White Ivy

A Novel

By: Susie Yang

Narrated by: Emily Woo Zeller

“A truly addictive read” (Glamour) about how a young woman’s crush on a privileged former classmate becomes a story of love, lies, and dark obsession, offering stark insights into the immigrant experience, as it hurtles to its electrifying ending in this “twisty, unputdownable, psychological thriller” (People).

Ivy Lin is a thief and a liar - but you’d never know it by looking at her.

Raised outside of Boston, Ivy’s immigrant grandmother relies on Ivy’s mild appearance for cover as she teaches her granddaughter how to pilfer items from yard sales and second-hand shops. Thieving allows Ivy to accumulate the trappings of a suburban teen - and, most importantly, to attract the attention of Gideon Speyer, the golden boy of a wealthy political family. But when Ivy’s mother discovers her trespasses, punishment is swift and Ivy is sent to China, and her dream instantly evaporates.

Years later, Ivy has grown into a poised yet restless young woman, haunted by her conflicting feelings about her upbringing and her family. Back in Boston, when Ivy bumps into Sylvia Speyer, Gideon’s sister, a reconnection with Gideon seems not only inevitable - it feels like fate.

Slowly, Ivy sinks her claws into Gideon and the entire Speyer clan by attending fancy dinners, and weekend getaways to the cape. But just as Ivy is about to have everything she’s ever wanted, a ghost from her past resurfaces, threatening the nearly perfect life she’s worked so hard to build.

Filled with surprising twists and a nuanced exploration of class and race, White Ivy is a “highly entertaining,” (The Washington Post) “propulsive debut” (San Francisco Chronicle) that offers a glimpse into the dark side of a woman who yearns for success at any cost.

©2020 Susie Yang. All rights reserved. (P)2020 Simon & Schuster, Inc. All rights reserved.

Critic reviews

"Narrator Emily Woo Zeller skillfully steers the dramatic plot of this audiobook. . . . Zeller is commendable in breathing life into the mostly Asian characters. As Ivy, she is a reserved but cunning woman; as Sylvia, Ivy's friend, she is sweet and confident. Zeller's outstanding storytelling also elevates the work's twists and the harsh reality of the immigrant experience." (LitHub)

"Narrator Emily Woo Zeller gives a brilliant performance, bringing a chilling, hard edge to Ivy’s interior calculations, but also capturing the woman’s anguish, causing listeners to feel some sympathy for this complex, if ruthless, character." (Washington Post)

wow!

who would have expected the ending in this book.. at first it was slow and I almost put it aside...

Wow…

I have to say, the Narrator for this book is the BEST yet!! She is awesomeness!!! The story is spectacular. I lost sleep bc I couldn’t stop listening!!! Thank you ♥️

Yikes

The story was fine and I enjoyed the writing. I just never want to hear Emily Woo Zeller narrate anything else, ever again in my life.

Depressing

I enjoyed certain sections of this book, more than others.
But, I found Ivy’s constant monologues Of the thoughts in her head annoying and way over descriptive. I thought the author went into too much detail.

Overall a good read, but often depressing

very good

I needed a new book for my commute of 3.5 hours round trip. this was on TODAY with Jenna Bush. Grateful for the suggestion!

White Ivy was a really great book!

It was very interesting. I could'nt stop reading and i would highly recommend this book!

Painful listen

This book was both engaging and challenging to hear. It was engaging from the cultural aspect and the added voice of Ivy’s internal dialogue.

Challenging because it does not have one likable character in the cast of characters.

WOW!!!

I hated every single character in this book!!!
(well, except for Poppy 😉)
And that's exactly why I loved it!!!
Wonderful job Susie Yang!!!

This was such a wonderful book! And I will be honest, i didn't think it was a wonderful book the entire time. I think about 80% in, it occurred to me, this book is absolutely remarkable!!
It is so well written! The characters are so fleshed out.
Just listen to it! I highly recommend.

The narrator, Emily Woo Zeller is a favorite of mine and she did a wonderful job!

two books in one

I feel like the author told two almost conflicting stories. not bar, but the two Ivies didn't necessarily tie together at all times.

Not my favorite book

There were no likable characters. I couldn’t root for anyone because everyone was awful. I don’t need to be in love with everyone, but give me one or two to like.