ambershelf's reviews
1295 reviews

HOMEGOING follows two parallel storylines of half-sisters, Effia and Esi, born in 18th-century Ghana. As Effia is married off to an English colonizer in Cape Coast Castle, Esi is sold to slavery across the Atlantic to America. Spanning 300 years and multiple generations, each chapter focuses on a different descendant of the sisters and the challenges they face in their respective worlds.

One of the central themes is the idea of going home. Primarily the American storyline explores the loss and disconnection that many people of African descent feel from their cultural roots. This notion is reminiscent of THE LOVE SONGS OF W.E.B. DU BOIS (Honorée Fanonne Jeffers) and serves as a reminder of the importance of preserving stories and honoring the past that has been lost, forgotten, or erased. I adore the message that literature has this transformative power to pass down histories of oppressed communities.

HOMEGOING also highlights the brutal reality of slavery and colonization, as well as the impact of the colonizers’ poisons on communities all over the world. Throughout the book, Gyazi depicts how each generation is shattered by violence and trauma and is forced to make devastating choices that have far-reaching consequences for their family.

I’m in awe of Gyazi’s craft in writing this expansive novel in a little over 300 pages, yet still manages to convey heartbreak, loss, and resilience to create a breathtaking tapestry of the African diaspora. HOMEGOING is a tour de force that will go down as a modern classic that everyone should read.

When Yang Wei travels to C City for work, he expects nothing more than a standard business trip. But after drinking a complimentary bottle of mineral water that results in excruciating stomach pain, Wei is sent to a "hospital," where he receives no diagnosis or discharge date, just a guide to the labyrinthine medical system he's now circulating through.

Set in a future dystopia where medicine has transcended all its technological bottlenecks and can treat any disease, HOSPITAL reads like a fever dream as we follow Wei's journey of navigating the complicated medical system. The story examines fascinating medical advancements, such as gene therapy, artificial organs, stem cell treatment, and designer babies.

Apart from the futuristic sci-fi plots, Song brilliantly examines the extreme power imbalance between doctors & patients. He challenges the notion of powerful institutions (the hospital) requesting the people they serve (patients) to blindly trust their decisions without any repercussions and how that extreme power corrupts the foundations of tradition, family, and humanity.

Some parts of HOSPITAL contain quite misogynistic descriptions that may be uncomfortable for readers. I'd say from the scale of Cixin Liu to Murakami Haruki, the majority of the gender dynamic is closer to Liu, with one particular scene really pushing to the Murakami extreme.

The translator's note is extremely helpful in understanding and interpreting HOSPITAL. It actually validates some of my hypotheses while reading the book, and I'm glad it wasn't all in my head, especially when the other Goodreads reviews seem to be very different from my interpretations. Those with a better understanding of the Chinese political landscape may be able to derive more nuance from HOSPITAL. I encourage interested readers to start with the translator's note before reading the book.

HOSPITAL is a thought-provoking and unsettling book that challenges me to examine my attitude towards politics, power, and technology and how they intersect with traditions and humanity.

Thank you to Wunderkind PR for the gifted copy.

In 1950s Philadelphia, 15-year-old Ruby Pearsall is on track to become the first person to attend college in her family. Despite overcoming rejection from her mom, who seems more interested in keeping a man than raising her, Ruby is determined to do whatever it takes to realize her dreams. In the meantime, in Washington, DC, Eleanor Quarles arrives at Howard University with her own ambitions while being attracted to a handsome young man from an elite Black family. HOUSE OF EVE follows two women whose lives are unwittingly intertwined through their journeys for love, acceptance, and education.

The most important thing you need to know about HOUSE OF EVE is DON’T READ THE BLURBS! I think it gives too much away

When a scholar of myth marries the beautiful, mysterious, and wealthy Indigo Maxwell-Casteñada, he promises to never pry into her past. But when the couple travels home to visit Indigo’s estranged aunt, the bridegroom finds himself unable to resist the temptation from Indigo’s childhood home. In the shadows of the crumbling mansion, the bridegroom investigates the sudden disappearance of Indigo’s childhood best friend, even if it destroys his marriage.

FLOWER BRIDE is a gothic fantasy written with lush prose that explores toxic relationships, the lengths we go to protect our secrets, and how we might never fully know our partners. The uncanny aura flows through the entire book and keeps me on edge while listening to the audiobook. Chokshi spends a lot of time building up the eeriness, and I adore her craft in constructing such a beautiful world.

Because of her efforts spent on world-building, the actual plot in FLOWER BRIDE moves very slowly, and I struggled to focus on the audiobook a lot of times. For those interested in the book, reading might be the way to go. The final plot twist is also somewhat predictable, especially after so much build-up.

FLOWER BRIDE is an extremely dark story with lots of trigger warnings. For fans of lush writings, atmospheric reads, and eerie fantasies, FLOWER BRIDE is a solid choice.

Thank you to Libro.fm for the ALC.

Growing up in Ghana, Jacob and Belinda Nti’s goals are simple: move to America. But when Jacob’s US visa is denied for the nth time, even with his marriage to a woman living in the States, Jacob is filled with rage and jealousy of Belinda. Belinda has achieved what her father calls “what Napoleon could not do,” attending US schools and marrying a wealthy Black Texan named Wilder. Nonetheless, Belinda is still waiting for her green card after a decade.

Following three distinct characters, NAPOLEON is a brilliant work that examines the meaning of the American Dream. Nnuro paints a layered picture of how the promised land makes and breaks each one’s ambitions through the lenses of an African American, African immigrant, and Ghanaian.

I was most drawn to Belinda and Wilder’s diverging views toward America. Wilder’s fights against racism as an African American drive him to believe the US is a country that holds him back. In contrast, Belinda believes promises and bright futures America has for her. As an immigrant, I resonate with Belinda’s POV the most, but I also gravitate toward Wilder’s sentiments as I learn more about US history.

NAPOLEON is a fascinating and refreshing analysis of the potential or lack thereof of this land. While not all characters resonated with me (which is totally fine

An intimate memoir about Jennette McCurdy's experience as a former child actor

Set in Florence, PORTRAIT retells the life of the young duchess Lucrezia de Medici, from her childhood to her marriage at the age of 15. With O’Farrell’s signature style, PORTRAIT is a lustrous reimagination of a story that could’ve been told in 100 pages but ended up being 300+. An excellent read for those interested in niche topics about Renaissance, but perhaps a bit dull for me.

BRONZE is a stunning retelling of two warrior sisters and their quest to free Vietnam from the rule of the Han Chinese; an intriguing story that started out promising but failed to pick up the pace. The character development also greatly confused me, even with two sisters. BRONZE is a solid read with a fantastic idea that needed a bit more work.

When Paris Peralta is arrested with murdering her famous husband, she must use her resources to free herself and, most importantly, confront her hidden past. DARK is, well, a very dark thriller that readers should check trigger warnings first. It would’ve been an exciting read if I hadn’t guessed all the plots, but that’s my bad.