Boring Asian Female - by Canwen Xu (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Elizabeth Zhang knows her place in the world. She knows she's in the tenth percentile for likability, the seventieth percentile for attractiveness, and the ninety-ninth percentile for academics. Raised by immigrant parents who instilled in her the value of hard work, she's never been the most beautiful or the most liked, but she is intelligent, with impeccable grades and a flawless GPA. So when Harvard Law School rejects Elizabeth for not standing out enough--which she knows means she's just another boring Asian female--her carefully constructed life falls apart. What shocks her even more is that Laura Kim, her classmate at Columbia, got in. Elizabeth can't figure out how this could have happened. Why was Laura accepted? What makes her so interesting? At first, she follows her because she's just curious. What Laura orders for lunch. Where Laura shops. What Laura's hobbies are. All of these things must contribute to her overall package, what makes her an acceptable person to Harvard. But still, Elizabeth just can't see it. The only thing she sees is that Laura has taken her spot at Harvard. A spot that she knows she deserves after working so hard. A spot that she'll simply have to take back"-- Provided by publisher.

Book Synopsis

"Thank you for your interest in our school, but we regret to inform you that..." you're not special. You're too average. You're too boring.

Well, in that case, she'll have to show them just how interesting she can be.

Elizabeth Zhang is well aware of her place in the world. She's in the tenth percentile for likability, the seventieth percentile for attractiveness, and the ninety-ninth percentile for academics. While she's never been the most beautiful or the most liked, she knows she has the intelligence and ambition to achieve her greatest dream: Harvard Law School. But when Harvard rejects Elizabeth for not standing out enough--which she knows means she's just another boring Asian female--her carefully constructed life falls apart. What shocks her even more is that Laura Kim, a classmate at Columbia, got in. Elizabeth can't figure out how this could have happened. Why was Laura accepted? What makes her so interesting?

At first, she follows her because she's just curious. What Laura orders for lunch. Where Laura shops. What Laura's hobbies are. All of these things must contribute to her overall package, what makes her an acceptable person to Harvard. But still, Elizabeth just can't see it. The only thing she sees is that Laura has taken her spot.

A spot that she knows she deserves after working so hard. A spot that she'll simply have to take back.

Layered and subversive, this novel brings to light how, in the face of societal expectations and self-inflicted pressures, a person can unlock the darkest parts of themselves and show how far they're willing to go to achieve their vision of success.

Review Quotes

"Canwen Xu's Boring Asian Female is a compulsively readable debut, propelled by sharp writing and pitch-perfect pacing. Smart, engaging, and thought-provoking, it offers a fresh take on ambition, envy, and the price of success."--Jean Kwok, New York Times bestselling author of The Leftover Woman

"In Boring Asian Female, Canwen Xu masterfully examines ambition and self-delusion as her narrator's obsession with Harvard Law School, and the student who seems to have taken 'her' spot, grows more and more extreme...and dangerous. This sly, propulsive thriller mesmerized me, then moved me with its surprisingly tender final pages. Xu's cautionary tale will resonate with anyone who has found themselves caught in the trap of expectations, whether cultural or self-imposed. A riveting, heartbreaking debut."--Cynthia Weiner, author of A Gorgeous Excitement

About the Author

Canwen Xu is a debut author whose writing has appeared in The Washington Post, The Kansas City Star, Chalkbeat, Areo Magazine, and more. She is a graduate of Columbia University.