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literatureaesthetic's Reviews (540)
[ read for uni ]
for me, the racism ruins any potential feminist stances the author was trying to make.
for me, the racism ruins any potential feminist stances the author was trying to make.
a VERY generous three stars
to be fair, this book wasn't bad. the themes of colonisation (although heavy handed) were discussed splendidly (it is a military fantasy so it's very heavy on the colonial politics). i think the coloniser love interest allowed for a good "lovers to enemies" vibe, but the romanticised coloniser/colonised dynamic just felt too uncomfortable for me personally to get behind. one of the main reasons i picked this book up was because i heard it was a sapphic fantasy featuring non-white characters, but unfortunately that element fell through for me :(
aside from the romance, the characters were infuriating. i found Touraine to be really silly tbh, making impulsive, rash decisions that had me rolling my eyes.
however, i think if you can overlook the coloniser love interest, and if you like the "lovers to enemies" dynamic & slower, military fantasies then i'd recommend!! it just wasn't for me, unfortunately, but i'm glad i gave it a go!!
to be fair, this book wasn't bad. the themes of colonisation (although heavy handed) were discussed splendidly (it is a military fantasy so it's very heavy on the colonial politics). i think the coloniser love interest allowed for a good "lovers to enemies" vibe, but the romanticised coloniser/colonised dynamic just felt too uncomfortable for me personally to get behind. one of the main reasons i picked this book up was because i heard it was a sapphic fantasy featuring non-white characters, but unfortunately that element fell through for me :(
aside from the romance, the characters were infuriating. i found Touraine to be really silly tbh, making impulsive, rash decisions that had me rolling my eyes.
however, i think if you can overlook the coloniser love interest, and if you like the "lovers to enemies" dynamic & slower, military fantasies then i'd recommend!! it just wasn't for me, unfortunately, but i'm glad i gave it a go!!
3.5☆
in vietnamese culture, there's a belief that if a body is not buried, the soul will never find rest. it's fated to wander the earth, the equivalent of a ghost or spirit. 'wandering souls', on multiple levels, is a story about being lost, searching the earth, trying to find refuge, security and meaning in the unknown
our main story arc is following anh and her two brothers as they escape communist vietnam, in hope for a new life in the usa. their parents and the rest of their siblings are to follow shortly after anh leaves. tragedy strikes and anh and her brothers find themselves alone, orphaned and refugees
alongside this main arc, we have a narrative following dao, the ghost of anh's young brother. as well as short clippings of real moments in history, that are scattered throughout the novel
i think that for such a short book, the decision of having three different narratives (or two with historical inserts) creates a really fragmented, disjointed story. part of me thinks it nicely reflects the fractured lives of our characters, but it did feel jarring at times to keep track of the constant switches to different timelines and historical moments. i do think it was important to include all these different narratives, but i did find myself wanting it to be a little more cohesive or executed more efficiently
saying that, i think that cecile pin has created something that is quietly powerful, moving and impactful. from familial duty to documenting the horrors and struggles of the refugee experience, the racist politics of britain and the psychological aftermath of surviving traumas…. lots of important themes are tackled. i love reading about sibling relationships, and anh's role as the elderly sister had me
in vietnamese culture, there's a belief that if a body is not buried, the soul will never find rest. it's fated to wander the earth, the equivalent of a ghost or spirit. 'wandering souls', on multiple levels, is a story about being lost, searching the earth, trying to find refuge, security and meaning in the unknown
our main story arc is following anh and her two brothers as they escape communist vietnam, in hope for a new life in the usa. their parents and the rest of their siblings are to follow shortly after anh leaves. tragedy strikes and anh and her brothers find themselves alone, orphaned and refugees
alongside this main arc, we have a narrative following dao, the ghost of anh's young brother. as well as short clippings of real moments in history, that are scattered throughout the novel
i think that for such a short book, the decision of having three different narratives (or two with historical inserts) creates a really fragmented, disjointed story. part of me thinks it nicely reflects the fractured lives of our characters, but it did feel jarring at times to keep track of the constant switches to different timelines and historical moments. i do think it was important to include all these different narratives, but i did find myself wanting it to be a little more cohesive or executed more efficiently
saying that, i think that cecile pin has created something that is quietly powerful, moving and impactful. from familial duty to documenting the horrors and struggles of the refugee experience, the racist politics of britain and the psychological aftermath of surviving traumas…. lots of important themes are tackled. i love reading about sibling relationships, and anh's role as the elderly sister had me
i’ve been trying to write this review for the past 30 minutes, but i literally have nothing to say about this book, and i think that speaks volumes lmao
when you have a story dealing with such sensitive topics, the last thing the reader should be feeling is indifferent. i think the narrator felt so detached the entire time, that i found it very difficult to be emotionally invested?
the discussions didn’t feel developed enough, for me. there was also a few random sections in here that really threw me off, for instance the mystery side-plot felt out of place, and the small comments about israel?
when you have a story dealing with such sensitive topics, the last thing the reader should be feeling is indifferent. i think the narrator felt so detached the entire time, that i found it very difficult to be emotionally invested?
the discussions didn’t feel developed enough, for me. there was also a few random sections in here that really threw me off, for instance the mystery side-plot felt out of place, and the small comments about israel?
