Omona Book Club "Shine" discussion Week 2

I think it was mostly fictional than autobiographical. Mina is too much of a sterotypical antagonist to be based on one person, I feel like of Rachel had done half the things she done in real life she would've been kicked out but I do feel like the contract issue with Jina might have a hint of reality to it and some of the core facts about Rachel (Korean-American, little sister, long trainee days).

i think it was majority fiction. most of the interesting parts of the story seemed too cheesy and cliché to have been a real life experience. the story and characters read too similar to countless other YA books.

i'd guess the more mundane aspects were probably true - her training only on weekends, treatment of trainees, the constant weigh-ins, etc

Akari, I want to know how she felt being Japanese and moving to train in Korea to be an idol, how she felt about all the chances Rachel got while she was being punished and what she was going through while Rachel was ignoring her.

akari! i was interested in her backstory/experience but i was given next to nothing

mina's POV could be interesting as well. i think it would've been fun if the book had alternated between mina and rachel POV

Honestly Mina. She's a horrible person but I would like to see her side of the story through her eyes. She's very one dimensional from Rachel's POV (even after that bit with her father) so I think a story from her perspective would be interesting especially since Rachel has such a huge victim complex. It would be nice to see her through Mina's eyes.