This story had a slow start but an absolutely beautiful ending!

This book will make you believe in angels. 

For half of my listening experience I was very confused, the other half down a Wikipedia rabbit hole about the event that inspired this book. Whilst I love books where there is a blur between reality and the psyche, I was so baffled that I think I need to read a print edition to really grasp the imagery in this. However, the writing seriously described female desire and obsession, revealing some really interesting characters. I just could not immerse myself into it as much as it deserved.

Having read Dust Child first, it was difficult not to compare the two. This story contained far more gore/violence and the writing style wasn't as powerful, for me. Nonetheless the stories that both novels reveal are haunting and heartbreaking. I have learnt so much from this book and fell in love with both POVs. It was so interesting to see how the political landscape in Vietnam was mirrored in the family relationships - how this impacted their love. 

I can be sceptical when it comes to romances but this story was such a joy to read! Every page contained genuine humour and I was emotionally invested in every character. Christina and Lauren have set my standards too high by writing such an incredible male character (mostly) and a protagonist who I backed up in every decision. I could not relate to her more. 

Oh this would get five stars... if there wasn't so much violent sexual imagery or the underwhelming ending. I absolutely adored the unnamed and unhinged narrator, the exploration of race, class and privledge, and the ruthless unrequited love. I adored the short and powerful chapters, almost every sentence read twice because each one has so much to say. 

This was a fun story to read, like a graphic novel in prose and inspired by mythology. I loved the tension of honour against the heart, the love triangle, and battles against mythological creatures. However, the story dragged longer than it needed to (missions evolving into missions) and this was not helped by my disconnect to the protagonist and her decisions. 

The themes of nature, time, and change, transformed the mundane elements of this story into something full of meaning. I loved the poetic language for a narrative grounded in a normal life. There were elements that bought me to tears and the translation was informative about Japanese culture. A fascinating read, definitely could finish in a day.

I really enjoyed 'the princess saves herself in this one' finding it powerful and inspiring. Therefore this collection let me down. Whilst there were a couple of fantastic pages, the majority of the poems were nothing new. I understand that lovelace was trying to express that women can be both gentle and wicked but the lack of cohesion across the poems meant this message was difficult to read. 

Wow!! This book follows the lives of three people whose lives changed alongside the Vietnam War. The story bring to light many international traumas and makes interesting insights into the theme of the female body as a commodity, especially during wartime. The story repeatedly subverted my expectations and predictions. The language was piercing; a love letter to "the countless young women whose lives have been nothing but firewood in the furnace of wars."