Plot Synopsis – The Fetishist is the story of three people—Kyoko, a Japanese American punk-rock singer full of rage and grief; Daniel, a philandering violinist forced to confront the wreckage of his past; and Alma, the love of Daniel’s life, a Korean American cello prodigy long adored for her beauty, passion, and talent, but who spends her final days examining if she was ever, truly, loved.

Song This Reminded Me Of – Look What You Made Me Do – Taylor Swift

Spicy Rating – 🌶🌶

Overall Rating – ⭐⭐⭐⭐ out of 5

Publication Date – Jan. 9, 2024

Review – Slight content warning, this is an adult novel with sex scenes and mention of suicide throughout.

First, I would like to say condolences to the Min family. Katherine Min passed away before finishing this novel, and her daughter, Kayla, finished the novel for her.

This book is a slice-of-life type of novel that really comments on how our actions affect others and the fetishization of Asian people. I found this story hard to put down. The characters were a little over the top but still believable.

Each main character had their own POV chapters, and Alma/Daniel’s story informs Kyoko’s history. All three characters grapple with the past. Alma and Daniel were a couple for years. Both are classical music performers, and at one point or another, considered to be prodigies. Kyoko is the daughter of one of their former colleagues, Ami.

All three characters are dealing with the consequences of one summer 20 years ago and how the decisions of one person have shaped their lives. Out of every person in this book, Daniel is the hardest to sympathize with. He really seems like a sad sack who can’t take responsibility for his actions, nor can he recognize his fetishization of Asian women. At one point in the novel, he even says he paid no mind to Asian women, believing they were all the same until he meets Alma. His whole persona gave me the ick. I couldn’t believe that Alma and he lasted as long as they did because she seemed like such a strong personality, and Daniel seemed meek in comparison. Though thinking of it now, that may have been the point because Asian women are typically depicted as meek and obedient in Western cultures.

Kyoko is the main plot driver. She is the daughter of Ami, who played with Daniel and Alma in Italy one summer 20 years ago. I know what you’re thinking, and no, Kyoko is not the daughter of an affair Daniel had. That had been my first thought too. Instead, Kyoko is a much more complex character trying to cope with her childhood trauma and resolve the rage she has. Every bad thing in her life seems to be the result of Daniel. The story between Kyoko and Daniel was the most interesting to me. I thought it unfolded well and had an interesting conclusion.

Overall, this was a good book with a lot of trope busters in it. I think the story of Daniel and Alma could have had more resolution, and Daniel could have done with more realization of how he fetishizes Asian women. Also, there was almost no point in him having an ex-wife. It didn’t add to the story in any way.

Thanks to Netgalley and G.P. Putnam’s Sons for the ARC.