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ambershelf's Reviews (1.3k)
Thank you to the publisher for the gifted book.
South Korea. 1970s. Insu is the son of a Korean mother and a GI father in the US Army who grew up near the army base post-Vietnam War. He spends his days skipping school with other "half and half" friends. After hearing an old legend that water collected from a dead skull can cure all illnesses, Insu vows to help his Korean Big Uncle, whose life was uprooted by the Korean War 20 years prior.
SKULL WATER is a coming-of-age novel examining identity and displacement by weaving two narratives that span 20 years together. While the story mainly follows Insu's daily life—one rife with violence and conflicts—the chapters sometimes read like vignettes to explore the various aspects of a childhood devoid of safety and innocence in South Korea.
I appreciate Fenkl's depictions of the community that the interracial kids built, given how the adults have failed them. In this, SKULL WATER reminds me of BEASTS OF A LITTLE LAND (Juhea Kim). Please note that there are plenty of graphic scenes involving animal cruelty (not the dogs
South Korea. 1970s. Insu is the son of a Korean mother and a GI father in the US Army who grew up near the army base post-Vietnam War. He spends his days skipping school with other "half and half" friends. After hearing an old legend that water collected from a dead skull can cure all illnesses, Insu vows to help his Korean Big Uncle, whose life was uprooted by the Korean War 20 years prior.
SKULL WATER is a coming-of-age novel examining identity and displacement by weaving two narratives that span 20 years together. While the story mainly follows Insu's daily life—one rife with violence and conflicts—the chapters sometimes read like vignettes to explore the various aspects of a childhood devoid of safety and innocence in South Korea.
I appreciate Fenkl's depictions of the community that the interracial kids built, given how the adults have failed them. In this, SKULL WATER reminds me of BEASTS OF A LITTLE LAND (Juhea Kim). Please note that there are plenty of graphic scenes involving animal cruelty (not the dogs
Set in the years before the Civil War, Annis is sold south by the white enslaver who fathered her. As she struggles through the miles-long march trekking from the rice fields of the Carolinas to the sugar plantation in Louisiana, Annis turns to memories of her mother and stories of her African warrior grandmother for strength.
LUD is a haunting read that reimagines slavery through the story of a girl in bondage. Narrated by Ward herself, I enjoyed the lyrical writing and a more distant narrative voice, allowing me to appreciate Ward's prose while not being overwhelmed by the amount of graphic elements.
Ward spares no one in detailing the gruesome experience of marching through the south in chains and working on a plantation. LUD is an extremely dark read; please check TW before picking it up
LUD is a haunting read that reimagines slavery through the story of a girl in bondage. Narrated by Ward herself, I enjoyed the lyrical writing and a more distant narrative voice, allowing me to appreciate Ward's prose while not being overwhelmed by the amount of graphic elements.
Ward spares no one in detailing the gruesome experience of marching through the south in chains and working on a plantation. LUD is an extremely dark read; please check TW before picking it up
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Thank you to the publisher for the gifted ARC
"The problem isn't lack of representation. It's bullshit representation." This is the motivation (among others) of Frankel's fifth novel to reclaim adoption tales not as teenage pregnancy sob stories or desperate couples' last resort but as an option where one can choose freely when fully informed.
Alternating between India's past and present, FAMILY x2 is offbeat and humorous yet tender at its core. The short chapters and commercial writing style remind me of BLACK CAKE (Charmaine Wilkerson)—I love the unexpected twists and the wholesome conversations, and I find FAMILY x2 an absorbing and unputdownable read.
What I love most about FAMILY x2 is the adoption angle. Using her own experience as an adoptive parent, Frankel challenges the readers to question why adoption stories are often portrayed through lenses of trauma. From the adoptive parents' to the adopted children's perspectives, Frankel encompasses a wide range of possibilities as to why one might choose to adopt and how kids might react to their adoption stories. Just like it's important to write about the challenges surrounding adoption, it's equally vital to emphasize adoption joy—and I'm so grateful to have read FAMILY x2.
I do feel that the children are sometimes too emotionally mature, and the dialogues could veer a bit too quirky to be realistic. I also think that FAMILY x2 is written with a TV/movie adaptation in mind due to the writing style. Nonetheless, these don't take away from the brilliance of FAMILY x2. It's an excellent book for workplace book clubs, generating great discussions, and gifting one's found family. It's a book I'll recommend to everyone.
"The problem isn't lack of representation. It's bullshit representation." This is the motivation (among others) of Frankel's fifth novel to reclaim adoption tales not as teenage pregnancy sob stories or desperate couples' last resort but as an option where one can choose freely when fully informed.
Alternating between India's past and present, FAMILY x2 is offbeat and humorous yet tender at its core. The short chapters and commercial writing style remind me of BLACK CAKE (Charmaine Wilkerson)—I love the unexpected twists and the wholesome conversations, and I find FAMILY x2 an absorbing and unputdownable read.
What I love most about FAMILY x2 is the adoption angle. Using her own experience as an adoptive parent, Frankel challenges the readers to question why adoption stories are often portrayed through lenses of trauma. From the adoptive parents' to the adopted children's perspectives, Frankel encompasses a wide range of possibilities as to why one might choose to adopt and how kids might react to their adoption stories. Just like it's important to write about the challenges surrounding adoption, it's equally vital to emphasize adoption joy—and I'm so grateful to have read FAMILY x2.
I do feel that the children are sometimes too emotionally mature, and the dialogues could veer a bit too quirky to be realistic. I also think that FAMILY x2 is written with a TV/movie adaptation in mind due to the writing style. Nonetheless, these don't take away from the brilliance of FAMILY x2. It's an excellent book for workplace book clubs, generating great discussions, and gifting one's found family. It's a book I'll recommend to everyone.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the gifted eARC
Following the diverse residents of a Palestinian-American community in Baltimore, SEA explores the inner psyches of those young and old, rich and poor, and the intertwined lives of the Palestinian diaspora across generation, class, and religion.
Books with shifting POVs sometimes risk writing superficial characters. That's why I was pleasantly surprised by Darraj's craft of writing profoundly flawed characters with rich inner workings, all achieved in short chapters. SEA centers around Palestinian & Palestinian-American women, who are often the victims of misogyny, lack the social & familial support to succeed, and suffer greatly from their male relatives' neglect/abuse.
What I love most about SEA is its centering on a diverse cast of Palestinians & Palestinian Americans without falling into overwritten tropes of immigrant struggles and its exploration of the "American Dream." Each chapter explores a different angle of the American experience, from poverty, teenage pregnancy, eating disorders, marital issues, to microaggressions in high school. SEA reaches the crescendo with its last story following a son's return from America to Palestine.
Don't miss this moving debut for fans of CALLING FOR A BLANKET DANCE (Oscar Hokeah) or EVIL EYE (Etaf Rum)
Following the diverse residents of a Palestinian-American community in Baltimore, SEA explores the inner psyches of those young and old, rich and poor, and the intertwined lives of the Palestinian diaspora across generation, class, and religion.
Books with shifting POVs sometimes risk writing superficial characters. That's why I was pleasantly surprised by Darraj's craft of writing profoundly flawed characters with rich inner workings, all achieved in short chapters. SEA centers around Palestinian & Palestinian-American women, who are often the victims of misogyny, lack the social & familial support to succeed, and suffer greatly from their male relatives' neglect/abuse.
What I love most about SEA is its centering on a diverse cast of Palestinians & Palestinian Americans without falling into overwritten tropes of immigrant struggles and its exploration of the "American Dream." Each chapter explores a different angle of the American experience, from poverty, teenage pregnancy, eating disorders, marital issues, to microaggressions in high school. SEA reaches the crescendo with its last story following a son's return from America to Palestine.
Don't miss this moving debut for fans of CALLING FOR A BLANKET DANCE (Oscar Hokeah) or EVIL EYE (Etaf Rum)
Thank you to the publisher for the gifted ARC
When Daniel de La Luna arrives as the first in his family to attend college, he feels woefully out of place. But his outgoing, athletic, and attractive roommate, Sam, is a beacon of light that helps Daniel through the first uncertain months. Even as their relationship deepens, the duo is pulled apart, first because of Sam's hesitation and then due to Daniel's family emergency. Will they find their way back to each other?
STARS is a hauntingly beautiful and gutwrenching coming-of-age story that covers plenty of ground, from race, class, and sexuality to loss and grief. The story is written from Daniel's perspective and addressed to Sam in the second person, retrospectively referencing their first year in college. I love this type of new adult novel where the MC looks back in time, which helps add more maturity to the narrative.
There's so much to love about STARS. I loved Daniel's inner monologue that reminds me of my overthinking self
When Daniel de La Luna arrives as the first in his family to attend college, he feels woefully out of place. But his outgoing, athletic, and attractive roommate, Sam, is a beacon of light that helps Daniel through the first uncertain months. Even as their relationship deepens, the duo is pulled apart, first because of Sam's hesitation and then due to Daniel's family emergency. Will they find their way back to each other?
STARS is a hauntingly beautiful and gutwrenching coming-of-age story that covers plenty of ground, from race, class, and sexuality to loss and grief. The story is written from Daniel's perspective and addressed to Sam in the second person, retrospectively referencing their first year in college. I love this type of new adult novel where the MC looks back in time, which helps add more maturity to the narrative.
There's so much to love about STARS. I loved Daniel's inner monologue that reminds me of my overthinking self
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the gifted eARC
Iranian American Cyrus Shams is a young poet & recovering addict grappling with loss: his mom's plane was shot down over the skies of Tehran. Attempting to understand loss, Cyrus becomes obsessed with martyrs and embarks on a journey to make sense of his past & inheritance.
Written by a poet, MARTYR! excels in its inventive structure and unique style. I love the glimpses of Cyrus' "book," various POVs encompassing the Sham family members, and feverish dreams that rely on analyses & interpretations. MARTYR! is the nth book I've read recently with a "narrative within a narrative" format, and I adore how much depth this style adds to the story.
Part one of MARTYR! is quite humorous & sarcastic with ample cultural criticism, reminding me of AFTERPARTIES (Anthony Veasna So). In contrast, the artistic and more-vibe-less-plot vignettes are reminiscent of BLACKOUTS (Justin Torres).
My favorite aspect of MARTYR! is its exploration of "the meaning of death" through various characters. For Cyrus, his hope for his death to matter manifests as his desire to become a martyr. For others, death is the fulfillment of one's duty to raise their children among loss or the heartbreak that you've cheated death but at a considerable cost.
I was a tad lost halfway through reading MARTYR!, especially because the mixed formats & multi-POV read more like vignettes than a novel. Nonetheless, the last 20% really turned the story around. Akbar brilliantly transforms a story that is hyperfocused on the meaning of death to the significance of life—of staying alive and finding the joy to live. MARTYR! reaches the crescendos with its unexpected ending and leaves me contemplating intergenerational trauma—how much is defined by our obsession with grief and death?
Iranian American Cyrus Shams is a young poet & recovering addict grappling with loss: his mom's plane was shot down over the skies of Tehran. Attempting to understand loss, Cyrus becomes obsessed with martyrs and embarks on a journey to make sense of his past & inheritance.
Written by a poet, MARTYR! excels in its inventive structure and unique style. I love the glimpses of Cyrus' "book," various POVs encompassing the Sham family members, and feverish dreams that rely on analyses & interpretations. MARTYR! is the nth book I've read recently with a "narrative within a narrative" format, and I adore how much depth this style adds to the story.
Part one of MARTYR! is quite humorous & sarcastic with ample cultural criticism, reminding me of AFTERPARTIES (Anthony Veasna So). In contrast, the artistic and more-vibe-less-plot vignettes are reminiscent of BLACKOUTS (Justin Torres).
My favorite aspect of MARTYR! is its exploration of "the meaning of death" through various characters. For Cyrus, his hope for his death to matter manifests as his desire to become a martyr. For others, death is the fulfillment of one's duty to raise their children among loss or the heartbreak that you've cheated death but at a considerable cost.
I was a tad lost halfway through reading MARTYR!, especially because the mixed formats & multi-POV read more like vignettes than a novel. Nonetheless, the last 20% really turned the story around. Akbar brilliantly transforms a story that is hyperfocused on the meaning of death to the significance of life—of staying alive and finding the joy to live. MARTYR! reaches the crescendos with its unexpected ending and leaves me contemplating intergenerational trauma—how much is defined by our obsession with grief and death?