What do readers think of The Take by Kelly Yang? Write your own review.

The Take grabbed me right away with its premise and didn't really let go. It sets up a choice between opportunity and something much harder to define, then keeps pushing on what that trade actually means. The story moves between two women at very different points in their lives, which adds tension without slowing things down. What stood out most is how it digs into ambition and power, especially in spaces where image and influence matter. It also gets at the uneasy dynamics between women, where support and competition can exist at the same time. It's not subtle, but it's effective. This feels like a strong pick for discussion since there's a lot to unpack once you sit with it.

Kelly Yang weaves a tale of 2 women (one older and white and one younger and Asian) who through a set number of blood exchanges, swap the benefits of youth with the issues of aging.

This actual process is more of a backdrop to the ruminations and experiences of the older woman who feels that aging is detrimental to her opportunities in the world of producing. Also front and center is the younger woman who is eager to utilize the 3 million dollar payment to help her parents and pay off her debts. As well as the tangible benefits, she is looking forward to, working along side an experienced insider and to further her own writing career.

I would have liked more information on how this blood exchange actually accomplished the exchange of youth/aging components. Was the exchange permanent? Even though I felt this part was lacking, I learned about the world of producing and the struggles of a burgeoning writer.

Yang did a great job in switching between the different topics. She definitely kept my interest in wanting to see how each situation was resolved.

The Take was an interesting read. At the beginning I thought I knew who Maggie and Ingrid were and how the story would end but I was wrong. There were twists and turns. At the beginning of the novel, I thought Maggie was weak and being taken advantage of by Ingrid but by the end she was able to hold her own, she was able to get what she wanted but at what cost. What was the cost for Ingrid to become younger? It's interesting to think about aging and how far you would go to be older or younger. Also, how far you would go to be rich. There is a lot to dissect in a book club discussion!

What. A. Ride.

I loved every minute of this one. The characters were so ridiculously unlikable that I didn't know who to root for. But they were also so realistic and complex, with complicated motives and emotions. Every time I really started to hate one of them, they would do something half redeemable. And then just as I was ready to give them some grace, they would make me hate them again.

The backdrop for these characters is a story that engages themes of aging and discrimination, feminism, and the challenge of existing in a man's world without being a part of upholding that world.

An entertaining, thoughtful read that I would recommend to anyone.

The Take was a hard one to put down! It makes you think deeply about age, fame, and power dynamics. You might like this book if you enjoy those told from multiple perspectives and about intersectionality. It would be a great book club pick as there is a lot of great area and room for discussion.

Kelly Yang's The Take is a compelling, thought-provoking novel that explores blind ambition and the personal cost of chasing success. Tackling themes of feminism, broken promises, and the subtle ways selfishness shapes relationships, the story feels both timely and emotionally resonant.

What makes the book particularly engaging is its cast of deeply flawed characters. They are not particularly likable – but that's part of what makes the novel so difficult to put down. Their choices can be frustrating, even infuriating, yet they feel authentic, keeping you invested in how everything unfolds. Yang effectively highlights just how far the main characters are willing to go for the promise of success, and how quickly ambition can blur moral boundaries, especially for women navigating power and expectation.

One minor drawback is the use of acronyms without clear definition, which can occasionally disrupt the flow and pull you out of the story. Still, the strong pacing and sharp social insight make The Take an absorbing read that will spark discussion and linger with readers well after the final page.

I enjoyed this book a lot! It was fun to be inside the entertainment business and see how tv shows are made. It had good character development and I rooted for Maggie through the whole book and felt connected to Ingrid as a middle-aged woman.

In The Take, Maggie, a young woman in her twenties, is eager to get her first novel published. An encounter with Ingrid, a seasoned movie producer, gets Maggie help with her writing, some useful introductions, and maybe the chance to create the screenplay for a new film. This assistance, however, is part of a deal she enters into with Ingrid that has momentous consequences for them both, especially Maggie.

Initially, I thought the novel's premise was wacky, but then I bought into it and got hooked. I found Maggie incredibly naïve and trusting and wasn't sure she would truly see what was happening and how she was being used. A fast-paced read about money, morals, race, and gender, it's played out against the movie industry. This is Yang's first novel for adults, and it has a breezy quality to it. Issues are not treated in depth, and some characters are less well defined, but the book is still good entertainment.