Gingko Season: Book Review

Today, we will be reviewing Gingko Season by Naomi Xu Elegant, a debut novel released in May 2025. Keep reading to find out what we thought of this novel and if you should read it too!

Gingko Season Summary

25-year old Penelope Lin is an archivist who has an obsession with Napoleon Bonaparte. She had her heart broken two years ago and has lived a quiet life since. Since then, she has surrounded herself with friends and focused on her job at the museum where she is given her first big chance.

A happenstance meeting with Hoang, a tall guy who confesses to her that he has been releasing mice that were supposed to be euthanized. That leads to them sending mail to each other since Hoang doesn’t own a phone and random encounters.

But life takes a turn when Penelope has to make decisions regarding her mom and the appearance of an old lover. What is Penelope to do? She knows that she can be strong headed and stubborn. As her life diverges, she has to decide how to go forward with her relationships and her future.

Commentary

Gingko Season was a novel I ended up adding to my reading list because of all the good things I heard about it. I was surprised to find out that this was Naomi Xu Elegant’s debut novel and that is was released in May 2025.

I loved Elegant’s writing style and thought-provoking lines throughout the book. Penelope is a fantastic protagonist and her journey is one that many people in their 20s can relate with. We all have eccentric and friends with strong personalities.

There is one scene in the novel where Penelope realizes that how she viewed her friend’s shortcomings were also true for her when pointed out by a close friend. Elegant does an amazing job of showing how there are many relationships that a person has, how they are different, and how they are always in the background.

Trying to give this novel one defining plot simplifies this incredible novel. We see Penelope’s growth but we also see how there isn’t a right answer sometimes. You have to do what you think is best and that you aren’t always going to get closure.

Conclusion

This might one of my favorite books of 2025 so far and mostly because of Elegant’s writing style. Novels that provoke conversations and make you think about everyday things are my favorite. Elegant fleshes out her characters and shows that character driven novels are always going to be beloved by fans.

I am glad that this novel has received good reviews and that I came across it as a result. This novel hasn’t gotten the attention it deserves which is sad because people are missing out on an amazing novel.

I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good novel. I will be looking forward to seeing what Naomi Xu Elegant does next. Happy reading!

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