The Epic Crush of Genie Lo (Genie Lo Series #1)

by F. C. Yee

Overview

From the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Avatar: The Last Airbender: The Rise of Kyoshi

Genie Lo is one among droves of Ivy-hopeful overachievers in her sleepy Bay Area suburb. When she’s not crushing it at volleyball, Genie is typically working on how to crack the elusive Harvard entry code. But when her hometown comes under siege from hellspawn straight out of Chinese folklore, her priorities are dramatically rearranged. Enter Quentin Sun, a mysterious new kid who becomes Genie’s guide to battling demons. While Genie knows Quentin only as an attractive transfer student, in another reality he is Sun Wukong, the mythological Monkey King incarnate. Suddenly, acing the SATs is the least of Genie’s worries.

This epic debut draws from Chinese mythology, features a larger-than-life heroine, and perfectly balances the realities of Genie’s grounded Bay Area life with the absurd supernatural world she finds herself commanding.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781419732096
Publisher:	ABRAMS
Publication date:	06/25/2019
Series:	Genie Lo Series , #1
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	352
Sales rank:	183,770
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.20(h) x 1.10(d)
Lexile:	720L (what's this?)
Age Range:	13 - 17 Years

About the Author

F. C. Yee grew up in New Jersey and went to school in New England. His first book with Abrams, The Epic Crush of Genie Lo, released in 2017 to critical acclaim and four starred reviews. He currently lives and writes in Denver, Colorado.

Editorial Reviews

★ 07/03/2017
When Eugenia “Genie” Lo, a 16-year-old Chinese-American overachiever, discovers that she’s the reincarnation of the Monkey King’s legendary weapon, the Ruyi Jingu Bang, it throws her carefully ordered life into upheaval. It turns out that there has been a massive jailbreak from Diyu, the Chinese hell, and only Genie has the power to defeat the escaped demons. Charged by the goddess Guanyin to work with Quentin Sun, the annoying (yet alluring) teenage manifestation of the Monkey King, Genie has to master her newfound powers and return dozens of demons to Diyu, while still making time for her best friend and staying on top of homework—too bad Harvard doesn’t offer scholarships for fighting evil. In this dazzlingly fun debut, Yee mixes humor, Chinese folklore, and action to deliver a rousing, irreverent adventure packed with sharp-edged banter. Genie is resourceful and ferocious as she juggles her tyrannically strict mother’s demands while holding the fate of the world in her hands, and her fiery love-hate relationship with Quentin steals the show. Ages 13–up. Agent: Stephen Barr, Writers House. (Aug.)

Publishers Weekly

"It’s refreshing to see the Chinese pantheon steal some of the literary attention lavished on the Greek, Roman, and Nordic gods, and Yee handily gets Western readers up to speed on requisite backstories and proclivities."

Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"Fast-paced action is offset with moments of introspection as Genie is forced to decide what matters most. Ultimately, Genie epitomizes the type of kick-ass heroine promised by the book’s cover—one who uses her wits and brawn in her battles."

International Literacy Association

"Genie is a unique and uniquely funny heroine, a trove of biting cultural commentary, insight on life as an Asian-American teen, and compelling interpretations of ancient Eastern legends."

Chicago Tribune

★ 08/01/2017
Gr 7 Up—Genie Lo lives in Silicon Valley, but not the nice part. All she wants is to get into the Ivy League so she can escape. But then Quentin, the weird new kid at school, tells her that he's really the Monkey King and she is the human reincarnation of his weapon, the Ruyi Jingu Bang. In response, she punches him the face. Unfortunately for both of them, 108 demons have escaped from hell, and they need to track them down to save the world. Genie needs a crash course not only in demon fighting, but also in Chinese mythology—she has never read Journey to the West or seen one of the myriad movies. With the occasional helping hand from Guanyin and Erlang Shen, this rollicking page-turning adventure delivers action coupled with laughter. Genie's not the first girl who has to balance school, family, and friends with averting the apocalypse, but her biting humor make her first-person narration a stand-out. A Chinese American girl who was angry and strong before being saddled with the fate of the world, Genie's perspective on the strange turn her life has taken will have readers laughing out loud. Luckily, while the ending brings the story to a satisfying close, it does leave room for a sequel—readers will be demanding more Genie long before they turn the last page. VERDICT Hilarious and action-packed, this fantastically executed tale of the Monkey King in modern-day California introduces a great new character in Genie Lo.—Jennifer Rothschild, Arlington County Public Libraries, VA

School Library Journal

★ 2017-07-02
A tough, self-disciplined Chinese-American teen deals with the supernatural derailing of her college-prep activities in this speculative fiction novel that draws on the folklore of the Chinese Monkey King. In a dry, wickedly funny, first-person voice, overachiever Genie Lo easily brings readers into her corner as she puzzles with irritation over the behavior of gorgeous, goofy Quentin, newly arrived from China, who presents himself as a new student at her school and seems to think he knows her. As his story—and subsequently hers—reveals itself, it will surprise no one that the two have an extensive history together, though her actual relationship to him is a clever and fascinating detail. Genie gradually warms to him in a true-to-type romantic comedy that is filled with witty banter and valiant attempts by Genie to resist their attraction. Genie's poignantly rendered immediate family history and incisive observations about her mostly Asian classmates and community balance the plentiful action in the battles she and Quentin undertake against a plethora of ferocious, eerily described yaoguai. Readers unfamiliar with the story of the Monkey King are easily brought up to speed early on, and the contemporary setting provides plenty of comedic juxtaposition. An exciting, engaging, and humorous debut that will appeal widely, this wraps up neatly enough but leaves an opening for further installments—here's hoping. (Fantasy. 13-18)

Kirkus Reviews

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