White Ivy by Susie YangMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Psychological thriller about class. Ivy was taught some dubious moral rationalizations growing up, an answer perhaps to the powerlessness of women, exacerbated by the Chinese culture her parents and grandmother came from. From an early age Ivy turns to the power she feels from taking things that she can't afford and that leads to using sex as tool to get things she wants as well. What she wants is more than money--its the power that comes from moving through the world as privileged. Perhaps she doesn't even recognize this as she is torn between two lovers, both rich but in very different ways. Yang has us tunnel deep into the psyche of Ivy and we can see how one rationalization builds on the others, and why she takes such drastic steps, and why she thinks she can get away with it. Reminds me of An American Tragedy by Dreiser.
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She saw clearly now that people could be divided into two categories; those who acted, and those who were acted upon
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