How We Fall Apart

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A group of kids work together to figure out who is behind the messages before their reputation is ruined. I’ve seen a few people say “this sounds very similar to ONE OF US IS LYING” because of the “someone is dead and now there are secrets being revealed on social media.

But the story is extremely rushed, and the lack of development in any of the characters will leave you feeling sorely disappointed. If you’re looking for a fast-paced story with a necessary investigation of academic pressure, particularly within the Asian American community, this is the one for you! She grew up in Michigan, where there was little for her to do besides bury her nose in a good book or a writing journal.But she is rather cruel, thinking she’s above the rich kids like Jamie, without realising she’s a terrible person as well. I can relate when you talk about the expectations that are put on one’s back when you’re in high school, as that’s a pressure I had from primary school and until I finished college. I would’ve liked more backstory with their friendship and how that fell apart, especially since it feels like an integral part of the story. Zhao examines the privilege differences between Nancy and her peers, the microaggressions against her, and how she feels out of place almost everywhere.

Nancy knows a full scholarship and perpetual class rank as second best isn't enough to make her truly belong at Sinclair Prep. Secrets shared on Tip Tap have real consequences, including ostracizing, suspensions, or even loss of scholarships. Nancy Luo, the narrator, has an accessible voice that makes her the perfect person to bring people into the story.Having abandoned the friendship months before in light of her father’s scandal, Nancy finally thinks she can take the spot that Jamie once held over her.

Part thriller, part mystery, Katie Zhao weaves a suspenseful read that will have readers on the edge of their seat. When I slowly began to realise the plot wasn’t working for me, I was somewhat holding onto the characters, hoping they would carry the story on, but it felt like I was reading a story that wasn’t quite complete.Throughout the course of the novel, the Proctor exposes each of those secrets one at a time, trying to pin Jamie’s death on one of them, through a series of texts sent to the whole school. That is until a threatening message to Jamie appears on the board, which triggers the beginning of the end for them all.

The novel is mainly told from Nancy’s lens, alternating between the present day and flashbacks of her interactions with Jamie when they were once friends. Someone name The Proctor on the school social media annouces Jamie's death and points to Nancy and her three friends Krystal, Akil, and Alexander as suspects. To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average.The formatting is fitting of the dark academia theme, with each chapter beginning with a confession, ranging from general school gossip to moments we can all relate to like finals and AP exams. Perhaps I might just be biased because I come from a similar background to hers and therefore her experiences resonated deeply at times. Nancy is even more shocked when word starts to spread that she and her friends--Krystal, Akil, and Alexander--are the prime suspects, thanks to "the Proctor," someone anonymously incriminating them via the school's social media app. and I’ve seen quite a few of Katie Zhao’s books here and there but I’ve never actually gotten around to picking any of them up! I’m sorry you had a negative experience, but I also appreciate being able to see this side of this book.