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The Majesties
The Majesties: A Novel | Tiffany Tsao
31 posts | 22 read | 33 to read
In this riveting and disquieting thriller about the secrets and betrayals that accompany exorbitant wealthimagine Crazy Rich Asians as written by Gillian Flynntwo sisters from a Chinese-Indonesian family grapple with the past after one of them poisons their entire family. Gwendolyn and Estella have always been as close as sisters can be. Growing up in a wealthy, powerful, and sometimes deceitful family, theyve relied on each other for support and confidence. But now, Gwendolyn is lying in a coma, the sole survivor of Estellas poisoning of their whole family. As she struggles to regain consciousness, Gwendolyn desperately retraces her memories, trying to uncover the moment that led to this shocking and brutal act. Was it their aunts mysterious death at sea? Estellas unhappy marriage to a dangerously brutish man? Or were the shifting loyalties and unspoken resentments at the heart of the opulent world they inhabit finally too much to bear? Can Gwendolyn finally confront the truth about who she and her sister really are, and the secrets in their familys past? Traveling from the luxurious world of the rich and powerful in Indonesia to the most spectacular shows at Paris Fashion Week, from the sunny coasts of California to the melting pot of Melbournes university scene, The Majesties is a haunting, evocative, and deeply compelling novel about the secrets that can build a family empireand also bring it crashing down.
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andioop
The Majesties: A Novel | Tiffany Tsao
Pickpick

the only thing this has in common with crazy rich asians is they‘re both about rich asians 😭

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reading.rainb0w
The Majesties: A Novel | Tiffany Tsao
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I literally bought this book because I liked the cover.
#DONTJUDGEABOOKBYITSCOVER

The cover is definitely better than the book. Also, the synopsis has essentially NOTHING to do with the story? Halfway through and still waiting for anything remotely mysterious or thrilling. Only one mystery has been solved so far -
This is going to another unfortunate soul via Little Free Library once I'm done.

#whatevenisthis #atleastthecoverisnice

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rwmg
The Majesties: A Novel | Tiffany Tsao
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Pickpick

Gwendolyn lies in a coma, the only survivor of her sister's poisoning of their extended family, casting back in her memory of what led up to it and whether it could have been avoided.

The twist had actually crossed my mind in the first few pages but the story was such a fascinating picture of the characters' lifestyle that I had quite forgotten about it by the time I reached the end, and then I found it unnecessary to the story being told.

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rwmg
The Majesties: A Novel | Tiffany Tsao
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WHEN YOUR SISTER murders three hundred people, you can‘t help but wonder why, especially if you were one of the intended victims — though I do forgive her, if you can believe it.

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rwmg
The Majesties: A Novel | Tiffany Tsao
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Cinfhen
The Majesties: A Novel | Tiffany Tsao
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Panpan

This is a case of don‘t judge a book by it‘s cover - I had such high hopes but this book did not deliver. A family member poisons all 300 guests at a family gathering and we‘re meant to discover why. The why was so inadequate and then the “shocking” ending made no sense. NOPE 👎🏼 BIG DISAPPOINTMENT 😖

Hooked_on_books Well that‘s a big bummer. I had this one stacked but have to rethink that now. It is a great cover, for sure. Doesn‘t that drive you crazy? 3y
Cinfhen I‘m annoyed I didn‘t bail after the first few pages, like my daughter did @Hooked_on_books 🙄 3y
rwmg That sounds ominous. It's on my wishlist but I might have to reconsider 3y
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LiteraryinPA I bailed on this one. So I guess I‘m glad to know I didn‘t miss an amazing ending? 3y
BarbaraBB So N was right…. 😉 3y
Megabooks Boo!! 3y
Cinfhen N was right, indeed @BarbaraBB @Megabooks you did the smart move @LiteraryinLawrence but I could tell you the twist if you want to know…. 3y
Cinfhen I would definitely #BorrowNotBuy @rwmg if you‘re still curious….it might be it was just the wrong book for me, but the right book for you! 3y
LiteraryinPA Yes please! That feels like cheating but I would love to know the twist! 3y
Cinfhen So if I understood this correctly Gwendolyn and Estella are one person. Estella had a psychotic break and took on the persona of Gwendolyn, her “ better” half and Gwendolyn‘s company Bagatelle was a fantasy, something Estella imagined @LiteraryinLawrence and the reason she Estella poisoned the entire family is because she believed they were all rotten, infected with greed and wealth and she needed to kill off the evil (edited) 3y
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Cinfhen
The Majesties: A Novel | Tiffany Tsao
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My daughter bought this because #CoverCrush and titillating blurb…. After 20 pages she bailed!! I‘m at 40 pages and slightly more intrigued. The cover really is stunning!!

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks It is an awesome cover 💚💛❣️ 3y
TrishB That‘s a great cover 👍🏻 3y
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Megabooks #coverlove for sure! 3y
Cinfhen Niki was right / Best thing about this book IS the cover @Megabooks @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @TrishB @Enchanted_Bibliophile 😂😅 3y
KarenUK Wow, that is gorgeous! 3y
88 likes6 comments
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bookandbedandtea
The Majesties: A Novel | Tiffany Tsao
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Mehso-so

I'm not entirely sure how I feel about this book. On the one hand, I didn't want to put it down even as I was both fascinated and repulsed by the opulence. On the other hand, it never became what I expected it to be. This is possibly a marketing issue but, as I went into it expecting a heart pounding thriller that never materialized, it felt like it dragged somewhat. Despite that I enjoyed the family drama and the twist took me by surprise. But ⬇️

bookandbedandtea that twist was also confusing. I read the last few chapters twice and, while I get what the author is telling us, I am still left wishing for a little less subtlety. 4y
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bookandbedandtea
The Majesties: A Novel | Tiffany Tsao
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I'm 20% in and utterly fascinated but desperate for a family tree.

Come-read-with-me This is such a cool cover! I'd get it for my shelf just to look at it everyday! 4y
bookandbedandtea @Come-read-with-me It's definitely a beautiful cover! 4y
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TracyReadsBooks
The Majesties: A Novel | Tiffany Tsao
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Wow! Gorgeous cover—absolutely love the colors!😍

TrishB That cover is great ♥️ 4y
JennyM I would read the book for the cover alone. So striking 🌈 4y
25 likes2 comments
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Linsy
The Majesties: A Novel | Tiffany Tsao
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Pickpick

Can this butterfly count as cozy fire orange?

I really liked this book! It's all flashback, so it was hard to feel motivated at times, but the family intrigue kept me going. I loved the details about Indonesian culture and history.

I heard this compared to We Have Always Lived in the Castle though, and I feel that was misleading. Yes, the poisoning is similar, you learn about it first thing, but the feel and circumstances are so different!

CatLass007 Wow. It‘s been so long since I read #WeHaveAlwaysLivedInTheCastle. I remember nothing about it including a poisoning. 4y
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candority
The Majesties: A Novel | Tiffany Tsao
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Pickpick

I went into this book with zero knowledge of what it is about, which I think is the best way to go. It has been marketed as a “riveting” thriller, and while it does start with a bang, it is really more of a slow-burn, character-driven story that centers around two sisters from a wealthy Chinese-Indonesian family. I really enjoyed it, but I‘m still not sure how I feel about the ending. I can say that it took me by surprise though! 4⭐️ #CoverCrush

meghathecloud Great review. I have this on my list for #ReadingAsia2021 4y
Kalalalatja Great cover! 4y
candority @meghathecloud Thank you! I hope you like it 😊 4y
candority @Kalalalatja Isn't it? I hope I can find a finished copy at a thrift store some day! 4y
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candority
The Majesties: A Novel | Tiffany Tsao
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Wow, what an intriguing first line!

MsMelissa I have this one on my TBR pile. I can‘t wait for your final thoughts on it. 4y
candority @Book_Fiend_Melissa I‘m 70 pages in and enjoying it so far, but it has some really mixed reviews 😬 4y
CoverToCoverGirl That definitely an attention grabber! Adding it to my TBR pile. 😁 4y
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Graciouswarriorprincess
The Majesties: A Novel | Tiffany Tsao
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I was a winner of the #bookloversday contest sponsored by Simon & Schuster and Chico's! Today, I received both the book and the outfit (pants/top/jacket).

I can‘t wait to read “The Majesties” by Tiffany Tsao. I have never wore Chico‘s clothes. The online staff was amazing in helping me determine sizing and this outfit is so comfortable and versatile.

LiteraryinPA Congrats! That‘s so much fun to win something! 4y
Texreader That‘s so awesome!!! I like Chico‘s 4y
rubyslippersreads Great outfit, book cover, and model. 😊 4y
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Graciouswarriorprincess @LiteraryinLititz It is fun and I was surprised when I got the IG message. I had to go look at the post because I didn‘t believe it was real! 🤣. @Texreader I have never had their clothes but I love them and will be buying some! @rubyslippersreads Aww, thank you! 4y
Moonprismpower So cool! Congratulations! 🎉 4y
SW-T Awesome! Congrats to you! 🥳 4y
erzascarletbookgasm Congrats!! You look great in the outfit plus the book cover is eye catching. 4y
Gissy Congratulations! 🎉👏👏👏 4y
Graciouswarriorprincess @SW-T @erzascarletbookgasm @Gissy Thank you! @erzascarletbookgasm I love that book cover and the outfit is so comfortable! 4y
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Mogoeg
The Majesties: A Novel | Tiffany Tsao
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Pickpick

I'm not quite sure what to make of it. Not quite thriller, not quite family drama, comparisons to Crazy Rich Asians seem both inevitable & misguided. A story of extreme wealth, family dysfunction, & the corruption of souls & of an entire society, the book chronicles the lives of wealthy Chinese Indonesian sisters Estella & Gwendolyn. Although it's a world I've only glimpsed from the fringes, the details of Sino-SEAsian life ring true. Worth a read

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WhatWouldJaneDo
The Majesties: A Novel | Tiffany Tsao
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Libro.fm has been reaching into my brain and putting out interviews lately and I thought I'd share the latest since it's a topic we've been discussing in #integrateyourshelf the last few weeks. I have Tsao's novel in my TBR but she is also a translator and discusses her process here: https://blog.libro.fm/translator-interview-tiffany-tsao/

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Caffeinated_Reader
The Majesties: A Novel | Tiffany Tsao
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#93 of my year and the lighting in my room was too perfect to pass up. I‘m not going to start this till tomorrow morning but I really loved the pic I took and couldn‘t wait till morning to post it lol I want to start this now but I gotta do my workout before my shower and bed 🙇🏻‍♀️ #thestruggleisreal

Caffeinated_Reader Whoa. I went into this book not knowing much about it and I gotta say, that‘s my favorite way to approach a book. I really love how this started out. The first sentence grabs you and makes you pay attention. The family history and moral struggle of right and wrong all make for a great tale of redemption and rebirth. I wasn‘t expecting that ending though lol I thought it was incredibly brilliant. (edited) 4y
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Well-ReadNeck
The Majesties: A Novel | Tiffany Tsao
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Loved this strange and haunting novel. Out in paperback this week.

https://wellreadneck.wordpress.com/2020/08/06/the-majesties-tiffany-tsao/

mcctrish That‘s a beautiful cover 😍 4y
Caffeinated_Reader I ordered it today I‘m so excited to read it 4y
erzascarletbookgasm Great cover! 👍 4y
66 likes3 comments
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mdemanatee
The Majesties: A Novel | Tiffany Tsao
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Mehso-so

This had the bones of a really compelling story. I went in expecting a little bit We Have Always Lived in the Castle with a little bit My Sister the Serial Killer and a dash of Crazy Rich Asians on top. But, the pacing felt off and the telling of the story wasn‘t particularly active for all the juicy action and drama the plot actually contained. Not sure how I felt about the ending and whether the rest of the narrative supports where it ended up.

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canbku
The Majesties: A Novel | Tiffany Tsao
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Panpan

I don't feel like all the pieces came together. It was slow going and then all of a sudden it was winding up in a place i didn't expect. Maybe the clues were there all along?

canbku Oh this was my March #bookspin! Finished both this one and my #doublespin. Just a little late :) @TheAromaofBooks 5y
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! Better late than never!! 5y
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canbku
The Majesties: A Novel | Tiffany Tsao
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Fur such an interesting (ghastly) premise, i thought more would be happening in this book so far. Halfway through and i enjoy the setting, the main character, and the interesting tidbits of Chinese-indonesian life. Ready for some action. March #bookspin is coming along! I might get there before may!

@TheAromaofBooks

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! Some books just are more tortoise reads than rabbit reads haha 5y
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canbku
The Majesties: A Novel | Tiffany Tsao
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And finally getting to my #bookspin. March has been a bit tough to finish books. My heads all over the place and childcare childcare childcare and, oh yeah, working from home ?! Anyway, getting in under the wire, @TheAromaofBooks

canbku Lol, nm, a little someone just woke up :) 5y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Pretty cover!! 💛💛 5y
TheAromaofBooks haha good luck!! I know life can be a little crazy sometimes!! I may have already told you this, but if you don't finish your pick before the end of the month, just tag me whenever you do finish and let me know that it was March's book, and I will still give you credit!!! 5y
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canbku
The Majesties: A Novel | Tiffany Tsao
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Whoops! Another #bookhaul already. That library sure is on top of things! Looking forward to my #bookspin - The Majesties

BookishTrish These all look great! 5y
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canbku
The Majesties: A Novel | Tiffany Tsao
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I Got my #march #bookspin ready to go ahead of time. I think I'm doing this right. It'll be my first time and I'm excited. Which books look good to you?.

runswithscissors007 The Sympathizer!!! 5y
Singout Black Swan Green and Pachinko! 5y
cariashley Agree with @Singout, those are the two standouts to me! 5y
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mcbeth528 Pachinko and Sympathizer. Hands down! 5y
canbku I should go ahead and request pachinko are the library....is still in high demand! 5y
TheAromaofBooks Great list!! Glad to have you along!! 5y
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Hazel0303
The Majesties: A Novel | Tiffany Tsao
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Mehso-so

I struggle mightily with how to “rate“ this. There were parts I liked and parts I didn't. Initially, I was very annoyed with the summary being so misleading, but I did like the book okay enough. The ending was weird and I'm still not sure I understand it. How's that for an endorsement???

Full review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2921458853

Come-read-with-me What a great cover! 5y
Hazel0303 @Come-read-with-me I know! Hope that person got a raise! 5y
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Mitch
The Majesties: A Novel | Tiffany Tsao
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If you click on the link - I take no responsibility for the explosion of your TBR 🤣🤣🤣🤣

https://crimereads.com/the-most-anticipated-crime-books-of-2020-part-i/

TrishB Thank you 👍🏻.... I think! 5y
Mitch @TrishB 🤣🤣🤣 5y
DGRachel This looks like catnip for me. 😱🤩🤩 5y
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Mitch @DGRachel there are 3 new noir books in this list to add to your collection! 5y
DGRachel @Mitch You are evil and I love you. 😈 I won the Nairobi Noir from Akashic and LibraryThing. I‘m really looking forward to it. I‘ve only scrolled through about half the list and I need to stop to grab pen and pencil to make a real list. 😆😆 5y
Mitch @DGRachel 🤣🤣🤣 5y
MicheleinPhilly Oh crap. 💰💰💰💰 5y
Mitch @MicheleinPhilly indeed! I stacked 5 then decided to step away from my computer! 5y
vivastory Crime Reads always has great lists. I really enjoyed their multiple best of the year lists. 5y
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Hazel0303
The Majesties: A Novel | Tiffany Tsao
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Currently reading!! To say the summary is wildly misleading is an understatement, but it‘s a short enough book where I‘m interested to see what it‘s really about. Have you read this?

Cinfhen Gorgeous cover 😻 5y
Hazel0303 @Cinfhen Isn‘t it?? 5y
Well-ReadNeck I really liked this one. It felt similar to My Sister, the Serial Killer to me. Meaning, some dark wit but overall literary. 5y
Hazel0303 @Well-ReadNeck Inreally enjoyed My Sister, the Serial Killer, but I‘m thinking I need to read over the first half again to be fair. I was so annoyed it wasn‘t really as described that I kind of started speed reading and didn‘t give the book a proper chance. I started reading with fresh eyes today so we‘ll see. 5y
Well-ReadNeck @Hazel0303 I know what u mean. That happened to me with A Visit to the Goon Squad. I love that book, but the first time I picked it up, it was so different from what I was expecting, I DNFed. 5y
19 likes5 comments
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Well-ReadNeck
The Majesties: A Novel | Tiffany Tsao
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Pickpick

OMG! What a delicious debut. A little bit Crazy Rich Asians and a bit My Sister The Serial Killer. A delightfully devilish read. While the cover is beautiful, it doesn‘t convey the twisted goodness that lies beneath. #netgalley

k.reads.5 Great review, so excited for this one! 5y
68 likes5 stack adds1 comment
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Reading-in-LallahLand
The Majesties: A Novel | Tiffany Tsao
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bookandcat
The Majesties: A Novel | Tiffany Tsao
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One last beach trip for labor day weekend. This book is being described as Crazy Rich Asians meets Gillian Flynn. So far the protagonist's sister poisoned and killed all 300 of her family members (barring the protagonist) at a gala birthday party in the first 5 pages, so needless to say I'm intrigued.
Edit: finished, 5 stars! If you like Big Little Lies you'll like this.
#netgalley #beachread #arc #laborday

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