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ambershelf's Reviews (1.3k)
gifted by the publisher
The lives of two sisters are inextricably bound after discovering and "tasting" an ancient knife that results in a tragedy. Split into three parts, CROOKED PLOW explores themes of slavery, exploitation, and spirituality. I adore the discussions of one's connection to the land and how to leverage the unbreakable ties to ancestors for resistance. The blend of magical and social realism gives CROOKED PLOW a dream-like quality that makes it a compelling read. The first two parts following the twins are captivating, while I feel part 3 flew over my head and isn't fully fleshed out.
The lives of two sisters are inextricably bound after discovering and "tasting" an ancient knife that results in a tragedy. Split into three parts, CROOKED PLOW explores themes of slavery, exploitation, and spirituality. I adore the discussions of one's connection to the land and how to leverage the unbreakable ties to ancestors for resistance. The blend of magical and social realism gives CROOKED PLOW a dream-like quality that makes it a compelling read. The first two parts following the twins are captivating, while I feel part 3 flew over my head and isn't fully fleshed out.
gifted by the publisher
Set in an increasingly destabilizing Venezuela, SIMPATÍA follows Ulises Kan, a man going through a divorce while trying to complete his father-in-law's will to establish a dog sanctuary. With suspenseful writing, Calderón examines the fascinating relationships of those left behind—the shunted FIL, the orphan Ulises, and the abandoned dogs. While I didn't always get how the various cultural references relate to the themes of the story, I was mesmerized by Ulises' journey to building a home for himself. SIMPATÍA asks a difficult question: who is worth our sympathy, and who deserves saving?
Set in an increasingly destabilizing Venezuela, SIMPATÍA follows Ulises Kan, a man going through a divorce while trying to complete his father-in-law's will to establish a dog sanctuary. With suspenseful writing, Calderón examines the fascinating relationships of those left behind—the shunted FIL, the orphan Ulises, and the abandoned dogs. While I didn't always get how the various cultural references relate to the themes of the story, I was mesmerized by Ulises' journey to building a home for himself. SIMPATÍA asks a difficult question: who is worth our sympathy, and who deserves saving?
gifted by the publisher
A Vietnamese-American daughter retraces her mom's life as a Veit refugee and her untimely death after a medical malpractice. How does one heal from her complicated relationship with mom when mom has passed away? As a performer, Lieu excels at bringing vulnerabilities onto the page. Her heartfelt writing details how her one-woman show brings a broken family back together by unearthing unknown stories and recording forgotten histories. I smiled, raged, and sobbed while listening to Lieu's beautifully narrated audiobook, full of love and healing.
A Vietnamese-American daughter retraces her mom's life as a Veit refugee and her untimely death after a medical malpractice. How does one heal from her complicated relationship with mom when mom has passed away? As a performer, Lieu excels at bringing vulnerabilities onto the page. Her heartfelt writing details how her one-woman show brings a broken family back together by unearthing unknown stories and recording forgotten histories. I smiled, raged, and sobbed while listening to Lieu's beautifully narrated audiobook, full of love and healing.
Yang tells the haunting story of her mom, Tswb Muas, in escaping the Hmong genocide, leaving her parents behind, and finding refuge in the US with her daughters and husband. I'm eternally grateful for books like this that document little-known history through personal stories, and I'm in awe of Tswb's courage to restart her life so many times to escape prosecution. Yang spares no details in recording the harrowing events in Laos, making the memoir a bit emotionally distant at times. Nonetheless, RIVERS is essential for those hoping to learn more about Hmong history.
4.5/5 gifted by the publisher
With experimental styles written as storytelling between Tjoa and her younger sister, and interspersed with essays on "homecoming", dating white men, greenwashing, and more, GAME is an intimate and unique memoir reflecting Tjoa's mental health journey. The format took me a bit to get used to, but the latter half shines through and provides perspectives as to why GAME is written in a circuitous way, reflecting one's multi-layered psyche when processing trauma and a non-linear journey to healing. I deeply appreciate Tjoa sharing her vulnerability and framing GAME as a work-in-progress to redefine herself apart from her childhood scars.
With experimental styles written as storytelling between Tjoa and her younger sister, and interspersed with essays on "homecoming", dating white men, greenwashing, and more, GAME is an intimate and unique memoir reflecting Tjoa's mental health journey. The format took me a bit to get used to, but the latter half shines through and provides perspectives as to why GAME is written in a circuitous way, reflecting one's multi-layered psyche when processing trauma and a non-linear journey to healing. I deeply appreciate Tjoa sharing her vulnerability and framing GAME as a work-in-progress to redefine herself apart from her childhood scars.
Gifted by the publisher
A little meandering, but I think it’s a great representation of grief and letting go. I love the themes of complex sisterhood, while the unraveling horny mom angle is a bit overwritten imo
A little meandering, but I think it’s a great representation of grief and letting go. I love the themes of complex sisterhood, while the unraveling horny mom angle is a bit overwritten imo
I appreciate the emphasis on missing indigenous girls and women and the twist totally caught me off guard. Lots of TW thought, and reads a bit trauma porny at times
Gifted by the publisher
Spanning a weekend following 5 interconnected individuals navigating the elite Nigerian underbelly, ROT shows how money, power, and sex corrupt people via raw and intimate storytelling. I was sucked into the story immediately while yelling for each of the characters to stop making bad decisions. One of the most fascinating aspects of this story is the allusion to how we're all a little rotten inside, reflecting each character's decisions in saving vs sacrificing themselves. While I'm still trying to figure out how to interpret the story as a whole and am uncertain if there is a more prominent theme I missed, I'd love to see ROT on screen. I can see this lust and greed-filled story as the perfect bingable HBO series.
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initial thoughts:
I’m not quite sure what the author is trying to say in this novel yet
Spanning a weekend following 5 interconnected individuals navigating the elite Nigerian underbelly, ROT shows how money, power, and sex corrupt people via raw and intimate storytelling. I was sucked into the story immediately while yelling for each of the characters to stop making bad decisions. One of the most fascinating aspects of this story is the allusion to how we're all a little rotten inside, reflecting each character's decisions in saving vs sacrificing themselves. While I'm still trying to figure out how to interpret the story as a whole and am uncertain if there is a more prominent theme I missed, I'd love to see ROT on screen. I can see this lust and greed-filled story as the perfect bingable HBO series.
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initial thoughts:
I’m not quite sure what the author is trying to say in this novel yet
Even after reading many reviews last year, I wasn't prepared for how messy this story about a widow learning to trust love is. I loved Emezi's writing; their vivid descriptions of scenery and food made me crave a summer vacation when I read this during the gloomy winter. Their emphasis on grieving the loss of a partner is another topic I deeply resonated with. Admittedly, FOOL is my least favorite Emezi because mixing heavy emotional themes and spicy scenes takes me out of the buildup. Nonetheless, fans who love HOW TO END A LOVE STORY (Hulin Kuang) will also appreciate FOOL!