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Throwback
Back to the Future meets The Joy Luck Club in this YA contemporary romance about a Korean American girl sent back to the ’90s to (reluctantly) help her teenage mom win Homecoming Queen.
Being a first-generation Asian American immigrant is hard. You know what’s harder? Being the daughter of one. Samantha Kang has never gotten along with her mother, Priscilla—and has never understood her bougie-nightmare, John Hughes high school expectations. After a huge fight between them, Sam is desperate to move forward—but instead, finds herself thrown back. Way back.
To her shock, Sam finds herself back in high school . . . in the ’90s . . . with a 17-year-old Priscilla. Now this Gen Z girl must try to fit into an analog world. She’s got the fashion down, but everything else is baffling. What is “microfiche”? What’s with the casual racism and misogyny? And why does it feel like Priscilla is someone she could actually be . . . friends with?
Sam's blast to the past has her finding the right romance in the wrong time while questioning everything she thought she knew about her mom . . . and herself. Will Sam figure out what she needs to do to fix things for her mom so that she can go back to a time she understands? Brimming with heart and humor, Maurene Goo’s time-travel romance asks big questions about what exactly one inherits and loses in the immigrant experience.
Being a first-generation Asian American immigrant is hard. You know what’s harder? Being the daughter of one. Samantha Kang has never gotten along with her mother, Priscilla—and has never understood her bougie-nightmare, John Hughes high school expectations. After a huge fight between them, Sam is desperate to move forward—but instead, finds herself thrown back. Way back.
To her shock, Sam finds herself back in high school . . . in the ’90s . . . with a 17-year-old Priscilla. Now this Gen Z girl must try to fit into an analog world. She’s got the fashion down, but everything else is baffling. What is “microfiche”? What’s with the casual racism and misogyny? And why does it feel like Priscilla is someone she could actually be . . . friends with?
Sam's blast to the past has her finding the right romance in the wrong time while questioning everything she thought she knew about her mom . . . and herself. Will Sam figure out what she needs to do to fix things for her mom so that she can go back to a time she understands? Brimming with heart and humor, Maurene Goo’s time-travel romance asks big questions about what exactly one inherits and loses in the immigrant experience.
368 pages, Hardcover
First published April 11, 2023
433 people are currently reading
15446 people want to read
About the author
Maurene Goo
25 books1,608 followersMaurene Goo is the critically acclaimed author of young adult novels, including I BELIEVE IN A THING CALLED LOVE and THROWBACK. She's also written for Marvel's Silk series and lives and writes in Los Angeles with her husband, son, and cats.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,041 reviews
November 9, 2022
When Maurene told me her new book was going to feature some Back to the Future-style time travel (which is to say, easy on the physics, heavy on the hijinks), I thought, hot damn-- LOVE it when my favorite contemporary fiction writers dabble in genre elements. This is certainly no exception. I absolutely loved this book.
The quote:
"With all the humor and heart that are Maurene Goo’s specialty, Throwback is the fresh, funny, yet profoundly thoughtful time travel story you didn’t know you needed—but trust me, you definitely do. An absolutely delightful book."
The rundown:
Maurene Goo is funny, which is one of the hardest things on earth to be good at in writing, in my opinion. This book will make you laugh, but it's also sneaky-thoughtful-- it effortlessly weaves in observations about being a child of immigrants (close to my heart, since I am one myself), about how that dynamic changes over generations, about mothers and daughters...with all the warmth that is Maurene's trademark. Come for the time travel hijinks, stay for the characters.
The quote:
"With all the humor and heart that are Maurene Goo’s specialty, Throwback is the fresh, funny, yet profoundly thoughtful time travel story you didn’t know you needed—but trust me, you definitely do. An absolutely delightful book."
The rundown:
Maurene Goo is funny, which is one of the hardest things on earth to be good at in writing, in my opinion. This book will make you laugh, but it's also sneaky-thoughtful-- it effortlessly weaves in observations about being a child of immigrants (close to my heart, since I am one myself), about how that dynamic changes over generations, about mothers and daughters...with all the warmth that is Maurene's trademark. Come for the time travel hijinks, stay for the characters.
June 17, 2024
reading vlog: https://youtu.be/WCQAeZWCvdM
such a lovely contemporary with such a fun twist!! think this has so many special lessons for young girls to read and learn about, and i loved the writing!
such a lovely contemporary with such a fun twist!! think this has so many special lessons for young girls to read and learn about, and i loved the writing!
April 11, 2023
Happy release day.
Thanks to Zando Projects and Netgalley for a copy of this to review. It'll be out April 11th.
Note: I've altered my review to remove my main dissatisfaction, as I was able to confirm with the editor that Val's name and pronouns were edited sufficiently in the print form. Still upsetting this was in the ARC for this nonbinary reader.
Another minority opinion so far, but I haven't seen anyone mention the main issue I had...Two and a half stars rounded up.
I did not enjoy this book, sad to say. As usual, Maurene Goo does a fantastic job of including prolific references to Korean food and other cultural aspects that I loved. But the protagonist, Sam, was very unlikeable from the start and I found it difficult to sympathize with or root for her. Her POV was very...hostile? to read from, and she's spoiled. I did not find the character growth through the book very satisfying, and the romance felt forced. The time travel aspect was...vague.
The cover is very cute, and Sam's gentle handling of her elders, even with her personality, was charming to read. Sam and her mother's varying stances on embracing their heritage were interesting to absorb, and I enjoyed the nineties vibes when she went back in time. I hope this book finds its audience!
Thanks to Zando Projects and Netgalley for a copy of this to review. It'll be out April 11th.
Note: I've altered my review to remove my main dissatisfaction, as I was able to confirm with the editor that Val's name and pronouns were edited sufficiently in the print form. Still upsetting this was in the ARC for this nonbinary reader.
Another minority opinion so far, but I haven't seen anyone mention the main issue I had...Two and a half stars rounded up.
I did not enjoy this book, sad to say. As usual, Maurene Goo does a fantastic job of including prolific references to Korean food and other cultural aspects that I loved. But the protagonist, Sam, was very unlikeable from the start and I found it difficult to sympathize with or root for her. Her POV was very...hostile? to read from, and she's spoiled. I did not find the character growth through the book very satisfying, and the romance felt forced. The time travel aspect was...vague.
The cover is very cute, and Sam's gentle handling of her elders, even with her personality, was charming to read. Sam and her mother's varying stances on embracing their heritage were interesting to absorb, and I enjoyed the nineties vibes when she went back in time. I hope this book finds its audience!
May 11, 2023
I honestly had to force myself to finish this book. I didn’t really enjoy the whole “woke” teenager attitude she seemed to have. Like “save the planet”, “we should break all stereotypes and status quo’s”, and “girl power is strong power fight for feminism”. Don’t get me wrong saving the planet is important, not judging people based on status quo’s is true but geez can I read a good book where the character isn’t a spoiled brat and thinks her parents are horrible people because they have money that THEY WORKED FOR!? The main character Samantha acts like she is a total rebel and can disrespect her parents, what they do, their jobs and not care that her parents worked hard and studied and did the best they could to get where they were and give her the life she has. Trust me as someone from an immigrant family I wouldn’t disrespect my parents if they wanted to interview for a country club or get angry that my mom wanted to play hooky on a school day to buy clothes. Most kids would be happy their parents want to spend time with them and take interest in their future. But not this girl, no Samantha has to complain about how she has it hard, that her mom doesn’t understand and her dad doesn’t get it. Please girl grow up and be respectful.
Read
September 15, 2022This was really cute! I can *totally* see it being a Netflix movie, and I would watch it.
August 10, 2025
I feel like the most unrealistic thing to me wasn’t the time travel lol it was the fact that Sam’s mom named her after a random friend she had for seven days in high school
May 31, 2023
In the beginning, I thought this would be the best Maurene Goo to date - so well was written the conflict between multiple generations of this immigrant family. But the time travel happened, and the edge was lost somewhere, probably diluted by an unnecessary romance and the lack of the hinted at drama and trauma of the past. I never got to really know MC’s mom, so the potential of this story sadly dissipated. This novel could have been so much more.
July 6, 2024
4,5⭐️
J’ai trop aimé ! À tel point qu’un trajet en te ai m’a suffit pour dévorer la quasi totalité du roman : j’étais à fond, happée par l’histoire, attachée aux personnages, touchée par leur histoire, la pression qu’ils ressentaient et par les messages faits passer. C’est un très beau roman qui parle de famille, d’héritage, de culture et de rêves. Ça parle aussi de racisme et de misogynie, d’amour et de courage… c’était une magnifique découverte et un roman parfait pour l’été ! 👌
J’ai trop aimé ! À tel point qu’un trajet en te ai m’a suffit pour dévorer la quasi totalité du roman : j’étais à fond, happée par l’histoire, attachée aux personnages, touchée par leur histoire, la pression qu’ils ressentaient et par les messages faits passer. C’est un très beau roman qui parle de famille, d’héritage, de culture et de rêves. Ça parle aussi de racisme et de misogynie, d’amour et de courage… c’était une magnifique découverte et un roman parfait pour l’été ! 👌
June 23, 2023
I love the books Maurene Goo writes so please hear me out when I say I really hate that I did not love this story more. I wanted to so badly. There were so many things that set it up to be a great story. And yet...the more I think about it the more annoyed I feel.
Is it because I'm not Gen Z? Would I have appreciated this more if I shared Samantha's moral smugness?
How did this book singlehandedly make me despair for an entire generation?
I loathed Samantha's attitude. Her moral smugness in the face of the '90s made me want to bash my head against a wall.
She is transported back to the '90s to help her mother win prom queen and promptly spends the entire time making loud moral judgments and threatening violence to anyone who won't listen to said moral judgements. Or, y'know, anyone who just does anything she disagrees with.
I liked the contrast between Samantha and the '90s and I do think there were some really interesting lessons in this novel about generational trauma and misunderstandings. (Which is why it does get 3 stars.) But I didn't actually like any of the characters. Not one.
In particular, though, I found the scene where Samantha suggests her Mom apologize to the whole school for the media tactic that Samantha recommended in the first place particularly galling.
Anyway, this was a hit and a miss which is quite a shame because it had so much potential and I am so thrilled to have another book out from Maurene Goo.
Pre-Review
Me: Ugh. I don't want to get out of bed today.
Ginnie: Maurene Goo has a new book coming out.
Me:
Someone start the countdown. I've been waiting for this moment since 2019.
Is it because I'm not Gen Z? Would I have appreciated this more if I shared Samantha's moral smugness?
How did this book singlehandedly make me despair for an entire generation?
I loathed Samantha's attitude. Her moral smugness in the face of the '90s made me want to bash my head against a wall.
She is transported back to the '90s to help her mother win prom queen and promptly spends the entire time making loud moral judgments and threatening violence to anyone who won't listen to said moral judgements. Or, y'know, anyone who just does anything she disagrees with.
I liked the contrast between Samantha and the '90s and I do think there were some really interesting lessons in this novel about generational trauma and misunderstandings. (Which is why it does get 3 stars.) But I didn't actually like any of the characters. Not one.
In particular, though, I found the scene where Samantha suggests her Mom apologize to the whole school for the media tactic that Samantha recommended in the first place particularly galling.
Anyway, this was a hit and a miss which is quite a shame because it had so much potential and I am so thrilled to have another book out from Maurene Goo.
Pre-Review
Me: Ugh. I don't want to get out of bed today.
Ginnie: Maurene Goo has a new book coming out.
Me:
Someone start the countdown. I've been waiting for this moment since 2019.
September 7, 2023
3.5 Stars rounded up to 4 because, Marty McFly y'all!
Maurene, you had me at 'Back to the Future.'
I don't now why, but I could not stop listening to this book. Well, actually I do know. I am a mum of a teenage girl and would love nothing more for her to understand where I came from. Knowing how my life experiences have shaped me would perhaps get her to retract her claws somewhat during our occasional 'robust discussion'. I think Maurene really captured the conflict that occurs when a mother and daughter have different expectations and perspectives. The Gen Z girl bringing her future views to a time filled with casual racism, LGBTQIAmisia, misogyny and lack of environmental awareness/protection etc grew a little bit exhausting but was not out of place in the story. I am appalled to think of the terms and attitudes that were common place in the 80s and 90s and being the child of an Asian immigrant knew my father was on the receiving end of some of these unwelcome comments or opinions. As a, for want of a better term, 'white passing' Eurasian it was not something that impacted me personally but made me deeply uncomfortable when I witnessed it. Anyway, I found the story and the characters to be engaging and sped through this in one sitting. Great exploration of the 'American dream' and immigrants experiences trying to chase this. I think it also respectfully looks at the pressures placed on the children of immigrants to live up to the hopes and expectations of their parents, given all the sacrifices they made to give them a life in the land of opportunity.
Maurene, you had me at 'Back to the Future.'
I don't now why, but I could not stop listening to this book. Well, actually I do know. I am a mum of a teenage girl and would love nothing more for her to understand where I came from. Knowing how my life experiences have shaped me would perhaps get her to retract her claws somewhat during our occasional 'robust discussion'. I think Maurene really captured the conflict that occurs when a mother and daughter have different expectations and perspectives. The Gen Z girl bringing her future views to a time filled with casual racism, LGBTQIAmisia, misogyny and lack of environmental awareness/protection etc grew a little bit exhausting but was not out of place in the story. I am appalled to think of the terms and attitudes that were common place in the 80s and 90s and being the child of an Asian immigrant knew my father was on the receiving end of some of these unwelcome comments or opinions. As a, for want of a better term, 'white passing' Eurasian it was not something that impacted me personally but made me deeply uncomfortable when I witnessed it. Anyway, I found the story and the characters to be engaging and sped through this in one sitting. Great exploration of the 'American dream' and immigrants experiences trying to chase this. I think it also respectfully looks at the pressures placed on the children of immigrants to live up to the hopes and expectations of their parents, given all the sacrifices they made to give them a life in the land of opportunity.
April 6, 2025
the amount of times this book made me cry is OBSCENE
April 11, 2023
Well, I loved this book so much I hardly have the words. I'm going to try to find a few though, yeah?
►I am a huge fan of books that delve into mother-daughter relationships, and this one does it even better by adding in a third generation! Oh, how I loved this! It's so amazing for Samantha to be able to see both her mother and her grandmother as just... women, doing their best, you know? Samantha has this gorgeous relationship with Halmoni, her mom's mom, which on a personal level reminded me so much of my relationships with my grandmothers. But Sam also knows that her mom and Halmoni haven't always seen eye to eye, and Sam mostly blames her mom. But when she's able to go back in time, she sees the nuances of their relationship up close and personal. She also gets to deep dive into what made her mother who she is today.
►A ton of focus on the experience of being the child of Korean immigrants in America. So, one thing that vastly differs between Sam's experience and Priscilla's is that Priscilla's mom was an immigrant. Halmoni did her very best to provide for Priscilla and her sister, but after the death of their father, things were extra difficult. Sam had never known such difficulty and struggling, and I was really glad that she was able to experience what her family had gone through. Even more, I loved that it showed how much our experiences can really shape us going forward, and it gave Sam a huge level of insight into Priscilla's actions.
►Times, they have changed! I mean. I know from a logical perspective that 1995 was nearly thirty years ago, and yet... It didn't seem as far until we see how different things are for Sam. How different her daily life is, and how freaking messy we were in the '90s! Also very interesting to see how hugely phones have changed our daily lives, that was quite eye opening for me, and super accurate once I actually thought about it!
►Time travel is just so fun! And I loved the way the author handled it here- via a rideshare? Cracked me up! But it is always so interesting to me to read the nuances of time travel in different books. I won't tell you too much about how this one went down, because it is fun to find out for yourself, but know that I adored it!
►The whole book is just heartwarming and full of emotion. Seriously, I laughed, I cried, I felt all the warm fuzzies inside. And that is kind of the best.
Bottom Line: Loved this gem of a book about mother-daughter relationships, growing up, and learning to try to understand the whole picture of who someone is.
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
►I am a huge fan of books that delve into mother-daughter relationships, and this one does it even better by adding in a third generation! Oh, how I loved this! It's so amazing for Samantha to be able to see both her mother and her grandmother as just... women, doing their best, you know? Samantha has this gorgeous relationship with Halmoni, her mom's mom, which on a personal level reminded me so much of my relationships with my grandmothers. But Sam also knows that her mom and Halmoni haven't always seen eye to eye, and Sam mostly blames her mom. But when she's able to go back in time, she sees the nuances of their relationship up close and personal. She also gets to deep dive into what made her mother who she is today.
►A ton of focus on the experience of being the child of Korean immigrants in America. So, one thing that vastly differs between Sam's experience and Priscilla's is that Priscilla's mom was an immigrant. Halmoni did her very best to provide for Priscilla and her sister, but after the death of their father, things were extra difficult. Sam had never known such difficulty and struggling, and I was really glad that she was able to experience what her family had gone through. Even more, I loved that it showed how much our experiences can really shape us going forward, and it gave Sam a huge level of insight into Priscilla's actions.
►Times, they have changed! I mean. I know from a logical perspective that 1995 was nearly thirty years ago, and yet... It didn't seem as far until we see how different things are for Sam. How different her daily life is, and how freaking messy we were in the '90s! Also very interesting to see how hugely phones have changed our daily lives, that was quite eye opening for me, and super accurate once I actually thought about it!
►Time travel is just so fun! And I loved the way the author handled it here- via a rideshare? Cracked me up! But it is always so interesting to me to read the nuances of time travel in different books. I won't tell you too much about how this one went down, because it is fun to find out for yourself, but know that I adored it!
►The whole book is just heartwarming and full of emotion. Seriously, I laughed, I cried, I felt all the warm fuzzies inside. And that is kind of the best.
Bottom Line: Loved this gem of a book about mother-daughter relationships, growing up, and learning to try to understand the whole picture of who someone is.
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
April 22, 2023
Maurene Goo’s coming of age YA beautifully explores the complex ties of inter-generational family relationships and the immigrant experience in this heartfelt and humour-filled, Back To The Future-esque romp.
Full of cliquey high school drama and tons of 90s nostalgia, I thoroughly enjoyed this and was completely blown away by the level of depth and emotion we see in Sam’s journey. Both in the intricacies of the mother- daughter relationship between Sam, her mum Priscilla and grandmother but, also in how their very different lived experiences (as first, second and third generation immigrants in the US) has shaped and defined them.
Sam as a character did come off as a little spoiled at first, with a confrontational approach to communication that kind of annoyed me at first. However, the journey she embarks on after finding herself stuck in 1995 really endeared her to me, and I ended up really loving her and the emotional development we see unfold as she begins to understand the challenges her mum (Priscilla) faces that aren’t too dissimilar from her own.
One of the turning points for me was when Sam realises the racist and misogynistic micro aggressions her classmates direct at her and the other non-white students won’t be called out—the defeat she’s ultimately left with in that moment was utterly heartbreaking.
There were, however, some lighter moments too and I really had fun watching how Gen-Z Sam coped in a world without Google, Social Media or 24-hr access to the internet. Her social faux pas, made from not fully grasping the nuances of 90s culture made for some really entertaining interactions, especially with Priscilla who finds Sam just a bit weird.
There is some romance which I felt was well written but do be aware the plot does mostly focus on Sam’s relationships with Priscilla and Priscilla’s relationship with her own mother. I can’t really say anything else without spoiling the ‘big reveals’ but I was pleasantly surprised by how things wrapped up.
If you love time travel plots, family based YA and general teenage shenanigans then I highly recommend picking this up—it was soo much fun!
Also, a huge thank you to Team BKMRK for the finished copy.
Full of cliquey high school drama and tons of 90s nostalgia, I thoroughly enjoyed this and was completely blown away by the level of depth and emotion we see in Sam’s journey. Both in the intricacies of the mother- daughter relationship between Sam, her mum Priscilla and grandmother but, also in how their very different lived experiences (as first, second and third generation immigrants in the US) has shaped and defined them.
Sam as a character did come off as a little spoiled at first, with a confrontational approach to communication that kind of annoyed me at first. However, the journey she embarks on after finding herself stuck in 1995 really endeared her to me, and I ended up really loving her and the emotional development we see unfold as she begins to understand the challenges her mum (Priscilla) faces that aren’t too dissimilar from her own.
One of the turning points for me was when Sam realises the racist and misogynistic micro aggressions her classmates direct at her and the other non-white students won’t be called out—the defeat she’s ultimately left with in that moment was utterly heartbreaking.
There were, however, some lighter moments too and I really had fun watching how Gen-Z Sam coped in a world without Google, Social Media or 24-hr access to the internet. Her social faux pas, made from not fully grasping the nuances of 90s culture made for some really entertaining interactions, especially with Priscilla who finds Sam just a bit weird.
There is some romance which I felt was well written but do be aware the plot does mostly focus on Sam’s relationships with Priscilla and Priscilla’s relationship with her own mother. I can’t really say anything else without spoiling the ‘big reveals’ but I was pleasantly surprised by how things wrapped up.
If you love time travel plots, family based YA and general teenage shenanigans then I highly recommend picking this up—it was soo much fun!
Also, a huge thank you to Team BKMRK for the finished copy.
Read
January 4, 2024This is a warm and soulful story about mother-daughter relationships and bridging generational gaps and perspectives - but with time travel.
The story is cute and movie-adaptation-worthy, and I adore that it leans into the silliness of the situation, but I also did think think it loses its impact mid-way through the story due to pacing and lack of action. The little 'twist' was great, though.
Not sure whether this is a good or bad thing, maybe it is neither, but I did feel that this story was written for mothers, rather than teens. Nonetheless, I did feel the story honours both the main character and her mother's imperfect yet valid perspectives, deepening the emotional depth of the story.
The story is cute and movie-adaptation-worthy, and I adore that it leans into the silliness of the situation, but I also did think think it loses its impact mid-way through the story due to pacing and lack of action. The little 'twist' was great, though.
Not sure whether this is a good or bad thing, maybe it is neither, but I did feel that this story was written for mothers, rather than teens. Nonetheless, I did feel the story honours both the main character and her mother's imperfect yet valid perspectives, deepening the emotional depth of the story.
September 18, 2023
My least favorite Maurene Goo so far, but still nice.
Interesting and well-written; the only thing that slightly bothered me was that the author tried a bit too hard to make her MC “woke”. Or maybe that was just my impression.
Interesting and well-written; the only thing that slightly bothered me was that the author tried a bit too hard to make her MC “woke”. Or maybe that was just my impression.
September 20, 2023
I adored this book from start to finish. It's my favorite thing I've read this year and I'm going to be thinking about it for a long time to come!
I've never seen time travel done quite this way before. It was so modern and clever! All the 90s details felt perfectly on point. Even though I *was* in high school in the 90s, I remained in awe of how the author thought of endless details to bring the setting and time period so believably to life. It was just so well done!
I really loved the characters. They felt like real people, with their own mannerisms and ways of speaking. Even the "villains" felt like fully-realized characters. They had their own motivations and histories that came into play. I loved Sam as a heroine. She had a big personality and was the kind of person I'd love to have as a friend. She always did what she thought was right and stuck up for her friends and family. The relationships she had with her friends, family, and love interests all felt so real. I enjoyed watching the relationships transform throughout the course of the story.
There were some plot twists I expected, and some I never saw coming. This book had me laughing out loud at times, and I probably cried about four times, too! I don't usually connect with family relationship stories because I'm not close with my family, but this book really touched my heart, all the same. The way it concluded was probably my favorite ending to any story. Everything was wrapped up in neat little bows and everybody got the happy ending they deserved. I just loved this book so much and now I want to read everything else this author has written!
I've never seen time travel done quite this way before. It was so modern and clever! All the 90s details felt perfectly on point. Even though I *was* in high school in the 90s, I remained in awe of how the author thought of endless details to bring the setting and time period so believably to life. It was just so well done!
I really loved the characters. They felt like real people, with their own mannerisms and ways of speaking. Even the "villains" felt like fully-realized characters. They had their own motivations and histories that came into play. I loved Sam as a heroine. She had a big personality and was the kind of person I'd love to have as a friend. She always did what she thought was right and stuck up for her friends and family. The relationships she had with her friends, family, and love interests all felt so real. I enjoyed watching the relationships transform throughout the course of the story.
There were some plot twists I expected, and some I never saw coming. This book had me laughing out loud at times, and I probably cried about four times, too! I don't usually connect with family relationship stories because I'm not close with my family, but this book really touched my heart, all the same. The way it concluded was probably my favorite ending to any story. Everything was wrapped up in neat little bows and everybody got the happy ending they deserved. I just loved this book so much and now I want to read everything else this author has written!
March 5, 2024
On the surface, this seems like a fairly cliched story of a girl sent back in time to help her mom win homecoming queen. But really, this story is about Korean American identity, and the different ways Sam and her mom approach how they're perceived based on their upbringing.
Although there's a little bit of romance in this story that I rooted for, this focuses strongly on family relationships, and it was really interesting seeing Sam's mom Priscilla as a teenager compared to how she is as an adult. She's very carefully controlled, and Sam's relentless optimism really balances that out and makes for a great friendship.
The plot twist later on got me, I wasn't expecting it but it really strengthened the story and made earlier events make more sense. Although I felt Sam's story was wrapped up at the end of the book, the mysterious, magical ride share company was so interesting and I'd love to see a sequel featuring new characters.
Although there's a little bit of romance in this story that I rooted for, this focuses strongly on family relationships, and it was really interesting seeing Sam's mom Priscilla as a teenager compared to how she is as an adult. She's very carefully controlled, and Sam's relentless optimism really balances that out and makes for a great friendship.
The plot twist later on got me, I wasn't expecting it but it really strengthened the story and made earlier events make more sense. Although I felt Sam's story was wrapped up at the end of the book, the mysterious, magical ride share company was so interesting and I'd love to see a sequel featuring new characters.
December 1, 2023
a must-read for anyone with mommy issues
May 21, 2025
6 stars
(DEEP SIGH) i need to stop writing reviews while crying because, omg, what a rollercoaster of emotions! throwback NEEDS to be a movie created by asians because it will revive 90's-2000's rom-coms for today's generation. it has everything i love about that era, with all the drama and angst of asian families, and nothing going unchecked that's appropriate for this era. the way korean generational trauma was illustrated was SO visceral and heartwrenching. i tandem read this physically with the audiobook and jennifer sun bell did a wonderful job in her performance! neither here nor there, but it's wild that my and my sister's anglicized names are in this book so i have an even more special attachment to throwback. this novel is a gem of a YA contemporary that triples as a nod to quirky hollywood sci-fi and a love letter to 90's and 2000's rom-coms.
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original cover artist: kemi mai
paperback cover: jenna stempel-lobell
br & ru cover artist: ing lee
fr cover artist: ???
you couldn't be above it all when you were the child of immigrants. that pressure, that feeling of indebtedness to your parents, it was woven into you like a fine thread.
(DEEP SIGH) i need to stop writing reviews while crying because, omg, what a rollercoaster of emotions! throwback NEEDS to be a movie created by asians because it will revive 90's-2000's rom-coms for today's generation. it has everything i love about that era, with all the drama and angst of asian families, and nothing going unchecked that's appropriate for this era. the way korean generational trauma was illustrated was SO visceral and heartwrenching. i tandem read this physically with the audiobook and jennifer sun bell did a wonderful job in her performance! neither here nor there, but it's wild that my and my sister's anglicized names are in this book so i have an even more special attachment to throwback. this novel is a gem of a YA contemporary that triples as a nod to quirky hollywood sci-fi and a love letter to 90's and 2000's rom-coms.
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original cover artist: kemi mai
paperback cover: jenna stempel-lobell
br & ru cover artist: ing lee
fr cover artist: ???
March 17, 2023
This was a lot of fun! I think if you were going to look too closely at the time travel mechanics etc you might find some big coincidences/flaws but like who cares we're here to have a GOOD TIME with NINETIES HIJINKS, I'm not a cop!!
I really loved Sam's ~journey~ of understanding where her mom was coming from, and as a millennial myself I really felt her mom Priscilla's pain. Also as a white millennial I don't personally know what Priscilla was going through but I've heard accounts from other Asian Americans how frustrating/conflicting it can feel to see K-pop and Japanese pop culture etc being super mainstream and popular now when it was stuff they got teased about as kids. So I thought having all of that in this book was really sharp and added a lot to the Back to the Future of it all.
A really fun read for millenials but I think teens who are intrigued by the 90s (and aren't they all now?!) will love it too, with added bonus for Korean American teens but also anyone who might relate to the kind of generational/cultural differences between Sam and Priscilla.
I really loved Sam's ~journey~ of understanding where her mom was coming from, and as a millennial myself I really felt her mom Priscilla's pain. Also as a white millennial I don't personally know what Priscilla was going through but I've heard accounts from other Asian Americans how frustrating/conflicting it can feel to see K-pop and Japanese pop culture etc being super mainstream and popular now when it was stuff they got teased about as kids. So I thought having all of that in this book was really sharp and added a lot to the Back to the Future of it all.
A really fun read for millenials but I think teens who are intrigued by the 90s (and aren't they all now?!) will love it too, with added bonus for Korean American teens but also anyone who might relate to the kind of generational/cultural differences between Sam and Priscilla.
September 17, 2024
3.5 🌟
O livro conta a história de uma adolescente coreana-americana chamada Samantha, que é transportada de volta aos anos 90 e tem a oportunidade de conhecer sua mãe adolescente. Durante essa experiência, Sam começa a entender melhor a mãe e a si mesma, em um enredo que mistura elementos de viagem no tempo com temas de família, identidade e crescimento pessoal.
O livro conta a história de uma adolescente coreana-americana chamada Samantha, que é transportada de volta aos anos 90 e tem a oportunidade de conhecer sua mãe adolescente. Durante essa experiência, Sam começa a entender melhor a mãe e a si mesma, em um enredo que mistura elementos de viagem no tempo com temas de família, identidade e crescimento pessoal.
July 31, 2023
This book is almost entirely derailed by extremely heavy-handed social justice political bullshit. It's very sad to see this author go down this road. The book is borderline unreadable because of this shit, and one can only imagine what people will think 10 years from now when this idiotic fever dream has passed out of the zeitgeist.
There is a low-key charming story here, which is a spin on "Back to the Future". The second half of the book largely moves on from musings on gender and politics and becomes a mildly touching tribute to the immigrant experience in our country.
As with most people who focus on critical race theory as their political center of gravity, this book comes off as low-key racist quite often. There are many self-contradicting observations and claims in the book when it comes to race. If the boyfriend is racist, why is he dating someone of another race? If the football team is racist, why do they turn to a non-white player at the biggest moment of their biggest game? The point being, not that racial micro-aggressions do not exist, but rather that the prefix "micro" has a meaning. And in the bigger picture what you see is a school with a non-white homecoming queen and a mixed-race couple presiding over their homecoming court.
As a story, the book largely fails to deliver on the comedy inherent in the social differences between 2023 and 1995. Or the similarities, of course. The author has some funny ideas about the present and also about the past; for example, she thinks that people were incessantly bullied in 1995 but that 2023 kids are way too woke to engage in that kind of behavior. Actually, the bullying is worse than its ever been; just check the social media feed of your adolescent child if you want to know how bad it is. She inexplicably believes that in 1995 only white kids separated themselves according to interests or social groups and nonwhite kids separated themselves racially. There's some truth in that observation, both for 1995 and for 2023, but the reality is way more complex than that, as complex as all the different human beings in a school can be. The author amusingly assumes the teens of 1995 to be stupid and ignorant compared with the enlightened generation of 2023. You will have trouble stopping the eye rolls when the 2023 time traveler explains to the 1995 teens that they should make posters to advertise their run for homecoming court because, we are told, this is inspired by internet-savvy marketing that all modern teens have mastered. Actually, modern teens are dangerously gullible when it comes to online marketing of all kinds. The notion is put forth that a 2023 teen understands that she does not actually know influencers she sees online, but simply feels that she knows them, and that she can apply this psychological trait to manipulating other people. Today's teens are probably less socially adept and less sophisticated than the teens of 1995 because of the nature of the society today. The current generation, unfortunately, is extremely stupid and unsocialized compared to older generations because of missing large chunks of their schooling.
Homecoming is a major theme here and the author seems to be under the impression that it is passe or a dying tradition. Actually, it's going strong, maybe stronger than ever. The idea that no woke teens of today would even want to run for homecoming is patently absurd and counterfactual. And most of the book is like this. I do not believe for one second that society of 1995 was a lot more racist that society of 2023; I just don't think there is that big a difference.
The love story with Jamie is charming, but there's not enough of it. Incidentally, you will see the big twist with this character coming up 5th Avenue almost from the moment the character first appears in the book, but that does not diminish the charm of this storyline.
If you stick with this, you will find that the second half of the book is much better than the first half. But the first half is pretty annoying. By the 2nd or 3rd page, I was ready to dnf. But, by the end, I forgave a lot of the shitty stuff in the book because the charming parts were quite charming.
There is a low-key charming story here, which is a spin on "Back to the Future". The second half of the book largely moves on from musings on gender and politics and becomes a mildly touching tribute to the immigrant experience in our country.
As with most people who focus on critical race theory as their political center of gravity, this book comes off as low-key racist quite often. There are many self-contradicting observations and claims in the book when it comes to race. If the boyfriend is racist, why is he dating someone of another race? If the football team is racist, why do they turn to a non-white player at the biggest moment of their biggest game? The point being, not that racial micro-aggressions do not exist, but rather that the prefix "micro" has a meaning. And in the bigger picture what you see is a school with a non-white homecoming queen and a mixed-race couple presiding over their homecoming court.
As a story, the book largely fails to deliver on the comedy inherent in the social differences between 2023 and 1995. Or the similarities, of course. The author has some funny ideas about the present and also about the past; for example, she thinks that people were incessantly bullied in 1995 but that 2023 kids are way too woke to engage in that kind of behavior. Actually, the bullying is worse than its ever been; just check the social media feed of your adolescent child if you want to know how bad it is. She inexplicably believes that in 1995 only white kids separated themselves according to interests or social groups and nonwhite kids separated themselves racially. There's some truth in that observation, both for 1995 and for 2023, but the reality is way more complex than that, as complex as all the different human beings in a school can be. The author amusingly assumes the teens of 1995 to be stupid and ignorant compared with the enlightened generation of 2023. You will have trouble stopping the eye rolls when the 2023 time traveler explains to the 1995 teens that they should make posters to advertise their run for homecoming court because, we are told, this is inspired by internet-savvy marketing that all modern teens have mastered. Actually, modern teens are dangerously gullible when it comes to online marketing of all kinds. The notion is put forth that a 2023 teen understands that she does not actually know influencers she sees online, but simply feels that she knows them, and that she can apply this psychological trait to manipulating other people. Today's teens are probably less socially adept and less sophisticated than the teens of 1995 because of the nature of the society today. The current generation, unfortunately, is extremely stupid and unsocialized compared to older generations because of missing large chunks of their schooling.
Homecoming is a major theme here and the author seems to be under the impression that it is passe or a dying tradition. Actually, it's going strong, maybe stronger than ever. The idea that no woke teens of today would even want to run for homecoming is patently absurd and counterfactual. And most of the book is like this. I do not believe for one second that society of 1995 was a lot more racist that society of 2023; I just don't think there is that big a difference.
The love story with Jamie is charming, but there's not enough of it. Incidentally, you will see the big twist with this character coming up 5th Avenue almost from the moment the character first appears in the book, but that does not diminish the charm of this storyline.
If you stick with this, you will find that the second half of the book is much better than the first half. But the first half is pretty annoying. By the 2nd or 3rd page, I was ready to dnf. But, by the end, I forgave a lot of the shitty stuff in the book because the charming parts were quite charming.
June 25, 2022
Maurene Goo has done it again. Gen Xers, this is a Back to the Future meets Hanging Out with Cici (by Francine Pascal, pre Sweet Valley High). Here, Korean American high school student, Samantha Kang, is constantly at odds with her prim and proper mom, Priscilla. After a huge fight with her, Samantha ends up back when her mom was also a high school senior. And, she begins to understand how and why her mom is the way she is. What was especially well done, was how Samantha sees the complicated relationship Priscilla has with Samantha's beloved grandmother and each generation has the same miscommunications. Samantha begins to see the burdens of being being an immigrant, and how each generation wants to give the next, a better life. The misunderstandings between cultural divides, communication breakdowns and generational differences intertwine, leading to parallel estrangements. This book will have you rooting for Samantha and Priscilla in each of their time zones and it's such a satisfying read. TL:DR Reader, I loved this.
I received an arc from the publisher but all opinions are my own.
I received an arc from the publisher but all opinions are my own.
May 14, 2023
This was a classic case of “I wish I liked it more”. I just found everything to be a bit lacking and overall I was a little disappointed.
I found Sam to be really hard to like. She was very aggressive, hostile, and critical of. . . well, pretty much everyone. She made a lot of good, strong points of course (in general, the ones regarding homophobia, racism, sexism, etc), but I wish she wasn’t the only one (I’m not counting Jamie, sorry). It put her on a pedestal above virtually everyone else. And yes, part of that was in regards to the time travel aspect, but it wound up making it feel like a lot of that important stuff was being shoehorned into the story in a clumsy way.
Side note: I had a HUGE problem with the reference to joking about guns in schools? It felt like it was done just for shock value.
The pacing was off too. It dragged most of the time and then the ending was rushed. Sam making up with her mom, Sam’s grandmother waking up and being okay, Sam winning Homecoming Queen, and finally, Sam reuniting with Jamie. A perfect ending that didn’t quite feel earned. It just didn’t work for me.
I found Sam to be really hard to like. She was very aggressive, hostile, and critical of. . . well, pretty much everyone. She made a lot of good, strong points of course (in general, the ones regarding homophobia, racism, sexism, etc), but I wish she wasn’t the only one (I’m not counting Jamie, sorry). It put her on a pedestal above virtually everyone else. And yes, part of that was in regards to the time travel aspect, but it wound up making it feel like a lot of that important stuff was being shoehorned into the story in a clumsy way.
Side note: I had a HUGE problem with the reference to joking about guns in schools? It felt like it was done just for shock value.
The pacing was off too. It dragged most of the time and then the ending was rushed. Sam making up with her mom, Sam’s grandmother waking up and being okay, Sam winning Homecoming Queen, and finally, Sam reuniting with Jamie. A perfect ending that didn’t quite feel earned. It just didn’t work for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 8, 2023
I loved this book. It was cute, fun, nostalgic, and moving. It's a great story for mother daughter relationships and how we see things differently. I highly recommend this book to all mothers and daughters who sometimes struggle to understand each other. There is some language but no smut.
February 22, 2024
This was a lot of fun.
And as a nerdy kid who spent a few weeks looking through old newspapers in the 90s-micrFILM has the rolls. MicroFICHE are flat sheets. You're welcome.
And as a nerdy kid who spent a few weeks looking through old newspapers in the 90s-micrFILM has the rolls. MicroFICHE are flat sheets. You're welcome.
December 24, 2024
I’m a sucker for traveling back in time in books, what can I say. Sam, the main character, travels back in time to when her mother is a teenager. If you like reading about mother/daughter relationships this is the book for you. One of my best reads of the month.
April 11, 2023
ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
Ever since I read I Believe in a Thing Called Love and Somewhere Only We Know I have loved Maurene Goo's books. When I got the review copy of Throwback I knew I was in for a treat. With a pitch like "Back to the Future meets the Joy Luck Club" how could you not get excited? I was saving this book knowing this would be my next bookish obsession and I was right! I feel a book hangover coming on.
Throwback follows Samantha Kang, a seventeen year old girl who has a rocky relationship with her mother. Where Sam perceives her mom as cold, stoic and obsessed with presenting a good image, Samantha can't help but feel like they are worlds apart. When a fight leads to Sam taking a magical ride share all the way back to 1995, Sam realises that maybe her mom and her have more in common than first thought. She realises that by helping her mom win Homecoming Queen and preventing a fight afterwards between her and her grandmother she can return to her timeline and complete the mission she was brought back in time for.
Admittedly, this book took me a while to get into. I wanted it to be a little more fast paced because it did have a slow build up. The build up was necessary to develop the characters and their backstories but I was just waiting for a bit more action during the first two thirds of the book.
Action aside though, the build up was necessary because it meant we wouldn't be able to connect with Priscilla and Sam otherwise. We were meant to side with Sam of the present and see Priscilla as unreasonable but in all honesty, both characters had their flaws and none of them could be framed as bad, just misunderstood. This was the case when Sam time traveled to when her mom was a teenager where she discovered the girl behind her mom's tough exterior. Sam started understanding her and her mom started understanding her back, discussing how even though they don't understand each other all the time, they still love one another and show this in ways the other may not always understand.
It did take me a while to like Sam to be honest. She always saw her mom as unfair but in the process of showing her mom as such, she seemed that way herself. By the end though, I started to like her. I liked Priscilla, the 1995 throwback version, from the get-go. She seemed tough like her future self but I liked how the closer she and Sam got, the more those layers fell away and we got to see this girl who just wanted to fit in and live out her dreams.
And the ending? The ending made the whole book all the more worth it. I loved every bit about the ending and found it so perfect. If you are a rom-com fan, this will definitely make you swoon and happy grin like I did reading on my iPad. I'm so happy about Priscilla's ending and Sam's ending. I'm giddy just writing about it.
All in all, if you want a feel good book with the kind of 90's vibe you felt like you've been missing, definitely give this book a read. If you're in the mood for a rom-com that's more than just the girl gets the guy with a few shenanigans thrown in the mix, that discusses big themes and has lots of heart, then this one is for you.
ACTUAL RATING: 3.9 STARS
Ever since I read I Believe in a Thing Called Love and Somewhere Only We Know I have loved Maurene Goo's books. When I got the review copy of Throwback I knew I was in for a treat. With a pitch like "Back to the Future meets the Joy Luck Club" how could you not get excited? I was saving this book knowing this would be my next bookish obsession and I was right! I feel a book hangover coming on.
Throwback follows Samantha Kang, a seventeen year old girl who has a rocky relationship with her mother. Where Sam perceives her mom as cold, stoic and obsessed with presenting a good image, Samantha can't help but feel like they are worlds apart. When a fight leads to Sam taking a magical ride share all the way back to 1995, Sam realises that maybe her mom and her have more in common than first thought. She realises that by helping her mom win Homecoming Queen and preventing a fight afterwards between her and her grandmother she can return to her timeline and complete the mission she was brought back in time for.
Admittedly, this book took me a while to get into. I wanted it to be a little more fast paced because it did have a slow build up. The build up was necessary to develop the characters and their backstories but I was just waiting for a bit more action during the first two thirds of the book.
Action aside though, the build up was necessary because it meant we wouldn't be able to connect with Priscilla and Sam otherwise. We were meant to side with Sam of the present and see Priscilla as unreasonable but in all honesty, both characters had their flaws and none of them could be framed as bad, just misunderstood. This was the case when Sam time traveled to when her mom was a teenager where she discovered the girl behind her mom's tough exterior. Sam started understanding her and her mom started understanding her back, discussing how even though they don't understand each other all the time, they still love one another and show this in ways the other may not always understand.
It did take me a while to like Sam to be honest. She always saw her mom as unfair but in the process of showing her mom as such, she seemed that way herself. By the end though, I started to like her. I liked Priscilla, the 1995 throwback version, from the get-go. She seemed tough like her future self but I liked how the closer she and Sam got, the more those layers fell away and we got to see this girl who just wanted to fit in and live out her dreams.
And the ending? The ending made the whole book all the more worth it. I loved every bit about the ending and found it so perfect. If you are a rom-com fan, this will definitely make you swoon and happy grin like I did reading on my iPad. I'm so happy about Priscilla's ending and Sam's ending. I'm giddy just writing about it.
All in all, if you want a feel good book with the kind of 90's vibe you felt like you've been missing, definitely give this book a read. If you're in the mood for a rom-com that's more than just the girl gets the guy with a few shenanigans thrown in the mix, that discusses big themes and has lots of heart, then this one is for you.
ACTUAL RATING: 3.9 STARS
May 10, 2023
A compulsively readable and moving book that will have readers cheering [waives pom-poms]—and grabbing a power bank and USB wall charger before hailing their next ride-share.
When I had read that this time-travel novel was "partially inspired by Back to the Future" and "pitched as a John Hughes movie meets Freaky Friday meets The Joy Luck Club," I knew that I must read it! Thank you to Zando Young Readers for the ARC.
The universal and timeless themes in this intergenerational and young-love story will resonate with readers of all ages, but the issues are ideally suited to woke teens. Excellent choice for a mother-daughter buddy read/book club.
CW: language
4.5 stars (heavy on woke culture / light on '90s culture)
When I had read that this time-travel novel was "partially inspired by Back to the Future" and "pitched as a John Hughes movie meets Freaky Friday meets The Joy Luck Club," I knew that I must read it! Thank you to Zando Young Readers for the ARC.
The universal and timeless themes in this intergenerational and young-love story will resonate with readers of all ages, but the issues are ideally suited to woke teens. Excellent choice for a mother-daughter buddy read/book club.
CW: language
4.5 stars (heavy on woke culture / light on '90s culture)
May 1, 2023
i don't have enough words to describe how much i LOVED THIS!!!! i’m sitting here after finishing it just feeling so 🥹🥰👯♀️🌻💛✨
the premise: a time travel adventure where a korean american teen jumps from 2025 to 1995, when her mom was a teen. her mission: befriend her 17 year old mom & make sure she wins homecoming queen.
as you can probably tell from the synopsis, this was full of absurd hijinks & i was hardcore smiling the whole time. there are definitely some stereotypically cringe gen z lines of dialogue, but they didn't feel overdone. i even felt they added to the story, really highlighting the differences between the 2020s & 90s vibes -- y'all know that's my biggest YA ick, so that's huge praise from me!!!
beyond the silliness, there was so much depth here too. our main character, sam, goes on a journey of self-discovery & her time befriending her mom in 1995 leads her to a deeper understanding of their present-day relationship. my heart truly grew 3 sizes as sam slowly realizes her mom is a whole human with baggage of her own. there is nothing that hits me deep in my core like some asian mom x daughter relationships!!!!
a perfect read for aanhpi heritage month as there are some solid conversations about asian american versus asian immigrant family dynamics & my tuma's diverse reading challenge read for the may prompt (a book about motherhood/featuring a compelling mother figure) 👩👧
this story was beautifully balanced between comical & heartfelt moments; it fr had me equally smiling like a loon & blinking back tears. the mother/daughter relationships are at the forefront, but the 90s vibes & the sprinkle of romance were such a great context to make this story something so so special.
now that i've wiped my tears, i'm ready to scream about this book with anyone who will listen!!! please pick this up & slide into my DMs immediately!!!!!
the premise: a time travel adventure where a korean american teen jumps from 2025 to 1995, when her mom was a teen. her mission: befriend her 17 year old mom & make sure she wins homecoming queen.
as you can probably tell from the synopsis, this was full of absurd hijinks & i was hardcore smiling the whole time. there are definitely some stereotypically cringe gen z lines of dialogue, but they didn't feel overdone. i even felt they added to the story, really highlighting the differences between the 2020s & 90s vibes -- y'all know that's my biggest YA ick, so that's huge praise from me!!!
beyond the silliness, there was so much depth here too. our main character, sam, goes on a journey of self-discovery & her time befriending her mom in 1995 leads her to a deeper understanding of their present-day relationship. my heart truly grew 3 sizes as sam slowly realizes her mom is a whole human with baggage of her own. there is nothing that hits me deep in my core like some asian mom x daughter relationships!!!!
a perfect read for aanhpi heritage month as there are some solid conversations about asian american versus asian immigrant family dynamics & my tuma's diverse reading challenge read for the may prompt (a book about motherhood/featuring a compelling mother figure) 👩👧
this story was beautifully balanced between comical & heartfelt moments; it fr had me equally smiling like a loon & blinking back tears. the mother/daughter relationships are at the forefront, but the 90s vibes & the sprinkle of romance were such a great context to make this story something so so special.
now that i've wiped my tears, i'm ready to scream about this book with anyone who will listen!!! please pick this up & slide into my DMs immediately!!!!!
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