Imposter Syndrome and Other Confessions of Alejandra Kim

By: Patricia Park

Narrated by: Felisha Wong

A multicultural teen struggles to fit into her elite prep school, her diverse Queens neighborhood, and even her own home. A hilarious, poignant, and powerful YA novel from the award-winning author of Re Jane.

“Simply brilliant!” —David Yoon, New York Times best-selling author of FRANKLY IN LOVE
“Scathingly funny.” —Gayle Forman, New York Times best-selling author of IF I STAY
Alejandra Kim feels like she doesn’t belong anywhere.

Not at home, where Ale faces tense silence from Ma since Papi’s passing. Not in Jackson Heights, where she isn’t considered Latinx enough and is seen as too PC for her own good. Certainly not at her Manhattan prep school, where her predominantly white classmates pride themselves on being “woke”. She only has to survive her senior year before she can escape to the prestigious Whyder College, if she can get in. Maybe there, Ale will finally find a place to call her own.

The only problem with laying low— a microaggression thrusts Ale into the spotlight and into the middle of a discussion she didn’t ask for. But her usual keeping her head down tactic isn’t going to make this go away. With her signature wit and snark, Ale faces what she’s been hiding from. In the process, she might discover what it truly means to carve out a space for yourself to belong.

Imposter Syndrome and Other Confessions of Alejandra Kim is an incisive, laugh-out-loud, provocative read about feeling like a misfit caught between very different worlds, what it means to be belong, and what it takes to build a future for yourself.

Critic reviews

★ “Park’s work paints an educational but entertaining portrait of what it is like to be a person of color in today’s world.... [A] fantastic read.” —School Library Journal, starred review

★ “[An] entertaining, well-paced story…. Ale is a thoroughly appealing protagonist.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"Alejandra’s powerful story will leave readers with much to think about.” —The Horn Book

"This humor-infused tale poignantly captures one teenager’s experience learning to stand up for what she believes in.” —Publishers Weekly

"This is a powerful debut YA novel." -Buzzfeed News

“Hilarious, whip-smart, and refreshingly honest—this novel is simply brilliant.”
—Brendan Kiely, coauthor of the New York Times bestselling All American Boys

“An authentically funny, honest, and real portrayal of the fight to be seen. Magnificent.”
—Ellen Oh, award-winning author of Finding Junie Kim

“Will give readers the courage to truly define ‘imposter’ and to smash those definitions that no longer serve us.”
—Jennifer de Leon, author of Don’t Ask Me Where I’m From

“The joys and travails of Alejandra Kim at ‘Quaker Oats Prep’ made me laugh one moment and cry the next. . . .I loved this novel!”
—Marie Myung-Ok Lee, author of Finding My Voice and Hurt You

"Imposter Syndrome is funny and moving, wonderfully earnest and slyly satirical, and an absolute pleasure to read."
-Benjamin Dreyer, New York Times bestselling author of Dreyer's English

Refreshing Take on AAPI Coming of Age Story

Patricia Park’s young adult novel, Imposter Syndrome and Other Confessions of Alejandra Kim, was a refreshing, unique take on an Asian American coming of age story. The protagonist, Ale, is the daughter of Spanish-speaking Korean-Argentinians and faces unique challenges as a scholarship student at an elite private high school in downtown New York City. Ale is a senior and applying for colleges, and at the same time dealing with the suicide death of a parent, microaggressions at school, overt racism, friendship issues, and finding her own voice. Other themes that emerge are classism, the model minority myth, white privilege, white defensiveness, and cancel culture.

This book fleshes out a lot of misunderstandings, harsh realities, and crises of identity that not only young adults, but anyone might relate to and gives the reader much to contemplate. It was well-written and narrated spectacularly on Audible- I highly recommend it.

Great Story

Great story with lots of complexities. Really appreciated the learning. And the character development. Adult and YA enjoyed it in our family.

Thoughtful, insightful, and real

Couldn’t stop listening. Will look for all her other works and can’t wait for future ones.

¡espectacular!

¡Super recomendado! excellent! I enjoyed it very much. I strongly recommend it. The narrator did a great job and the writer is extremely talented. loved it.