Look No Further

by Rioghnach Robinson, Siofra Robinson

The Parent Trap meets The Vanishing Half in Rioghnach Robinson and Siofra Robinson’s Look No Further , a gripping YA novel about estranged siblings who meet for the first time at art camp and confront their differing experiences of race and identity.

When 17-year-old Niko and 15-year-old Ali meet at Ogilvy Summer Art Institute, a selective camp for art students in New York City, they seem like complete opposites. Ali comes across as standoffish to laid-back Niko, who feels like a fish out of water surrounded by so many type-A peers. So when a teacher assigns them as pairs for a genealogy project, Ali and Niko are shocked to find they have a lot more in common than they bargained for.

As the pair embark on a quest to uncover their shared history, Ali finds herself falling for her roommate—who may have already fallen for another girl at Ogilvy—and surfer-bro Niko struggles to find his footing in the glamorous NYC art scene. Soon they’re both questioning their preconceptions about the world and each other. But only when they face real heartbreak can they accept the most transformative revelation of the best art is what you make, not just what you see.

Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Fiction, Realistic Fiction, New York

336 pages, Hardcover

First published August 15, 2023

Reviews

[Whitney Atkinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

i was sent this book free from the authors but my opinions are my own!

3.5 stars

any book inspired by the parent trap is an automatic add to my tbr, and i thought this was an original rendition. two kids with an elusive father who inspired them to become artists meet at a nyc summer camp for art prodigies and they realize they share that father and go on a mission to find him? consider me along for the ride.

other than this book having a fun, realistic, non-cringy writing style to represent teengers, this is my favorite book i've read with biracial representation. you get the unique perspective of both sides: one character who's white passing but a lot more connected to their chinese culture, and the other who looks more chinese but grows up in a white family and community having to grapple with that distance from his culture. a lot of the microaggressions these characters experienced and the growth they had to go through was emotionally tugging, and it showed so much nuance without having to outright explain it to the reader. it was just so clever to me, and i liked being in their heads and understanding their worlds.

some of the reveals in this felt anti-climactic and only skimmed the surface despite the emotional deepdive that other topics take, which felt odd. also, i found the pace slowed down in the second half. but those were really my only two comments about this book. highly recommend if you're looking for a book that revolves around art or coming of age alongside your long-lost sibling.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had no expectations going into this book, but I thought the premise sounded promising -- and I loved that the dual-POV novel was written by a real-life pair of siblings. Look No Further surprised me with its sweetness and depth as I laughed and cried my way through Niko and Ali's three weeks together at Ogilvy Summer Art Camp Institute.

(I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.)

[Ivy Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is exceptional, I could not put it down. Whoever said it is Parent Trap meets the Vanishing Half was spot on. If you love the magic of summer camp, the process of making art, the feeling of seeing New York for the first time, or the power of discovering layers of identity - this is the book for you. So much hope, wonder, and lovable characters.

[woodswit · Rating 5 out of 5]

I *loved* this.

The characters were so vivid and hooked me immediately—I was a Niko stan from the very beginning and wanted to hug Ali. And the SIDE CHARACTERS!!!! Andrew is my baby FOREVER, Nai Nai is my everything, and yes, I DID fall in love with Nathalie a little bit (BUT WHO DIDNT?!!?)

One of my favorite things about this story was the way dichotomy was used in such an empathic way. Niko’s interactions with Hailey were juxtaposed with Ali’s interactions with Grace, never condemning anyone but still examining the similarities and nuances so fearlessly. A line is never drawn between racist and not-racist and rather it’s a means of exploring the characters’ relationships with that aspect of their identity. Masterfully done.

I also loved the individual character arcs. While Niko was my favorite character, Ali’s arc was my favorite. I loved how she explored her identity in such a relatable way.

Lastly, I loved the overall takeaway that both Niko and Ali have about their environments and how they fit into them. Just wonderful.

[Cindy (leavemetomybooks) · Rating 4 out of 5]

When 17-year-old Niko and 15-year-old Ali meet at an exclusive summer art institute in New York, they instantly dislike each other -- aaaaand then find out they are half-siblings.

Rioghnach Robinson's book "Alone Out Here" (written under her pen name, Riley Redgate) was one of my favorite-favorite books of 2022, so I was *VERY* excited to read this, and I love that she wrote a book about siblings with her sister - perfection! I thought Niko and Ali's exploration of their biracial identities and where they "fit" was really thoughtful and beautifully done, and I loved the art institute (NOT CAMP) setting and all of the side characters. And the book was funny (especially the Oceans 11-style sneaking out scenario -- ah, teenagers)! Overall this was emotionally moving *and* funny *and* felt so real! I really hope these two write further books together - I will be first in line to read them!

* thanks to Abrams Kids / Amulet for the NetGalley review copy. Look No Further published August 15.

[Rose O'Brien · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent! I loved this book - it was full of life lessons without being too moralistic, covered lots of heavy conflicting emotions without being maudlin, and had well-rounded characters and arcs that interacted naturally. I was so impressed with how the authors captured the voices of the two siblings and let their emotions engage with one another - much like LaTonya’s lesson on building off of other artists!

Not only was it meaningful and treated issues related to belonging, sense of self, Asian experiences in the US, artistic expression and imposter syndrome, romantic love, and blended families in a nuanced way, but it was also hilarious! One of my favorite lines:

“A second later, Andrew is tripping, catapulting forward, and spilling punch all over Professor Abbott’s pant leg. Abbott recoils, staring at them like they’ve just spat on the Mona Lisa.”

Would definitely recommend this to artists, young people, and anyone who has ever thought about their place in the world and where they fit in.

[Ashley Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic YA novel. Explores race, belonging, and family, without being didactic or heavy handed. What was the most lovely was there was no clear outcome, no picture perfect ending, no "and this is how we all should feel." Instead, it was just a step towards acceptance in so many ways. Highly recommend.

[Mary Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book has everything. east coast and west coast vibes, descriptions of food that will make your mouth water, an original take on the parent trap, emotional gut punches that’ll take you by surprise, and most importantly, a feeling of love for the arts and passion for creativity throughout the book. five out five stars, i cried several times

[Chris G. · Rating 4 out of 5]

West coast surfer Niko has never known his bio-dad, a Chinese American named Bo with whom his mom had a one-night stand. As the older brother of two step siblings, he’s used to the casual racism that comes with not looking like the rest of his family. East coast Queens Chinatown is home for Ali, where she lives with her Nai Nai. Her dad left their family when Ali was tiny, and though she speaks Mandarin, Ali looks much more like her white mom. Ali and Niko meet at a five week art intensive in NYC where they are challenged to consider how their own pasts impact their art as they struggle with the complexities of being mixed race. Niko’s long distance romance with popular classmate Hailey, who is white, isn’t going smoothly, and Ali wonders how she will be able to tell Nai Nai about her attraction to girls. Some nicely done surprises. Strong secondary characters. EARC from Edelweiss.

[Izzys_Internet_Bookshelf · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5/5

Overall I enjoyed this read. I liked the plot and characters but at the same time I felt like there wasn't a lot of character development.

[Aaron Mcilhenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely freaking smashed it

[Yukai Lim · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good book overall. A 3.5 rating for me.

[Cara Linane · Rating 5 out of 5]

i would recommend the ending is so cute

[h t · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this!

[Luke Reynolds]

Before Reading:

WHAT DO YOU MEAN RILEY REDGATE HAS A NEW BOOK OUT UNDER HER REAL NAME

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

When half-siblings Ali and Niko meet for the first time at art camp, they don't immediately realize their absent artist fathers are the same man. What follows is a race against time to find their elusive father, learn about his legacy, and understand their heritage (and themselves) in time to complete their final art project.

It has:
- summer independence vibes
- multi-faceted Asian / mixed heritage rep
- NYC art camp setting
- newfound sibling team-up