"A truly idiosyncratic literary voice, and a book with a mesmerizing fusion of attributes... I was very struck by the playful way in which the author ponders the limits and possibilities of fictional and autofictional writing, the juxtaposition and overlaps of truth and lies and truthfulness. I have never read such a debonair and cool approach to this. Reading A PERFECT DAY also means going back to one's own childhood and teenage memories. The story of Tan in set in a specific Taiwanese context, and at the same time it is such a universal endeavor to question one's own memories and narratives of the past. I can't remember reading an author or character who confronts their own version with the very people who lived this past with them. This method adds a beautiful and insightful layer to her literary self-analysing project... I immensely enjoyed the laconic, witty tone of the novel that makes it possible to narrate traumatic experiences alongside joyful episodes. The book has a strong page-turning quality, especially thanks to Tan’s voice. A lot of the finesse lies in between the lines, and that makes reading this book so exciting." - Sabine Erbrich, Suhrkamp

"A mesmerizing narrative that blurs the lines between memoir, fiction, and literary meditation ... Through its fictional heroine’s life – from childhood trauma and parental divorce to life-changing teenage encounters – this genre-defying work questions our efforts to immortalize life’s moments through memoir. Like preserved specimens baking in an oven, it examines how we absorb, transform, and eternalize the human experience... Lee Chia-Ying’s novel spoke to me instantly for its universal act of female self-reflection and how we reckon with our past. It is a gripping search for self that oozes with a muted zest and wit. Chia-Ying’s hyper-incisiveness and compelling choice of detail create a moving and vivid picture of womanhood that is utterly unique and also completely ordinary.” - Jane Lawson, publishing director, Doubleday

"There’s a tone, a rhythm, a wonderful sense of humor, and we laugh at her setbacks and at the scenes and characters she conjures up, while at the same time a melancholy infuses her narrative. We identify with her solitude, her astonishment at adult behavior, the way she questions herself and tries to find her place in the world: her story is both original and universal, with real depth and poignancy. We appreciated her highly visual writing, evocative of Virginia Woolf, but also of Annie Ernaux, for the way she tells of difficult and deeply affecting events in a streamlined style that ultimately lightens them up." - Juliette Lambron, Flammarion

"I was instantly captivated by the author’s intelligent writing and her elegant bet on experimentation, which reminded me of some of our authors that we have the honor to publish, like Flannery O’Connor, Jhumpa Lahiri, Urszula Honek, Rebecca Solnit or Lauren Groff, as well as other authors such as Catherine Lacey or Rachel Cusk. I found myself veering between being deeply moved and brought to laughter, and I think this is one of Chia-ying’s biggest strengths: her eloquent use of irony at the right time, her transparency and her awareness of its dangers, her willingness to play with the preconceived rules of the memoirist genre and to push further in our understanding of the functioning of fiction and truth. All of that combined with a truly interesting and original depiction of Taiwan’s world, which is something we have not had the chance to see before in Spain." - Teresa Gras, Lumen

"The writing is exceptional, and the voice is captivating and unique. We found the main character to be incredibly likable and distinct, drawing us back to her story and her fascinating observations repeatedly after finishing the sample...Our interest was especially peaked by the meta-element that lies at the foundation of your novel, and how it blends the distinct genres of fiction and memoir and thus explores the boundaries of both. " - Sterre Howeling, Meulenhoff

"A remarkable and engaging read for several reasons. Set against the backdrop of childhood and youth in Taiwan, the novel, written in Taiwanese-Chinese, offers a distinctive voice that blends memory with fiction in a way that feels both personal and inventive. This approach sets it apart from the omniscient female narrators of writers like Rachel Cusk. The Taiwanese perspective infuses the narrative with a sharp, precise energy, making the book both entertaining and thought-provoking. The fluid transitions between personal memories and reflections on the recollections of others create a dynamic and layered story. The narrator’s interactions with people from her past through modern tools like Facebook further deepen the exploration of memory and identity. Rooted in Taiwan’s complex history and culture, the novel is both intellectually rich and highly readable, with a balance of humor and seriousness that makes it a true literary delight. In its depth and accessibility, A PERFECT DAY TO PUT YOUR HEAD IN THE OVEN offers a fresh lens on memory, self-narration, and Taiwanese culture." - Maaike Hazen, Politikens Forlag