Title: Heiress Apparently
Author: Diana Ma
Publisher: Amulet Books
Release Date: December 1, 2020
Pages: 304
Gemma Huang is a recent transplant to Los Angeles from Illinois, having abandoned plans for college to pursue a career in acting, much to the dismay of her parents. Now she’s living with three roommates in a two-bedroom hovel, auditioning for bit roles that hardly cover rent. Gemma’s big break comes when she’s asked to play a lead role in an update of M. Butterfly filming for the summer in Beijing. When she arrives, she’s stopped by paparazzi at the airport. She quickly realizes she may as well be the twin of one of the most notorious young socialites in Beijing. Thus kicks off a summer of revelations, in which Gemma uncovers a legacy her parents have spent their lives protecting her from—one her mother would conceal from her daughter at any cost.
My Thoughts
**Thank you so much to Edelweiss and ABRAMS Books for sending me an Advanced Reader's Copy in exchange for an honest review!**
Gemma Huang is a Chinese-American girl who recently moved to Los Angeles to pursue her acting career. She takes a gap year in college, despite her parents wishes, to try and get a big break in acting. Her dream just might come true when she gets a callback and lands the leading role in M. Butterfly. Before long, she is on her way to Beijing to film the movie.
For as long as she can remember, Gemma Huang’s parents forbid her to go to China and never brings up the topic. Whenever she asks about China, her parents automatically switch to a different topic. So when she has to film the movie in China, she secretly goes, breaking the number one family rule: never set foot in Beijing.
My parents have not only never been back to China themselves—but they've forbidden me to go myself. And I have no idea why.
When she arrives at the airport, many people start staring at her because she looks like Alyssa Chua, a wealthy social elite. Of course, Gemma is very confused but later Alyssa shows up at her hotel room to explain things. Turns out they are related to each other.
My jaw drops. Alyssa Chua—who's so famous that she causes riots with her mere presence—is at my hotel.
After sightseeing goes wrong, Gemma encounters a guy named Eric Liu who helps her escape the crowds, and he just so happens to be the rival family of Gemma's. Setting aside their family feud, they decide to team up and find answers to all the chaos happening around them.
Star Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3)
Gemma Huang was a relatable character. She gets questions asked like "Have you been to China?" and has the conflict about not being "Asian enough" nor "American enough." I'm not Chinese but I am Asian-American, and I really dislike getting asked questions like this.
The book was a fun read but predictable for me. It was also a little slow at first but I was definitely interested in the second half of the book. It definitely picked up from there.
Overall, I did like the characters and the book altogether. I would be interested in reading the next book and seeing how both the author and the characters grow.
About the Author
Diana Ma is a debut Chinese-American author who holds a BA in creative writing from the University of Washington and an MA in English with a creative writing focus from the University of Illinois, Chicago. She lives in a suburb of Seattle.
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