Second Sister by Chan Ho-Kei

This was my first time getting to know Asian crime fiction, so I really had to get used to the somewhat messy looking style of this book for a while. On the other hand, I enjoyed books with a more chaotic plot or seemingly without a plot at all, so when I got into this book and realized it is the way it is, and it is meant to be this choppy, I soon was hooked.

I loved the emotional depth of 'Second Sister'. It was easy to let myself be taken in by the waves, to be angry together with Nga-Yee, and to feel conflicted as she did further into the story. I love how strong her emotions were, and how she tried too hard to show her strength.

One thing I did not love is, how a smart person like Nga-Yee, in a world and city where technology is so important, was portrayed as totally digitally inept. I see how this was used to make her look to the world she would discover with fresh eyes, but to me as a reader it made her look not all there. Especially at the start, when N had to explain the most basic, common things to her. I hadn't been surprised if he had started explaining what a mouse was to her at some point. I think this book would have started more strongly if she was just a bit more adept, like most people are: using message boards etc. herself, and realizing everything that could happen behind them. It would also have stopped her having a bit of 'moral high ground' for not using it, while most readers of the book probably do.

That said, I very, very much enjoyed 'Second Sister'.

I received a free copy through Netgalley in return for an honest review.

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