How We Fall Apart

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This story includes scenes of drug use, excessive bullying, suicide, and a romantic relationship between a teacher and a student. In her spare time, Katie enjoys reading, singing, dancing (badly), and checking out new photo-worthy restaurants.

HWFA is also about mental health and the stigma of mental illness, particularly in Asian (American) communities. Goodreads says there’s a sequel out next year, but the author’s 2022 book has just been announced, and it’s not a sequel. And, by the laws of narrative tension, you know that each secret will get bigger (and affect the MC more) as you go through, which helps to keep the pacing up and you reading onwards. How We Fall Apart is a look into Asian students at Sinclair Prep, trying to stay on top of the pack with perfect grades.I think this book will appeal to a lot of people who like dark academia with all the scandals taking place at Sinclair Prep, it definitely is a story that keeps you on your toes.

But while I loved the fast pace and mystery of the novel that kept me turning the pages and finishing in one sitting, I do think there could’ve been more character development for the rest of the main cast. Zhao examines the privilege differences between Nancy and her peers, the microaggressions against her, and how she feels out of place almost everywhere.Nancy made sense, plot-wise, to be the main protagonist, but she was the most insufferable in this story. HWFA is intense suspense as much as it is sharp criticism of the competition in schools, a fire that is fanned particularly in the Asian American community. But even with Jamie's vicious reminders, even with everything she's had to sacrifice to get this far, Nancy knows Sinclair Prep is the first step to becoming one of the beautiful, entitled people who can get whatever they want.