White Ivy was an intriguing book, and I enjoyed reading it, but I feel classifying it as a thriller is a stretch.  There was little suspense or danger until the end, and even all of that was entirely predictable.  However I did really enjoy reading about Ivy's experience and POV as a Chinese-born young woman raised in the US and the pressure she felt to fit in, moving between two different cultures and two different classes.  None of the characters were especially likable (I include Ivy), so I was mostly reading for insight into Ivy's POV and experiences as an Asian American young woman.  

It was really refreshing to read a book with a main character who is not just imperfect in a quirky way, but flawed in a deep way. I think most people can relate to at least one of Ivy's dark feelings or thought processes, which are too taboo to talk to people about, probably even to your best friend. Yang delves into the parts of Ivy -- and ourselves -- that are too shameful to talk about, but also so central to the way we approach and walk through life. The same raw honesty was present in Yang's writing about Ivy's family, which has real problems that aren't easily resolved -- like in real life! Bottom line: I love how real this book is. I admire Yang's vulnerability in pulling these feelings and thoughts out of her head and sharing them with us. I also appreciate the non-russian Eastern European representation :)