The Take, Kelly Yang (Review by Lisa Harder)

The synopsis of this book made me think I would be reading some sort of a thriller/suspense novel. While there were some moments of this throughout this book, The Take as a whole does not seem to fit squarely in this genre. The book centers primarily around two characters, Maggie and Ingrid. Both characters are complex in many ways, and the author did a great job of highlighting the dualities and dialectics inherent within all of us. Themes of race and racism, classism, and ageism were prominent. Throughout reading the novel I felt similarly as I did when watching White Lotus- uncomfortable and unsettled, with a sense of dread about what was to come. On reflection, I believe this is due to feeling a sense of injustice towards the exploitation of Maggie taking place. Despite the ending (which I won’t spoil!), while she was able to reclaim her power in a sense, it still felt like she was permanently disadvantaged compared to the affluent, white woman. While the author did an excellent job of exploring dualities and the themes noted, there were ways The Take fell short. The ending seemed somewhat rushed compared to the pace overall of the book. Rather than fully allowing for the reader to assess for themselves the morality and nuances as she had with the main characters, the author seemed to promote predictable, stereotypical tropes, and somewhat one note supporting characters (e.g. cheating husband/boyfriend, insensitive men, daughter seeking approval from emotionally unavailable mother). This was disappointing considering the depth and complexities of the primary characters, though at points they did act in predictable ways. Overall, the book was engaging. I read through it in one sitting! If you are looking for a novel with thriller/suspense elements that will make you feel uncomfortable at points, The Take is an excellent choice!