I Guess I Live Here Now

Gr 9 Up–Aspiring interior designer Melody is used to navigating a divided life. While she was born and raised in New York City, her father moved back to his native Korea when she was very young to earn money to support the family. Right before the start of her junior year, Melody’s mom announces that they will be moving to Seoul to live with her dad. In a matter of days Melody has traded her life in Hell’s Kitchen for a palatial tower apartment in South Korea’s capital and a new, rigorous international school. While she appears to be playing along—doing her best in school, going on blind dates arranged by her status-concerned father—Melody is secretly plotting her return to New York City by way of a prestigious design internship. Despite her misgivings, a few good friends and new discoveries about her family help her realize that home can be more than one place. While aspects of Ahn’s novel seem K-drama inspired, they fail to fully reach the suspenseful, emotional highs necessary to draw readers in, coming off instead as repetitive and unsatisfying. Where Ahn’s writing truly shines, however, is in the gorgeous descriptions of Seoul and its incredible cuisine.