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Kaleidoscope
"A dazzling and heartfelt novel about the disorientation of grief, the hollowness of the American Dream, and the bravery of rebuilding one's identity, as the remaining daughter of a self-made Chinese-American dynasty sets off across the world to define herself in the wake of her beloved sister's death"--
315 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 5, 2022
113 people are currently reading
12274 people want to read
About the author
Cecily Wong
7 books169 followersCecily is the author of three books. Her debut novel, Diamond Head (Harper, HarperCollins), was a Barnes and Noble Discover Great New Writers Selection, recipient of an Elle Readers' Prize, and voted a best debut of the 2015 Brooklyn Book Festival. Her second novel, Kaleidoscope (Dutton, Penguin Random House), will be published July 5, 2022. Cecily is also the co-author of the New York Times bestseller Gastro Obscura: An Explorer’s Guide to Food (Workman Publishing).
Cecily’s work has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, The LA Review of Books, Self Magazine, Bustle, Atlas Obscura, and elsewhere. A graduate of Barnard College, Cecily spent many years living in New York and now lives in Portland, Oregon with her husband and daughter.
Cecily’s work has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, The LA Review of Books, Self Magazine, Bustle, Atlas Obscura, and elsewhere. A graduate of Barnard College, Cecily spent many years living in New York and now lives in Portland, Oregon with her husband and daughter.
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July 21, 2022Sparkling with sharp observations and deeply wise in its insights, Kaleidoscope is a moving portrayal of the tangled knot of sisterhood and the dizzying spiral of grief. Cecily Wong’s dazzling second novel deftly illuminates the complex push-pull of family and ambition, and the ways we learn to define ourselves in—and out of—our loved ones’ orbits.
January 24, 2023
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2 ½ stars (rounded up)
What could have been a poignant exploration of the complex bond between two sisters is ultimately undercut by an underwhelming cast of characters, an uninspired romance & an uneven storyline. While there were scenes within Kaleidoscope that struck me as witty & moving, the pacing and sort-of-but-not-quite non-linear timeline didn’t feel particularly compelling.
In the opening chapter, we witness one of the Brighton sisters' most difficult experiences, and we are given a glimpse into their intense yet sometimes uneasy relationship. The following chapters switch to the younger sister’s pov, and sadly I am rarely a fan of books switching between 1st and 3rd povs. Anyway, a good chunk of the story is told directly by Riley Brighton, who is Chinese American, and has always felt in her sister’s shadow. Riley is a rather aimless loner who struggles to reconcile herself to life. Her beautiful older sister, Morgan, has always played a more active role in the family’s business, Kaleidoscope, a shopping empire started by her parents and a friend of theirs.
While we don’t learn too much about Kaleidoscope, other than how it started and the kind of merchandise it sells (a lot of goods imported from india) and the kind of demographic it appeals to, many aspects of this business remain unexplored, which is a pity as I wish the narrative could have incorporated more fully discussions on consumerism and cultural appropriation. Anyhow, we learn that Riley and Morgan’s bond was a bit codependent, and once they reach their college years, their relationship becomes somewhat fraught. Add to the mix James, who is Morgan’s new bf, and Riley’s sort-of-crush and things get complicated.
When tragedy strikes, Riley is left reeling. Her parents offer no comfort, and Riley is drowning in guilt. As her relationship with her parents' sours, Riley decides on a ‘healing’ journey.
A lot of the time the motivations of the characters escaped me, but not in a way that made them realistically idiosyncratic or compellingly ambiguous…I just found their actions random and to very much serve as convenient plot-devices to get us from A to B. Riley, our protagonist remains a mystery to me. She tries to articulate her difficulties in life, her feelings towards Morgan, James, her parents, and her own identity..but does so in a way that really succeeds in conveying her various states of mind, fears, and desires. That the narrative switches to a 3rd after ‘it’ happens, also distanced me somewhat from the events of the story. There is a large chunk of the book where nothing really happens, nor are we given much insight into the characters…and then around the halfway mark, possibly even after, we finally get that ‘trip’ that was mentioned in the book’s summary. I rather disliked it when book summaries mention something that happens waaaay late in the story, especially when they imply that this will be a major aspect of the storyline….and here it just wasn’t. I didn’t like the trip at all, as it struck me as and bordering on eat-pray-love vibes.
I also really didn’t like that Riley and James’s relationship takes precedence over Riley and Morgan’s bond. I just can’t help but compare this to two of my favourite novels that explore complex sister dynamics, Sunset and Yolk. There, the sisters are messy, sure, and we don’t always understand them, but the authors are able to portray them in such a vivid way as to make them utterly believable. Here Morgan is at best a very thinly rendered character…maybe if we had more flashbacks exploring the sisters’ relationship prior & after Kaleidoscope, Morgan & Riley's relationship would have come across as more rounded…as things stand I struggled to take them seriously, and it was frustrating that Morgan’s character is sidelined in favour of this boring & dodgy guy. Maybe if Riley and his grief had been rendered in more depth, maybe then I could have been more willing to accept the idea that she & James found solace and comfort in each other…as things stand I didn’t like how their romance is framed as if it’s the real deal, and even if Morgan was perfect James could only love Riley because she’s just so ‘real’ and different. Ma fammi il piacere...
The ‘discovery’ they make on their trip seemed convenient as it gives their romance more legitimacy (that morgan had hidden stuff from them).
Now, one of my biggest complaints actually has to do with the parents. The mother is ridiculous, and nothing she did or said struck me as realistic (she's even named karen). The father barely has a role so I can’t say anything about him. If the focus had remained on the family dynamics I would have probably been able to appreciate this more.
The non-linear timeline and the switching of perspectives didn’t really contribute much to the story, if anything they detracted from would have been an intimate and nuanced drama about sisterhood, grief, loneliness, and identity. Those chapters following the opening (which felt a bit random now that i think back to it as i don’t get the point of starting the story with that scene) were actually quite promising, and the 1st pov made Riley feel more real and sympathetic. But after the tragedy, not only are we distanced from the ‘action’ thanks to a switch to a more detached 3rd pov, but we get far too many melodramatic scenes involving Riley’s mum, her ‘journey’, and her romance with James. I can’t stress enough just how much I disliked the romance, which was cheesy & predictable.
I wish that Wong could have addressed certain issues & realities into more depth, as certain serious topics receive a somewhat rushed & superficial treatment.
All in all, I can’t say I liked this. Riley’s earlier moments of introspection did appeal to me but as the narrative progressed my interest waned. The sisters should have remained at the forefront of the story, and they don’t. Most of the characters are cartoonish. The pacing is all over the place. And the romance was yikes. This is a pity as the story did have the potential of presenting its readers with a complex interrogation of identity & grief as well as the messy dynamic between sisters.
If you are interested in reading this book I recommend you check out more positive reviews or ones expressing opposing/different takes from my one.
2 ½ stars (rounded up)
“I’ve found that loneliness has a way of feeling significant, no matter how frivolously the hours are spent.”
What could have been a poignant exploration of the complex bond between two sisters is ultimately undercut by an underwhelming cast of characters, an uninspired romance & an uneven storyline. While there were scenes within Kaleidoscope that struck me as witty & moving, the pacing and sort-of-but-not-quite non-linear timeline didn’t feel particularly compelling.
In the opening chapter, we witness one of the Brighton sisters' most difficult experiences, and we are given a glimpse into their intense yet sometimes uneasy relationship. The following chapters switch to the younger sister’s pov, and sadly I am rarely a fan of books switching between 1st and 3rd povs. Anyway, a good chunk of the story is told directly by Riley Brighton, who is Chinese American, and has always felt in her sister’s shadow. Riley is a rather aimless loner who struggles to reconcile herself to life. Her beautiful older sister, Morgan, has always played a more active role in the family’s business, Kaleidoscope, a shopping empire started by her parents and a friend of theirs.
While we don’t learn too much about Kaleidoscope, other than how it started and the kind of merchandise it sells (a lot of goods imported from india) and the kind of demographic it appeals to, many aspects of this business remain unexplored, which is a pity as I wish the narrative could have incorporated more fully discussions on consumerism and cultural appropriation. Anyhow, we learn that Riley and Morgan’s bond was a bit codependent, and once they reach their college years, their relationship becomes somewhat fraught. Add to the mix James, who is Morgan’s new bf, and Riley’s sort-of-crush and things get complicated.
When tragedy strikes, Riley is left reeling. Her parents offer no comfort, and Riley is drowning in guilt. As her relationship with her parents' sours, Riley decides on a ‘healing’ journey.
“At what point, she asks herself, is a person entitled to feel badly for themselves? Who gets to judge? What are the criteria for comparing heartbreak?”
A lot of the time the motivations of the characters escaped me, but not in a way that made them realistically idiosyncratic or compellingly ambiguous…I just found their actions random and to very much serve as convenient plot-devices to get us from A to B. Riley, our protagonist remains a mystery to me. She tries to articulate her difficulties in life, her feelings towards Morgan, James, her parents, and her own identity..but does so in a way that really succeeds in conveying her various states of mind, fears, and desires. That the narrative switches to a 3rd after ‘it’ happens, also distanced me somewhat from the events of the story. There is a large chunk of the book where nothing really happens, nor are we given much insight into the characters…and then around the halfway mark, possibly even after, we finally get that ‘trip’ that was mentioned in the book’s summary. I rather disliked it when book summaries mention something that happens waaaay late in the story, especially when they imply that this will be a major aspect of the storyline….and here it just wasn’t. I didn’t like the trip at all, as it struck me as and bordering on eat-pray-love vibes.
I also really didn’t like that Riley and James’s relationship takes precedence over Riley and Morgan’s bond. I just can’t help but compare this to two of my favourite novels that explore complex sister dynamics, Sunset and Yolk. There, the sisters are messy, sure, and we don’t always understand them, but the authors are able to portray them in such a vivid way as to make them utterly believable. Here Morgan is at best a very thinly rendered character…maybe if we had more flashbacks exploring the sisters’ relationship prior & after Kaleidoscope, Morgan & Riley's relationship would have come across as more rounded…as things stand I struggled to take them seriously, and it was frustrating that Morgan’s character is sidelined in favour of this boring & dodgy guy. Maybe if Riley and his grief had been rendered in more depth, maybe then I could have been more willing to accept the idea that she & James found solace and comfort in each other…as things stand I didn’t like how their romance is framed as if it’s the real deal, and even if Morgan was perfect James could only love Riley because she’s just so ‘real’ and different. Ma fammi il piacere...
The ‘discovery’ they make on their trip seemed convenient as it gives their romance more legitimacy (that morgan had hidden stuff from them).
Now, one of my biggest complaints actually has to do with the parents. The mother is ridiculous, and nothing she did or said struck me as realistic (she's even named karen). The father barely has a role so I can’t say anything about him. If the focus had remained on the family dynamics I would have probably been able to appreciate this more.
The non-linear timeline and the switching of perspectives didn’t really contribute much to the story, if anything they detracted from would have been an intimate and nuanced drama about sisterhood, grief, loneliness, and identity. Those chapters following the opening (which felt a bit random now that i think back to it as i don’t get the point of starting the story with that scene) were actually quite promising, and the 1st pov made Riley feel more real and sympathetic. But after the tragedy, not only are we distanced from the ‘action’ thanks to a switch to a more detached 3rd pov, but we get far too many melodramatic scenes involving Riley’s mum, her ‘journey’, and her romance with James. I can’t stress enough just how much I disliked the romance, which was cheesy & predictable.
I wish that Wong could have addressed certain issues & realities into more depth, as certain serious topics receive a somewhat rushed & superficial treatment.
All in all, I can’t say I liked this. Riley’s earlier moments of introspection did appeal to me but as the narrative progressed my interest waned. The sisters should have remained at the forefront of the story, and they don’t. Most of the characters are cartoonish. The pacing is all over the place. And the romance was yikes. This is a pity as the story did have the potential of presenting its readers with a complex interrogation of identity & grief as well as the messy dynamic between sisters.
If you are interested in reading this book I recommend you check out more positive reviews or ones expressing opposing/different takes from my one.
July 14, 2022
Many thanks to @duttonbooks and @hellocecilywong for an electronic copy of #Kaleidoscope.
Sometimes you simply fall hard into a story and that’s exactly what happened to me with 𝐊𝐀𝐋𝐄𝐈𝐃𝐎𝐒𝐂𝐎𝐏𝐄 by Cecily Wong. Hers is a book I flew through in a single day, and then was left wishing I hadn’t yet finished. It's one of the best books I’ve read this year and one of my two July book hangovers.
This is a difficult book to describe without giving too much away, but I’ll try a few basics. Above all, this is a story about the relationship between two sisters, Morgan and Riley, daughters of very successful entrepreneurs. It’s about the reasons they're so close, why they drift just a bit, and how one reacts after she's left on her own. It’s also about both sisters’ relationships with their parents, who treat the two very differently. It’s about crossing boundaries, and about being lost and finding yourself again. Ultimately, 𝘒𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘪𝘥𝘰𝘴𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘦 is a love story in which love takes on many different forms.
I know I’ve given you little to go on, and the story may even sound a little grim, but it really isn’t. Yes, there is sadness and pain, but also hope and renewal. The last thing I want to say is, “𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐢𝐭!” 𝘒𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘪𝘥𝘰𝘴𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘦 is a book I highly recommend! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Sometimes you simply fall hard into a story and that’s exactly what happened to me with 𝐊𝐀𝐋𝐄𝐈𝐃𝐎𝐒𝐂𝐎𝐏𝐄 by Cecily Wong. Hers is a book I flew through in a single day, and then was left wishing I hadn’t yet finished. It's one of the best books I’ve read this year and one of my two July book hangovers.
This is a difficult book to describe without giving too much away, but I’ll try a few basics. Above all, this is a story about the relationship between two sisters, Morgan and Riley, daughters of very successful entrepreneurs. It’s about the reasons they're so close, why they drift just a bit, and how one reacts after she's left on her own. It’s also about both sisters’ relationships with their parents, who treat the two very differently. It’s about crossing boundaries, and about being lost and finding yourself again. Ultimately, 𝘒𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘪𝘥𝘰𝘴𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘦 is a love story in which love takes on many different forms.
I know I’ve given you little to go on, and the story may even sound a little grim, but it really isn’t. Yes, there is sadness and pain, but also hope and renewal. The last thing I want to say is, “𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐢𝐭!” 𝘒𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘪𝘥𝘰𝘴𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘦 is a book I highly recommend! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
December 3, 2021
Breathtaking and Stunning are words that come to mind while reading Kaleidoscope. It's promoted as a novel about grief and overcoming it to live life to the fullest. I suppose that's the bravery they discuss in the book summary. I personally did not feel like the summary prepared me in any way for this book. However, in saying that, I realize I am unlike to prepare you as well!
This book is beautiful and enthralling. It's an experience - you may read it twice. If you like spiraling and expansive tales about families, this is a book for you. If you have enjoyed books regarding people seeking their American identity, this is a book for you. If you just love great writing, pick it up!
You will follow Riley Brighton as she tries to make sense of both her great and terrible luck in life. She travels the globe and lets you into her very secret thoughts, both good and bad. Pick this book up! You won't regret it! #NetGalley #Kaleidoscope
This book is beautiful and enthralling. It's an experience - you may read it twice. If you like spiraling and expansive tales about families, this is a book for you. If you have enjoyed books regarding people seeking their American identity, this is a book for you. If you just love great writing, pick it up!
You will follow Riley Brighton as she tries to make sense of both her great and terrible luck in life. She travels the globe and lets you into her very secret thoughts, both good and bad. Pick this book up! You won't regret it! #NetGalley #Kaleidoscope
May 31, 2022
There are no words for what this book meant to me. It was meaningful to me in a very personal way. I found myself sobbing multiple times because it was so intense, and real, and sharp, and beautiful all at the same time. What a perfect name Kaleidoscope is for this novel. Ultimately this book is a deep dive into family relationships for all they are good and bad, but formative.
Riley Brighton is an outlier in her family. She is not the pretty one, or successful one, or interested in the family business which consumes her sister, mother, and father. She has her own interests, even if no one is interested in her. Riley is close with her sister Morgan, but envies how easy is everything is for her, how everyone loves her immediately and without question. Morgan even gets the nerdy boy who Riley has loved for so long. Then when tragedy strikes the Brighton family, they are all forced to face each other with unflinching openness and discover who they are, what that means, and what the future holds.
It’s the writing that brings this story to life. Its depth and lyrical prose delights the reader with beautiful recreations of far off places, crowd streets, bustle, hustle, and best of all the food that comes with it. This book is delicious to its core. I received this book as an ARC from Netgalley, but I am going to buy it because this book deserves a place on my shelf and I can imagine myself reading this book over and over again.
Content Warning: Contains graphic description of a chemically induced abortion, and child/teen grooming
Riley Brighton is an outlier in her family. She is not the pretty one, or successful one, or interested in the family business which consumes her sister, mother, and father. She has her own interests, even if no one is interested in her. Riley is close with her sister Morgan, but envies how easy is everything is for her, how everyone loves her immediately and without question. Morgan even gets the nerdy boy who Riley has loved for so long. Then when tragedy strikes the Brighton family, they are all forced to face each other with unflinching openness and discover who they are, what that means, and what the future holds.
It’s the writing that brings this story to life. Its depth and lyrical prose delights the reader with beautiful recreations of far off places, crowd streets, bustle, hustle, and best of all the food that comes with it. This book is delicious to its core. I received this book as an ARC from Netgalley, but I am going to buy it because this book deserves a place on my shelf and I can imagine myself reading this book over and over again.
Content Warning: Contains graphic description of a chemically induced abortion, and child/teen grooming
July 26, 2022
This is a book I had to sit with for awhile to gather my thoughts before figuring out how to get my feelings across on it. While it may not seem like it on the surface, there was actually a complexity to the story that, on first read, can be difficult to understand. Indeed, for the first third of the novel or so, I honestly wasn’t sure where the author, Cecily Wong, was trying to go with the story. There was a lot of back and forth between time periods and snippets of things that happen in the lives of the Brightons — the interracial family at the center of the story. Hank and Karen are hardworking entrepreneurs who launch a successful company named Kaleidoscope — a “rags to riches” story that catapults them into the upper echelons of society and allows them to realize their American Dream. Their eldest daughter Morgan, beautiful and talented, is the head designer for the company and, in essence, is also the “star” of the family, beloved by both her parents as well as her younger sister Riley. Smart and studious but lacking ambition, Riley knows that her place in the family (and in the elite world they’ve become a part of) will forever be eclipsed by her sister’s “larger than life” personality. Riley is perfectly content with ceding the spotlight to Morgan and retreating to the “support” role she has always played in the family — though the one thing that both she and Morgan both miss is the closeness that they’ve always shared since they were girls. When tragedy strikes and the family’s world comes crashing down as a result, the aftermath leaves Riley with more questions than answers — about herself, her sister, and most of all, her parents’ ambition that has sustained the family’s success over the years.
This is a nuanced story with a narrative that shifted around a lot — switching between time periods, between past and present, between character perspectives, between first and third person voices, even touching on second person voice at one point. The segments of the story mirrored the various fragments of a kaleidoscope, where the pieces eventually come together to form a dizzying but arresting portrait of an ambitious family caught up in the throes of success and its impact on one daughter’s personal journey toward meaning and understanding. As I mentioned earlier, I found it difficult at first to parse the various fragments of the narrative, but when I figured out the direction that the author was trying to go with the story (around the halfway mark), I couldn’t help but be awed by the brilliant use of structure and form. Stories that play with structure don’t always work for me, but this one did for some reason, and I definitely appreciated the chance to experience something so interesting and different.
This was also a character-driven story where the portrayals of the four members of the Brighton family as well as the various people in their orbit were extremely important. While none of the characters were particularly likable (which sometimes can be a dealbreaker for me in terms of positive reading experience), all of them were so realistically drawn that I found myself able to resonate with each one in ways that I didn’t expect. In this regard, I felt the author did a good job relating the struggles and inner conflicts that each of the characters went through, especially as it pertained to their relationships and how they interact with each other.
As this is a story that’s very hard to describe without experiencing it for yourself, I don’t want to give away too much here. One thing I will say though is that this book is one of the few I’ve read in recent years that deftly explores the nuances of love and relationships in all its various manifestations and iterations, altogether in one story — i.e.: love that underlies a close bond between sisters; love between parents and their children that drives certain behaviors and expectations; romantic love both within marriage and outside of it, and how one isn’t necessarily dependent on the other; self-love that drives confidence and ambition but also how the lack of it can warp into pain and heartbreak, etc.
I definitely recommend reading this one, though note that it won’t be an easy read for sure (both in terms of subject matter and overall structure of the story). Also, trigger warnings abound, with a few scenes where some of the descriptions were particularly graphic. This is Cecily Wong’s second novel and while I intend to go back and read her debut, I also look forward to seeing what might be in store from her in the future.
Received ARC from publisher Dutton via Edelweiss.
This is a nuanced story with a narrative that shifted around a lot — switching between time periods, between past and present, between character perspectives, between first and third person voices, even touching on second person voice at one point. The segments of the story mirrored the various fragments of a kaleidoscope, where the pieces eventually come together to form a dizzying but arresting portrait of an ambitious family caught up in the throes of success and its impact on one daughter’s personal journey toward meaning and understanding. As I mentioned earlier, I found it difficult at first to parse the various fragments of the narrative, but when I figured out the direction that the author was trying to go with the story (around the halfway mark), I couldn’t help but be awed by the brilliant use of structure and form. Stories that play with structure don’t always work for me, but this one did for some reason, and I definitely appreciated the chance to experience something so interesting and different.
This was also a character-driven story where the portrayals of the four members of the Brighton family as well as the various people in their orbit were extremely important. While none of the characters were particularly likable (which sometimes can be a dealbreaker for me in terms of positive reading experience), all of them were so realistically drawn that I found myself able to resonate with each one in ways that I didn’t expect. In this regard, I felt the author did a good job relating the struggles and inner conflicts that each of the characters went through, especially as it pertained to their relationships and how they interact with each other.
As this is a story that’s very hard to describe without experiencing it for yourself, I don’t want to give away too much here. One thing I will say though is that this book is one of the few I’ve read in recent years that deftly explores the nuances of love and relationships in all its various manifestations and iterations, altogether in one story — i.e.: love that underlies a close bond between sisters; love between parents and their children that drives certain behaviors and expectations; romantic love both within marriage and outside of it, and how one isn’t necessarily dependent on the other; self-love that drives confidence and ambition but also how the lack of it can warp into pain and heartbreak, etc.
I definitely recommend reading this one, though note that it won’t be an easy read for sure (both in terms of subject matter and overall structure of the story). Also, trigger warnings abound, with a few scenes where some of the descriptions were particularly graphic. This is Cecily Wong’s second novel and while I intend to go back and read her debut, I also look forward to seeing what might be in store from her in the future.
Received ARC from publisher Dutton via Edelweiss.
December 20, 2021
This story began in what seemed to be a pivotal moment in Riley and Morgan's lives. It honestly ended up not even being a further factor as the story progressed. So I potentially could have done without that, plus it was a trigger warning for some.
As the rest of the book unfolds it becomes a chaotic messy ride. It felt like a real family, nothing farfetched about reactions or certain personalities interacting. That might have been my favorite part of the book. Wong was able to cut to the heart of familial problems I think most can relate to. Whether it was sister dynamics or butting heads with parents, Kaleidoscope covers it all and does it well.
Some of the food descriptions and travel descriptions were amazing and I felt like I was transported back to that same era in my life (which happened to be the same age/time as Riley and Morgan). Well done on character development, looking forward to reading more books in the future!
As the rest of the book unfolds it becomes a chaotic messy ride. It felt like a real family, nothing farfetched about reactions or certain personalities interacting. That might have been my favorite part of the book. Wong was able to cut to the heart of familial problems I think most can relate to. Whether it was sister dynamics or butting heads with parents, Kaleidoscope covers it all and does it well.
Some of the food descriptions and travel descriptions were amazing and I felt like I was transported back to that same era in my life (which happened to be the same age/time as Riley and Morgan). Well done on character development, looking forward to reading more books in the future!
February 9, 2022
Absolutely, incredibly outstanding. Fantastic. Brilliant. I could go on, but there are no words that quite reach the measure.
This was a story of hope and love and forgiveness and it was perfectly done.
I also can’t miss this opportunity to emphatically state how very deeply, to my innermost core, I despised Karen. She was a hideous individual and the fact that no one punched her was profoundly disappointing.
This was a story of hope and love and forgiveness and it was perfectly done.
I also can’t miss this opportunity to emphatically state how very deeply, to my innermost core, I despised Karen. She was a hideous individual and the fact that no one punched her was profoundly disappointing.
June 22, 2022
Disorienting, moving, surprising. Reading Kaleidoscope was a strange and refreshing experience. I don’t know if I’ve read another story like it and I will be thinking about it for a long time.
Without spoiling the story, it largely focuses on the relationships we have with ourselves, with our families, finding out we can’t possibly know everything about ourselves much less other people, and trying to make sense of it all as we move through the world.
The novel centers around the Brighton family, famous for their store, Kaleidoscope, which sells clothes from and inspired by different parts of the world (initially India, and now many countries). The story is told in five parts and features lush accounts of travel throughout Asia and compelling descriptions of the rise and expansion of Kaleidoscope. Sometimes, there is a staccato like rhythm to the narrative or a jarring passage, and then later or suddenly, the pieces fit together, much like when looking through a Kaleidoscope. Highly recommended to readers looking for a beautifully told story of love and self-discovery.
Thank you very much to Penguin Group Dutton for the opportunity to read this ARC via NetGalley.
Without spoiling the story, it largely focuses on the relationships we have with ourselves, with our families, finding out we can’t possibly know everything about ourselves much less other people, and trying to make sense of it all as we move through the world.
The novel centers around the Brighton family, famous for their store, Kaleidoscope, which sells clothes from and inspired by different parts of the world (initially India, and now many countries). The story is told in five parts and features lush accounts of travel throughout Asia and compelling descriptions of the rise and expansion of Kaleidoscope. Sometimes, there is a staccato like rhythm to the narrative or a jarring passage, and then later or suddenly, the pieces fit together, much like when looking through a Kaleidoscope. Highly recommended to readers looking for a beautifully told story of love and self-discovery.
Thank you very much to Penguin Group Dutton for the opportunity to read this ARC via NetGalley.
May 25, 2022
Cecily Wong describes emotion like a poet. Her words have form and texture. Her broken characters are true in the way they mend, tear, fix again, and finally find a way to live broken.
Riley Brighton is the quiet, overlooked member of the rags to riches family who created an empire out of importing fine goods from India before samosas and bollywood were familiar in our country. Oldest daughter, Morgan, was the honey-haired starlet whose fashion designs helped expand the company. Riley and Morgan, dierent in every way, were as close as twins, sharing everything, feeding o each other.
Tragedy, though, has a way of laying things bare. Riley slowly comes to understand herself and the rest of her family in her year of dealing with unbearable grief. Nothing is as it seemed.
This coming of age story feels so very important, delving deep into family as much as personal growth. Because who are we without those who raised us, who were raised alongside us? Not that Riley is trapped or even defined by the Brightons, but to ignore them would make her less, would make the story less. Wong’s character is amazingly herself.
Travelers will enjoy Wong’s descriptions of the many places Riley visited. I am not a traveler, but felt like one while reading. I loved this book for the way it drew me into Riley’s grief in a way I felt on my skin. Wong’s language is simply gorgeous. I found myself rushing to see what would happen and forcing myself to slow down to spend time with the words.
Riley Brighton is the quiet, overlooked member of the rags to riches family who created an empire out of importing fine goods from India before samosas and bollywood were familiar in our country. Oldest daughter, Morgan, was the honey-haired starlet whose fashion designs helped expand the company. Riley and Morgan, dierent in every way, were as close as twins, sharing everything, feeding o each other.
Tragedy, though, has a way of laying things bare. Riley slowly comes to understand herself and the rest of her family in her year of dealing with unbearable grief. Nothing is as it seemed.
This coming of age story feels so very important, delving deep into family as much as personal growth. Because who are we without those who raised us, who were raised alongside us? Not that Riley is trapped or even defined by the Brightons, but to ignore them would make her less, would make the story less. Wong’s character is amazingly herself.
Travelers will enjoy Wong’s descriptions of the many places Riley visited. I am not a traveler, but felt like one while reading. I loved this book for the way it drew me into Riley’s grief in a way I felt on my skin. Wong’s language is simply gorgeous. I found myself rushing to see what would happen and forcing myself to slow down to spend time with the words.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 22, 2021
Beautifully written, deeply moving tale of sisterhood, love, family, and finding oneself. I couldn’t put it down. The prose was stunning. The speech that the main character receives toward the end about love was perfection. The whole story was so messy but yet incredibly relatable and didn’t feel far-fetched at all. The imagery was unlike anything I’ve ever read—I could taste the food, hear the music, feel the characters’ physical discomfort at times.
The relationship between the sisters was by far one of the most complex character relationships I’ve ever read. The beginning of the book floored me and I was hooked. I guessed one of the twists but the second really rocked me, like I felt how the character felt when they found out. Absolutely would recommend this book!
The relationship between the sisters was by far one of the most complex character relationships I’ve ever read. The beginning of the book floored me and I was hooked. I guessed one of the twists but the second really rocked me, like I felt how the character felt when they found out. Absolutely would recommend this book!
December 19, 2021
This book was such a thrilling journey to consume. I’ll admit that after reading the first 40% of the book I assumed I knew where the story was going. I thought this would be a typical story about a little sister jealous of an older sister. Wow was I wrong. The sisters’ relationship is used to explore self doubt, self acceptance, marriage, depression, trust, family dynamics, race, class, etc. Not to mention this book also contains some invigorating travel stories. Also, I am a sucker for books that delve into mother daughter relationships when the two women at the center just aren’t that close. This book contained multitudes and I was here for each one. Thank you to Penguin for providing me with an advanced copy.
November 23, 2021
Beautifully written, deeply moving tale of sisterhood, love, family, and finding oneself. I couldn’t put it down. The prose was stunning. The speech that the main character receives toward the end about love was perfection. The whole story was so messy but yet incredibly relatable and didn’t feel far-fetched at all. The imagery was unlike anything I’ve ever read—I could taste the food, hear the music, feel the characters’ physical discomfort at times.
The relationship between the sisters was by far one of the most complex character relationships I’ve ever read. The beginning of the book floored me and I was hooked. I guessed one of the twists but the second really rocked me, like I felt how the character felt when they found out. Absolutely would recommend this book!
The relationship between the sisters was by far one of the most complex character relationships I’ve ever read. The beginning of the book floored me and I was hooked. I guessed one of the twists but the second really rocked me, like I felt how the character felt when they found out. Absolutely would recommend this book!
July 4, 2022
KALEIDOSCOPE |
[Thank you duttonbooks for the gifted copy]
KALEIDOSCOPE is a beautiful story of two sisters, lovers, and a mother daughter in various states of fracture. I don't have a sister/sibling, but I've had best friends with whom I've felt like I walked in their shadows, engulfed by how much better I thought they were at everything. So much of people's insecurities revolve around comparing themselves to others and it bleeds into every relationship we have.
As the title conveys there are a myriad number of ways in which we present ourselves to be seen or choose to see what's going on around us. I enjoyed all of the discoveries, growth and revelations.
I went in knowing nothing about the book. I saw the blurb from Celeste Ng and thought that was enough. I'd recommend not reading the synopsis either.
(4.5)
[Thank you duttonbooks for the gifted copy]
KALEIDOSCOPE is a beautiful story of two sisters, lovers, and a mother daughter in various states of fracture. I don't have a sister/sibling, but I've had best friends with whom I've felt like I walked in their shadows, engulfed by how much better I thought they were at everything. So much of people's insecurities revolve around comparing themselves to others and it bleeds into every relationship we have.
As the title conveys there are a myriad number of ways in which we present ourselves to be seen or choose to see what's going on around us. I enjoyed all of the discoveries, growth and revelations.
I went in knowing nothing about the book. I saw the blurb from Celeste Ng and thought that was enough. I'd recommend not reading the synopsis either.
(4.5)
November 10, 2022
3.5 stars
This is a poignant story of family dynamics, secrets, and grief.
Hank and Karen Brighton owned an organic grocery store in Oregon until they’re inspired to start selling clothes and goods from India and other countries. It’s not long before they’ve created Kaleidoscope, which becomes a shopping empire, enticing wealthy people to explore the more exotic side of fashion, furnishings, and art.
Morgan, their oldest daughter, turns heads with her model-esque beauty, but her fashion savvy makes her the star of Kaleidoscope, even though she hasn’t graduated from college yet. And while her younger sister Riley finds it difficult to be in Morgan’s shadow, she also loves her sister fiercely.
When tragedy strikes the Brightons, combined with the economic collapse of the late 2000s, the family and the empire they’ve built threaten to collapse. Riley sets off on an international trip with a companion who raises eyebrows, and discovers herself—as well as some family secrets kept hidden.
This was an interesting book about family and grief and finding your own way. At times I found myself really immersed in the story but at other times I struggled to connect with the characters. It’s gotten a lot of rave reviews, though, so it may have just been me.
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/getbookedwithlarry/.
This is a poignant story of family dynamics, secrets, and grief.
Hank and Karen Brighton owned an organic grocery store in Oregon until they’re inspired to start selling clothes and goods from India and other countries. It’s not long before they’ve created Kaleidoscope, which becomes a shopping empire, enticing wealthy people to explore the more exotic side of fashion, furnishings, and art.
Morgan, their oldest daughter, turns heads with her model-esque beauty, but her fashion savvy makes her the star of Kaleidoscope, even though she hasn’t graduated from college yet. And while her younger sister Riley finds it difficult to be in Morgan’s shadow, she also loves her sister fiercely.
When tragedy strikes the Brightons, combined with the economic collapse of the late 2000s, the family and the empire they’ve built threaten to collapse. Riley sets off on an international trip with a companion who raises eyebrows, and discovers herself—as well as some family secrets kept hidden.
This was an interesting book about family and grief and finding your own way. At times I found myself really immersed in the story but at other times I struggled to connect with the characters. It’s gotten a lot of rave reviews, though, so it may have just been me.
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/getbookedwithlarry/.
Read
May 6, 2022I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The setting: "... two sisters {Morgan, older, and Riley] caught in their parents’ ambition, the accident that brings it all crashing down, and the journey that follows."
Another dysfunctional family saga. Kaleidoscope, the shopping empire built by the family with Morgan as the design genius. The tight bond between the sisters. The different relationships with their parents.
Profound grief and feeling lost dominate the story.
I did not sympathize/empathize/like any of the characters. I plodded along as I was never engaged. It only became interesting [to me] more than halfway through--Part Four, when the story moved out of New York City and to the travels of Riley and James. [The interesting parts were the different cultures, countries, and people they encountered.]
The writing was ok [not great, not bad], no grimaces.
The only two descriptions that I enjoyed were on the same page!
"she's caught by a sound like a hundred books being blown wide open"
"people bathing, bright saris blooming like jellyfish in the water" [noting the Holi festival in India]
Maybe if I were Gen Z this book would have resonated [but I'm decades from that].
Thankfully short and an easy read. Just not for me.
In the distinct minority of readers who enjoyed this book.
The setting: "... two sisters {Morgan, older, and Riley] caught in their parents’ ambition, the accident that brings it all crashing down, and the journey that follows."
Another dysfunctional family saga. Kaleidoscope, the shopping empire built by the family with Morgan as the design genius. The tight bond between the sisters. The different relationships with their parents.
Profound grief and feeling lost dominate the story.
I did not sympathize/empathize/like any of the characters. I plodded along as I was never engaged. It only became interesting [to me] more than halfway through--Part Four, when the story moved out of New York City and to the travels of Riley and James. [The interesting parts were the different cultures, countries, and people they encountered.]
The writing was ok [not great, not bad], no grimaces.
The only two descriptions that I enjoyed were on the same page!
"she's caught by a sound like a hundred books being blown wide open"
"people bathing, bright saris blooming like jellyfish in the water" [noting the Holi festival in India]
Maybe if I were Gen Z this book would have resonated [but I'm decades from that].
Thankfully short and an easy read. Just not for me.
In the distinct minority of readers who enjoyed this book.
July 25, 2022
This book started off really strong - two biracial Chinese American sisters, from a wealthy family spend the weekend in a hotel room while one of them recovers from an unwanted pregnancy. However immediately after the opening scene the story gets told in fragments, jumping back and forth in time and switching POVs. I found it hard to get into or follow on audio and just wasn't a fan of the unconventional narrative style unfortunately. This was a debut I was really excited to read but ended up disappointing. :( Recommended for fans of Mary H. K. Choi.
October 5, 2022
The author has a way with words. Her descriptions and the character's musings are written delectably, lush, beautifully, overdramatically, and pretentiously. The characters each seem to have some sort of mild to severe psychosis.
The characters are a bunch of whiny, entitled children and not just the young adults either. The parents take the cake but not until the end at least.
The book opens with one of the characters taking the pregnancy termination pill and the whole experience being described graphically.
What I took from this book was two things- that we have two sisters, and each one is jealous of the other without them ever telling the other her feelings. Things childishly escalate until a tragedy strikes---then the book is all about the younger sister's feelings, sexual needs, and her need to get away from her family in the most dramatic way. And the second thing is I learned a ton about the family's fascination/obsession with Indian culture, food art, and fabric.
I gave this book 1 star because I finished it and the second star because the author obviously put a lot of effort into writing this book. Had I stopped reading when I wanted to I would have given this book only one star but I was able to persevere.
*ARC supplied by the publisher PENGUIN GROUP Dutton, Dutton, the author, and NetGalley.
The characters are a bunch of whiny, entitled children and not just the young adults either. The parents take the cake but not until the end at least.
The book opens with one of the characters taking the pregnancy termination pill and the whole experience being described graphically.
What I took from this book was two things- that we have two sisters, and each one is jealous of the other without them ever telling the other her feelings. Things childishly escalate until a tragedy strikes---then the book is all about the younger sister's feelings, sexual needs, and her need to get away from her family in the most dramatic way. And the second thing is I learned a ton about the family's fascination/obsession with Indian culture, food art, and fabric.
I gave this book 1 star because I finished it and the second star because the author obviously put a lot of effort into writing this book. Had I stopped reading when I wanted to I would have given this book only one star but I was able to persevere.
*ARC supplied by the publisher PENGUIN GROUP Dutton, Dutton, the author, and NetGalley.
December 6, 2021
At the end of every chapter I almost stopped reading this book. Especially the first chapter. The first chapter was so hard to read and did absolutely nothing for the rest of the story. I was hoping those events would redeemed but instead they were basically never discussed again. This story jumped back and forth between first and third person for seemingly no reason. The time line jumped with no sense of order. It was going back 5 years then forward then back to high school then forward then back 8 months than 3 months. There was no flow. The sentences themselves had no flow, “she explained” or “he said” being extremely misplaced in conversations. The conversations themselves didn’t flow. Multiple times there were things that were so subtly hinted at that but you were supposed to know what was happening. When the big event happened I felt nothing because of how it was revealed. The funeral speech thing was very weird. Not cute. Not realistic, just weird. I’ve experienced a similar loss to the family loss in this book and I didn’t find the family dynamic to ring true to anything I experienced. The family reactions and life seemed unrealistic.
October 10, 2022
I definitely almost stopped reading after a graphic first chapter, and I still believe it was unnecessary.
But I don’t know how I feel about this one. It started rough, and then I really liked it, and then it lost me, and then I liked it again, and then it was meh.
But I don’t know how I feel about this one. It started rough, and then I really liked it, and then it lost me, and then I liked it again, and then it was meh.
April 26, 2022
An intricately written family drama. The characters were we done, even as they morphed during the course of the story.
February 9, 2022
Absolutely, incredibly outstanding. Fantastic. Brilliant. I could go on, but there are no words that quite reach the measure.
This was a story of hope and love and forgiveness and it was perfectly done.
I also can’t miss this opportunity to emphatically state how very deeply, to my innermost core, I despised Karen. She was a hideous individual and the fact that no one punched her was profoundly disappointing.
This was a story of hope and love and forgiveness and it was perfectly done.
I also can’t miss this opportunity to emphatically state how very deeply, to my innermost core, I despised Karen. She was a hideous individual and the fact that no one punched her was profoundly disappointing.
December 30, 2021
A phenomenal MUST-READ. Kaleidoscope blends heartfelt storytelling with relatably raw characters, creating silken adventure. Kaleidoscope is filled with color, from Morgan and Riley’s lives, their lies, and their loves. I did not want this story end!
August 25, 2022
Thank you for the book. First chapter was interesting, rest of the book unfortunately wasn't.
Stacey Bankey
Stacey Bankey
August 22, 2024
There was much to admire here and to think about, a lot of troubling issues about what was not on the page and the pacing, particularly the revelations at the end. 2.5 rounded up.
May 15, 2023
This book was deeply sad and heartbreaking. I couldn’t look away.
January 14, 2023
A beautifully-written story about sisters, family secrets, figuring yourself out before and after tragedy. As an Oregonian, I loved the Eugene-specific callouts!
March 17, 2023
My favorite kind of book. Deeply felt characters, sprawling yet sharp prose, all to explore a family figuring out who they are after loss. Just overall a very satisfying read.
December 1, 2022
Hands down my new favorite book. I immediately want to re-read. So heartbreaking and happy at the same time. The mother/daughter and sister relationships were very relatable and I kept pausing to reflect. Reading this honestly felt like journaling. The author uses a lot of description, which normally I don’t like and skim through, but I loved it in this book. 10/10 babyyyy
August 1, 2022
[3.5/5 stars]
KALEIDOSCOPE follows two biracial Chinese American sisters, Riley and Morgan. The Brightons' family has an eclectic store Kaleidoscope where the eldest daughter Morgan is the famous fashion designer.
I went blind in this book and I am glad I did - so I will try to share my thoughts without giving too much away. This is a heartfelt story mainly about sisterhood and family - the two sisters are almost the opposite regarding personalities and Morgan gets all the attention, both within the family and in the press. I loved seeing their co-dependence however Riley was often invisible, living under Morgan's brightness. Wong delivers a genuine look about favoritism between siblings, a sad reality that seems to not have a precise solution.
The story starts as a slow burn but it takes a sharp turn when you least expect. Wong handles themes of family, grief, healing, forgiveness, identity, loyalty and sisterhood. The novel is about complex sister dynamics, yet I thought that it wasn't explored in its nuance and in depth - I enjoyed Riley as a messy character who was carving out a different path but I just needed more of Morgan.
Since Kaleidoscope imports goods from India, it was interesting to learn a bit about Indian colonial history and Indian traditional handcrafts. In an attempt to transport readers to several places, Wong includes all the (food/travel) descriptions but it often felt overdetailed, distracting me from the reading. Having said that, it was delightful to be given a piece of NYC and the book made me want to travel immediately.
Now, what didn't work for me was the parents - the mother is woefully annoying/delusional and her favoritism usually blinds her; I also didn't swallow the often absent father who doesn't make an effort to change things. I found the pacing quite uneven and I was more emotionally engaged towards the end. Lastly, the romance actually didn't convince me and I thought it was too convenient. Despite some cliche scenes, I enjoyed the secrets and revelations in the story as they grabbed my attention and didn't let me go. Having biracial characters, I appreciated that this isn't another novel solely about its complexities.
KALEIDOSCOPE is a moving tale about finding yourself again and reconciliation. Regardless of some complaints, this family drama is worthy a journey.
[ I received a complimentary copy from the publisher - Dutton Books . All opinions are my own ]
KALEIDOSCOPE follows two biracial Chinese American sisters, Riley and Morgan. The Brightons' family has an eclectic store Kaleidoscope where the eldest daughter Morgan is the famous fashion designer.
I went blind in this book and I am glad I did - so I will try to share my thoughts without giving too much away. This is a heartfelt story mainly about sisterhood and family - the two sisters are almost the opposite regarding personalities and Morgan gets all the attention, both within the family and in the press. I loved seeing their co-dependence however Riley was often invisible, living under Morgan's brightness. Wong delivers a genuine look about favoritism between siblings, a sad reality that seems to not have a precise solution.
The story starts as a slow burn but it takes a sharp turn when you least expect. Wong handles themes of family, grief, healing, forgiveness, identity, loyalty and sisterhood. The novel is about complex sister dynamics, yet I thought that it wasn't explored in its nuance and in depth - I enjoyed Riley as a messy character who was carving out a different path but I just needed more of Morgan.
Since Kaleidoscope imports goods from India, it was interesting to learn a bit about Indian colonial history and Indian traditional handcrafts. In an attempt to transport readers to several places, Wong includes all the (food/travel) descriptions but it often felt overdetailed, distracting me from the reading. Having said that, it was delightful to be given a piece of NYC and the book made me want to travel immediately.
Now, what didn't work for me was the parents - the mother is woefully annoying/delusional and her favoritism usually blinds her; I also didn't swallow the often absent father who doesn't make an effort to change things. I found the pacing quite uneven and I was more emotionally engaged towards the end. Lastly, the romance actually didn't convince me and I thought it was too convenient. Despite some cliche scenes, I enjoyed the secrets and revelations in the story as they grabbed my attention and didn't let me go. Having biracial characters, I appreciated that this isn't another novel solely about its complexities.
KALEIDOSCOPE is a moving tale about finding yourself again and reconciliation. Regardless of some complaints, this family drama is worthy a journey.
[ I received a complimentary copy from the publisher - Dutton Books . All opinions are my own ]
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