? No Latinxs? I know Indiana is very white, and I don't have a problem believing that Ali's town is almost-exclusively white. But that the Chu family are the only people of color, when the Asian population of Indiana is smaller than all other races besides Native American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander is a stretch that I am not generous enough to make for this book.
-The writing itself really let me down. I expected more from Chao, because I loved her previous book, but this really missed the mark for me in so many ways.

Things I liked:
-The integration of the story of the Butterfly Lovers. Was it fully integrated into the narrative? Not so much, despite Chao's effort to make Ali a descendant of one of the lovers, but I didn't really mind it. It was a refreshing break from the drudgery that was reading through Ali's point of view.
-I did like Yun, despite Chao's best efforts to make me not like Yun.

I'm glad to be done with this one. 3/10 would recommend.

[Shealea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Initial thoughts:

📌 Much darker and more solemn than American Panda -- and arguably better and more nuanced, in my opinion.

📌 I'll admit that I have no strong feelings about this book, but I recognize that I'm not the intended audience for this. And that's totally okay! I can easily see Our Wayward Fate greatly impacting other Asian readers who are struggling to embrace their identity, especially those who belong to the diaspora.

📌 The romance between Ali and Chase developed quite quickly, but I never saw it as a weakness of the book. Underneath their instant attraction lies an immediate kinship that is authentic and beautiful. Besides, I lived for all the kissing!

📌 Our Wayward Fate handles numerous uncomfortable topics, such as toxic parent-child relationships, arranged marriages, and racial microaggressions, in a really careful and thoughtful way. I really appreciated the rawness and vulnerability in the storytelling.

📌 Complicated family dynamics is an understatement for this book, and I mean that in a really, really positive, albeit heart-wrenching, way.

📌 This also delves into grief passed from generation to generation, the complexities of parenting and family sacrifices, and the casual "othering" faced by Asian Americans in predominantly white communities.

📌 Ultimately, this is a poignant coming-of-age story about identity and wholeheartedly claiming it for yourself. There's definitely a lot of angst and heartbreak throughout the book, but at the end of it all, hope triumphs. And I think that Our Wayward Fate tells a much-needed story.

Final verdict:
Recommended!

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[laura (bbliophile)]

So, this book... I was highly anticipating Our Wayward Fate after reading and loving this authors debut American Panda. I remember having the best time with that book, and finding it incredibly funny, so naturally I had pretty high expectations of this book.
Those expectations were met... partially. I still liked the writing, I enjoyed reading about the conflict between the mc and her parents (the secrets, the shame, etc.) and found it very interesting, the romance was very cute, and I, overall, had a good time reading it.
There were a few things that felt a little meh though. First of all, there is a gay side character in this book and I didn't really like how his story arc was written, and the mc felt very 'not like the other girls'. Not as bad as other character's I've read about, but it still annoyed me a little.
So yeah, I enjoyed this and I'm definitely going to pick up more books by this author, but this one could've been better.

[Kristi Housman Confessions of a YA Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

RTC

Thank you to the publisher for sending me an arc for review.

[Christina (A Reader of Fictions) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finding a new author whose books you love is such a great bookish feeling. Obviously, I was thrilled to love Chao’s debut, American Panda, and eager to read more books from her. For me, though, I think it’s really the sophomore novel that cements what kind of relationship I’m going to have with that author’s books. Not that Sally Thorne couldn’t come back from whatever happened in 99 Percent Mine and write all books I love from here on out, but it definitely makes me really nervous when the sophomore novel doesn’t measure up to the debut. Our Wayward Fate sets Gloria Chao officially up as an author whose books I am obsessed with.

Once again, Gloria Chao’s novel deals primarily with themes of cultural identity and family. Don’t get me wrong; there’s totes a cute romance again, and that’s part of why I love these books for sure. However, I’d definitely class these as being about family and identity and not about romance. Usually, that might be a sign that an author’s books wouldn’t really be ideal for me, because lbr we know I am all about romance, but Chao writes voice and family and identity and everything else so well that I think I’d be okay if she didn’t put any romance in (though no need to test me on that).

When Our Wayward Fate begins, Ali Chu’s mostly given up. As the only Asian student in her school, the microaggressions have worn her down to the point where she ignores them. She does her best to blend, and she doesn’t call people out on their shit (even the pronunciation of her name, which is not said like “Allie”) because that would just leave her friendless and in trouble. I was, frankly, horrified by the racism in this book, though it is mostly microaggression stuff. It actually felt kind of dated to me, but considering that I grew up in an urban area with a large Asian population things were probably pretty different than in Ali’s small town.

At home, Ali’s pretty much doing the same thing. Her parents haven’t been communicating since her dad took this lower-paying job in Indiana. Their relationship’s clearly messed up, and that same distance has translated to their relationship with their daughter. Neither of them really talks to her anymore, except for her mother to tell her what to do and what not to do, because mama knows best. Like every single teen in existence pretty much, Ali in no way believes that her mother knows what’s best for her.

The catalyst for change in Our Wayward Fate in classic YA style is a hot male transfer student. It’s funny because I didn’t think about that until I sat down to write the review, but yup. Chase Yu makes the second Asian at the school, and, of course, everyone tells both of them all day (before they’ve met, mind you) that they would make a perfect couple. It’s racist and uncomfortable, and the last person Ali wants is a Chinese boy because 1) her mom said she could only date a Chinese boy and 2) everyone at school expects them to hit it off just because they’re both Chinese.

Problem is that Chase and Ali totally do hit it off. They do have a lot in common, such as a love of kung fu (practicing it but probably also watching the movies) and of flirting by the usage of many puns. They are freaking adorable, and I loved the tension of not wanting to be together because people do want you to be together, because it’s usually the opposite. Their nerdy banter delights me so much. I love this ship a lot, especially with the way that Chase acknowledges her superiority in martial arts without any hurt feelings.

Chase came from Flushing, and he’s not used to the constant microaggressions, so he challenges them. This in turn inspires Ali to care again. It definitely helps to have a friend left when you burn bridges with people by refusing to let them believe that the racist shit they’ve said is actually okay and nice. Even though I love seeing Ali stand up for herself and fight back and let some of that simmering inner anger out, it’s so understandable why she didn’t when she was alone. She and Chase keep getting sent to the office for calling out a teacher on a racist comment, and it’s such exhausting bullshit. This novel does a great job highlighting how difficult it must be to be the sole POC somewhere.

Our Wayward Fate is one of those books where sometimes you will absolutely want to shake the heroine and send her gifs that say “look at your life, look at your choices” because instead of communicating, she will absolutely always choose snooping. It’s so frustrating because you’re there shouting “no, seriously, just ask” or “push for an answer, don’t give up!” and she absolutely will not do that. In a lot of books, that’s a massive weakness because it doesn’t make sense, but this is one hundred percent how Ali would act, because it’s exactly what her family is like.

There’s a theme in the book all about how Chinese families do not communicate the way that white families do. By default and also if asked, Ali can count on her parents not ever confiding anything. The only way she can learn anything about them is to snoop in their business. If I had to break this book down to one key theme it would be that communication is the most important foundation to a healthy relationship. So, yes, it’s at times frustrating, but in a very good and real way, and the character arcs are fantastic.

The weaving of The Butterfly Lovers and the modern park interactions in little snippets between every couple of chapters didn’t totally work for me. For roughly half of the book, they’re confusing because it’s like “wtf is this even?”, and ultimately the connection didn’t seem all that strong. I did feel like that plot element needed a stronger tie-in, and I don’t think the chapters about the park a few months before ended up adding anything but confusion. All of that was a neat idea, but I’d prefer sticking to Ali’s perspective, even though I did like The Butterfly Lovers.

In case you missed my yelling about American Panda, listen to me now. GLORIA CHAO’S BOOKS ARE AWESOME AND YOU SHOULD READ THEM.

[Danielle (Life of a Literary Nerd) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Our Wayward Fate is a complex look at the intersection of family, expectations, and personal choice - and how for some that link is closer than others. For Ali Chu, it seems like she has no choices left, but her steadfast and headstrong personality (which I loved) forced family secrets to the surface and revised expectations after another Taiwanese family moves into her small midwestern town and she quickly develops a romance with Chase Yu. This story was a little tough to read because so many of the characters were just awful, from racists classmates, to absentee or overbearing parents, it was hard to want to connect with them. But Ali really is the driving force, and I thought she was great so that made it a little easier. There's a lot of messy family history to be sorted through and misplaced blame that needs to be unpacked, but this was a unique perspective on an immigrant family and I really enjoyed how the conversations developed.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/ 5 stars

This book is a Young Adult contemporary romance that focuses on the cultural aspects of being a Taiwanese American teen living in the Mid-West.

I really liked American Panda so I knew that I wanted to read the author's newest book.

The narrator is 17 year old Taiwanese American Ali/Allie (1st person POV). She lives with her parents in Indiana and is the only Asian student at her school.

My favorite thing about this book was learning more about this culture. I think that this story really shows what it is like for some teens living in certain parts of the US that aren't as culturally diverse.

The start of this book was cute. Ali was struggling as the only Asian in her school. A lot of the teachers and students were very insensitive and racist.

A new Asian boy shows up at the school (Chase) and his family has secrets, as does Ali's family. This was a key focus of the book. These secrets added so much to the story.

Ali and Chase's story is intertwined with a love story from 19th China (a retelling of the Chinese folktale The Butterfly Lovers). I didn't love this part of the book. But I was intrigued with where the present story ended up.

The last half of the story was strong. And overall this was an enjoyable read.



Thanks to netgalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for allowing me to read this book.

[Angie · Rating 3 out of 5]

While reading this book, I wasn't sure if I'd end up liking it or not. Ali is a rather prickly main character, but I really liked how she and Chase bonded. Update: It was brought to my attention that in the last part of the book, Ali feels entitled to destroy a cultural tradition without understanding its history and feels like a hero/savior to Chinese youth for bringing to light a 'repressive tradition'. This occurs so quickly and triumphantly for Ali that I had initially overlooked it.

Our Wayward Fate captures what it's like to be the only person who looks like you in a small town, the alienating and lonely feelings as well as the frequent microaggressions. When Chase appeared at Ali's school, I absolutely understood why her first impulse was to avoid him. Meeting Chase helped Ali come to terms with her culture and identity, and I loved when they bonded over things. It's a beautiful, comforting thing to finally meet someone who understands without any explanations needed. At times, Ali was somewhat grating, but I understood that she had built up her walls as a way to get through every day. I loved her humor, her passion for kungfu, her competitive spirit, and her yearning to just be herself.

I didn't like the way the Butterfly Lovers tale was weaved in. The parts of the tale and the news articles interspersed throughout the book did finally make sense towards the end, but while I was reading them, they felt random and confusing. Even when it all came together, the connection between the myth and Ali's story felt tenuous. Perhaps if I'd been more familiar with the tale, it would've been more impactful.

Note: I read an advance copy via NetGalley.

[LW · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gloria Chao has done it again--this book is fantastic.

Ali is such a tough main character, I absolutely love her (and it's so cool that she does martial arts, it's not a sport included in many books). Same with Chase--they're super cute together. Every character was very developed and played an important role in painting a vivid picture of the harsh realities many Asian Americans face. I learned a lot about their culture and the xenophobia that unfairly makes their lives so much harder. Our Wayward Fate made so many good points that had me pausing and thinking about my own biases--it had me reflecting on my life and confronting my own stereotypes. In that way, books have the power to make us better people.

This book deals with heavy topics, but there's also enough humor to make it an enjoyable read. Overall, I found it both a page-turner and an eye-opening experience.

Everyone should read it.

[aforestofbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you so much to Simon& Schuster Canada and NetGalley for letting me review this arc!!

After reading American Panda, I just knew whatever Gloria Chao wrote next would be a book I absolutely had to read. American Panda was difficult, and I went into Our Wayward Fate with the same expectation: that I would relate in so many ways, and it would hurt and dredge up old memories and feelings. Despite that, I don’t think I was ready ready? I had to take some breaks, which is fine, because honestly a part of me loves painful books because I feel seen and heard in ways I don’t in other books I’ve read.

There are so many secrets in this book. Like wow, I was not expecting as many twists and turns. I did not see the true intention of the park until it was revealed because I just wasn’t expecting this book to go there for some reason. And when I realized what was happening, I needed to take a break to process it all…

Beginning with Ali…I really loved the distinction between how Americans pronounce Ali (as Allie) and the actual pronunciation. It reminded me of my own middle name, which is also Ali, and how people pronounce it wrong all the time.

Ali is such a fun, messy character. She does and says things that are questionable and sometimes outrageously wrong, yet she has good intentions; she just struggles to voice them appropriately most of the time. Chase’s introduction at Ali’s school was just perfect. I really loved how bold he is and how he stands up against the racism he faces immediately. I loved how he brought out Ali’s spirited side. Seeing Ali change and stand up for herself against her “friends” and her teacher was so inspiring and heartwarming. It’s how I know a lot of kids would like to be, but it can be so scary when you don’t have the support you need from friends or family.

The one problem I had with the romance was that it felt rushed. I think everything happened a bit too fast (though having read the arc and not the finished copy, I don’t know if things are the same). The timeline didn’t span a few months like I was expecting, and by the time Ali is off to China, she hasn’t really known Chase for all that long. But they’re absolutely obsessed with each other in that short span of time, which I guess is totally possible, I’m just picky with romance lol

The other issue I had was with the dialogue. Compared to American Panda, the characters in OWF acted a lot younger, even though they’re only a year or two apart from Mei and Darren. Some of the lines were cringey and the jokes repetitive. It did take me a while to get into the flow because it felt a little awkward at times. Though I think Ali and Chase grow into the characters more and things just fit better by the end?

The Butterfly Lovers…I actually had a friend tell me the story right as I was starting this book. I had no idea that this story was going to be such a major part of the book, so when I finally fit the pieces together I was shook lol. That being said, I really liked the differences in how the story ended compared to the original. I also loved the little snippets we get from the past, where we get to follow along with Zhu Yingtai and Liang Shanbo. And also the flashbacks we get from the park. The park scenes were a little confusing at first, but I think it was done really well because I was surprised when the plot twist was finally revealed.

Ali’s relationship with her family was difficult to read, and honestly seeing what her mother had planned left me pretty angry. It was just something I could relate to on a personal level, something I could see happening to myself, and it was a little scary and triggering. I did love how Ali confronts both her parents and points out their flaws and how she doesn’t back down when they try to explain themselves with their nonsensical excuses. I was really angry at her mother because she’s so selfish. She ruined what she had because her expectations (which she didn’t bother sharing with her husband) weren’t met. She made decisions because she thought she knew best, which is something so common among Asian parents, I was rolling my eyes along with Ali every single time her mom told her that.

The main problem here was lack of communication, which I think is a huge problem in Asian families. We don’t know how to talk about feelings and we also don’t know how to listen to other opinions. And then things become a mess and it just spirals. Communication was a huge theme in this book, from the way Ali skirts around just asking Chase about his past and turns to theft, to her breaking into her mom’s safe because her mom won’t talk to her, to seeing how her father was too ashamed to discuss his feelings with this wife when he lost his tenure, to Ali’s mother making decisions for her instead of talking to her.

It was painful to read. And while I liked how things were on their way to being resolved at the end, I was actually expecting things to go the divorce route, especially considering the things Ali’s mother said to her father and what she almost did to Ali. It is nice for things not to end that way, and it’s nice to see a family try to communicate with each other and solve their issues rather than everything falling apart. But…I don’t know. Maybe I can’t forgive that easily, or having an outside perspective makes me a bit more harsh. But Ali’s mother isn’t great and pretty toxic. And by the end I really hated her a lot. The cultural divide between Ali and her mother and how what her mother says isn’t 100% what she exactly means, was nice to see because it’s a real thing and it really showed how hard and complicated and confusing it can get when you don’t just have lack of communication but a communication divide because of culture. And while we can blame a lot of that for Ali’s mother’s actions, it still doesn’t take away from the fact that what she did was wrong and awful. And I did like how Ali made sure to point that out at the end too. Healing is a difficult process, filled with ups and downs, when one moment you hate everything and are so angry, and the next you feel pity and guilt and sadness. It’s a mess, and I definitely felt like I was a mess at the end.

4/5 stars.

I look forward to reading the finished copy one day, just to see the differences and how the formatting changes. (The epilogue did feel a little confusing because there weren’t any scene breaks in the arc.)

[Kate (Reading Through Infinity) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I read this on audio and I really enjoyed the inclusion of all the Chinese language sections, as well as the side chapters detailing the story of The Butterfly Lovers.

I liked Ali's fiery, stubborn persona, and the fact that she wasn't afraid to stand up for what she believed in. I wasn't a huge fan of Chase at first (mainly because he was kind of rude to Ali?), but he grew on me as the novel progressed. Some of my favourite scenes where when Ali, Chase, and Yun were all hanging out together, just enjoying each other's company. I couldn't stand Ali's friends because they were so racist and ignorant??? So, of course, I thoroughly enjoyed it when she and Chase took them down a notch. Incorrect, offensive stereotypes were challenged throughout the novel and racism was consistently called out.

My only real issues with the book were that the writing style didn't wow me and the narrative pacing was inconsistent. I also thought the romance was borderline insta-love, but I can forgive that because it was pretty cute. Overall a fun read, but perhaps not as memorable as I was hoping for.

[CR · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although I didn't care for American Panda this newest title from Chao sounded so funny and adorable I had to take the chance. Well sadly this one didn't work out for me at all. I will keep trying her books because they have a way of making me crack up laughing so I am really hoping that one of them will mesh with me. This one had the issue of having way too much inner dialogue which overpowered the story. It was more like reading someones daily diary than an actual story. The pacing was well done and the book started off really funny. At one point I burst out laughing. But as the story drew on the inner dialogue really overpowered the story as a hole and I found myself starting to really hate it.


Go Into This One Knowing: Inner Dialogue

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

audible audiobook
english review only

I loved this book so much.

Gloria Chao's books just make me happy. I love how she writes her characters and her stories.

I love the journey we get to go on with Ali in this book, uncovering all the secrets that had so long been hidden. I love her growth of standing up for herself and actually finding herself.

It was beautiful. It had sad and frustrating moments.
But that's why I love it even more.

[Angela's Booked · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5
It was fine but a bit heavier than I wanted. I was hoping for a light, fluffy YA contemporary romance but this involved a lot of family dynamics (among other things) that I wasn’t in the mood for.

[Aila · Rating 5 out of 5]

Y'ALL. I LOVE THE BUTTERFLY LOVERS SO MUCH like y'all don't realize how much of a foundation this story is in Chinese history. There's movies, TV shows, operas and plays, heck even MUSIC inspired by this tragic tale of a young scholar and a woman who was discontent with her role in society. Chao managed to weave this famous legend into a gorgeous story about Ali and her reconnection with her family, identity, and Taiwanese heritage. FULL REVIEW TO COME.

LITERALLY THO LEMME TELL YOU HOW BIG THE BUTTERFLY LOVERS IS. It's one of those stories where you stop any person in the East/Southeast region of Asia and they be like "oh yah I know that story" or "oh yah I heard about that." What story from the US can say the same? (Can't answer that one bc the US technically just steals cultures/traditions from other places and I OOP--)

(Sorry, the discontent college student in me is going off)

- a h e m - and back to the point:

They ice skated to this story:


Made a drama (or three) after it:


There's the cultural park (that's also referenced in the book) after this tale:

And of course, the very famous concerto about them:
YT link here

I've always wanted to see The Butterfly Lovers somehow incorporated in YA, and Chao does it flawlessly in this book, and through Ali's story. 11/10 recommend.