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speculativebecky
I was captivated and heartbroken by this memoir, and I’m extremely interested to read more from this new-to-me author.
This text blends Sissay’s own recollections of his upbringing in foster care and group homes with artifacts from his file at length obtained from Social Services, laying bare the contrast between the life he experienced and the one that appears in the documentation. Told all his life that his mother didn’t want him, he learns that she was kept from reuniting with him, even as his “successful” foster care placement dissolved. The family who promised to love him forever, the only parents he’d ever known, unceremoniously returned him to Social Services, laying the blame on his actions to assuage their guilt. Following that trauma, Sissay struggles to survive through a series of increasingly dehumanizing group homes, being bounced from one to the next and constantly branded a negative influence.
Sissay’s story is not nuanced. He calls to account the ways that people and systems failed him, without extending undeserved understanding their way for the racism, neglect, and abuse he suffers. The story seems to leave off just as it’s starting, and I admire Sissay’s commitment to telling this short, painfully unresolved, yet powerful story. A skilled poet, his way with words shines through in the pieces of poetry with which he begins each chapter, and in the intentional approach to words throughout.
This book devastated me, and the craftsmanship is exceptional.Nonfiction friends, it’s one not to miss!
This text blends Sissay’s own recollections of his upbringing in foster care and group homes with artifacts from his file at length obtained from Social Services, laying bare the contrast between the life he experienced and the one that appears in the documentation. Told all his life that his mother didn’t want him, he learns that she was kept from reuniting with him, even as his “successful” foster care placement dissolved. The family who promised to love him forever, the only parents he’d ever known, unceremoniously returned him to Social Services, laying the blame on his actions to assuage their guilt. Following that trauma, Sissay struggles to survive through a series of increasingly dehumanizing group homes, being bounced from one to the next and constantly branded a negative influence.
Sissay’s story is not nuanced. He calls to account the ways that people and systems failed him, without extending undeserved understanding their way for the racism, neglect, and abuse he suffers. The story seems to leave off just as it’s starting, and I admire Sissay’s commitment to telling this short, painfully unresolved, yet powerful story. A skilled poet, his way with words shines through in the pieces of poetry with which he begins each chapter, and in the intentional approach to words throughout.
This book devastated me, and the craftsmanship is exceptional.Nonfiction friends, it’s one not to miss!
This weekend I finished The Bridge of Beyond by Simone Schwarz-Bart, translated from French by Barbara Bray, and closed by reading the introduction to this edition written by Jamaica Kincaid. This is a masterful piece of literature, I only hope I can capture a coherent response in this post.
Reading this book was for me that kind of great outside my comfort zone reading, reminiscent of other favorite pillars of literature such as Morrison or Erdrich. When I read literary fiction, especially of this sort that, as Kincaid articulates, defies categorization and blends Fiction with Nonfiction and History, I often feel far outside my depth, and yet here I am in good hands. A remarkable piece of art, The Bridge of Beyond tells the story of several generations of women in Guadeloupe, centering on Telumee and her grandmother Toussine, also known as Queen Without a Name. Through their story Schwarz-Bart sets the reader firmly in time and place, illuminating their world with vibrant descriptions and deeply resonant emotion. Blending stories and song with smart and beautiful prose, Schwarz-Bart has packed my mind with thoughts about race, the devastating nearness of slavery, colonization, gender roles and relations, all with the throughline of the Lougandor women’s story to bring it together. Hard to describe in its fullness, I am already clamoring for a reread. All I can say in closing is, put this classic work of Caribbean literature on your TBR right away!
Reading this book was for me that kind of great outside my comfort zone reading, reminiscent of other favorite pillars of literature such as Morrison or Erdrich. When I read literary fiction, especially of this sort that, as Kincaid articulates, defies categorization and blends Fiction with Nonfiction and History, I often feel far outside my depth, and yet here I am in good hands. A remarkable piece of art, The Bridge of Beyond tells the story of several generations of women in Guadeloupe, centering on Telumee and her grandmother Toussine, also known as Queen Without a Name. Through their story Schwarz-Bart sets the reader firmly in time and place, illuminating their world with vibrant descriptions and deeply resonant emotion. Blending stories and song with smart and beautiful prose, Schwarz-Bart has packed my mind with thoughts about race, the devastating nearness of slavery, colonization, gender roles and relations, all with the throughline of the Lougandor women’s story to bring it together. Hard to describe in its fullness, I am already clamoring for a reread. All I can say in closing is, put this classic work of Caribbean literature on your TBR right away!
Breath taken.
I stayed up too late last night reading the second half of Do You Dream of Terra-Two? by Temi Oh in one intense sitting. I absolutely loved this book and I only wish I could describe it more in this review, but I’m going to pick carefully around spoilers.
This novel follows the crew of the Damocles on a mission to Terra-Two, a distant planet believed to be habitable by humans. The four senior crew are joined by the six best and brightest teenagers from a rigorous academy that’s trained them for this role since they were just twelve or thirteen. Their journey will take twenty three years through the vastness of space.
This book strikes an ominous note from the beginning, and I was immediately riveted. I decided I can’t tell you how I feel on finishing this novel, for fear of tinging your reading experience with anticipated emotions. And I do want you to read this book because I’m completely in love. In addition to crafting a gripping story fueled by so much breathless wonder at what could be to come, Oh is a beautiful writer whose prose often stopped me in my tracks. That’s quite the feat when I simultaneously wanted to cram the entire story into my brain as fast as possible. Her characters too were so real to me, and even more than the exciting plot or the gorgeous writing, they are the beating heart of this novel. Today I am sad I don’t get to spend more time with them. I would read a sequel, I would read a hundred sequels, I will read everything Temi Oh ever wants to write. I so hope for more.
A few content warnings which are spoilers, so if you’re interested in reading this and there’s anything specific you want advanced warning on, feel free to ask.
I stayed up too late last night reading the second half of Do You Dream of Terra-Two? by Temi Oh in one intense sitting. I absolutely loved this book and I only wish I could describe it more in this review, but I’m going to pick carefully around spoilers.
This novel follows the crew of the Damocles on a mission to Terra-Two, a distant planet believed to be habitable by humans. The four senior crew are joined by the six best and brightest teenagers from a rigorous academy that’s trained them for this role since they were just twelve or thirteen. Their journey will take twenty three years through the vastness of space.
This book strikes an ominous note from the beginning, and I was immediately riveted. I decided I can’t tell you how I feel on finishing this novel, for fear of tinging your reading experience with anticipated emotions. And I do want you to read this book because I’m completely in love. In addition to crafting a gripping story fueled by so much breathless wonder at what could be to come, Oh is a beautiful writer whose prose often stopped me in my tracks. That’s quite the feat when I simultaneously wanted to cram the entire story into my brain as fast as possible. Her characters too were so real to me, and even more than the exciting plot or the gorgeous writing, they are the beating heart of this novel. Today I am sad I don’t get to spend more time with them. I would read a sequel, I would read a hundred sequels, I will read everything Temi Oh ever wants to write. I so hope for more.
A few content warnings which are spoilers, so if you’re interested in reading this and there’s anything specific you want advanced warning on, feel free to ask.
This book starts out slow and at times repetitive, but all the world and character building are worth it when the action at last swells towards the book's riveting conclusion, an ending that wraps up much but left me tantalize for the sequel.
Queen of the Conquered takes on a story of colonization and slavery in a Caribbean inspired world, complete with an intriguing magic concept called kraft. Sigourney is the only free islander, the lone survivor of the massacre of her entire family by the jealous white ruling elite. Now after years of playing by their script, she finally has the opportunity to take her revenge by becoming the next regent to the crown and making everyone pay. Sigourney is a complex character, and it was gutsy to tell this story through her imperfect first person POV.
I had some issues with the pacing, and some bits of the story didn't fully come together, but I'd still recommend this one, especially to fantasy fans looking for something boldly reckoning with history. I think there's big stuff in store for the sequel, and I feel like it's going to blow this one out now that all the development is out of the way. I can't wait to see where Callender takes this story.
Queen of the Conquered takes on a story of colonization and slavery in a Caribbean inspired world, complete with an intriguing magic concept called kraft. Sigourney is the only free islander, the lone survivor of the massacre of her entire family by the jealous white ruling elite. Now after years of playing by their script, she finally has the opportunity to take her revenge by becoming the next regent to the crown and making everyone pay. Sigourney is a complex character, and it was gutsy to tell this story through her imperfect first person POV.
I had some issues with the pacing, and some bits of the story didn't fully come together, but I'd still recommend this one, especially to fantasy fans looking for something boldly reckoning with history. I think there's big stuff in store for the sequel, and I feel like it's going to blow this one out now that all the development is out of the way. I can't wait to see where Callender takes this story.
A fun read, although not quite as entertaining as the show. Some of the issues were kinda misses for me, but a few were really fantastic, laugh out loud, exactly what I came for, Rick and Morty.
I often say my biggest issue with short stories is when they just end, and that’s how I felt about most of these stories. Of course, every story must end, but for me the measure of an unsatisfying story is when it ends unexpectedly and I’m left unsure about what to do with what I’ve just read. This collection unfortunately felt like a chore to read, and only a few of the stories felt memorable and left me at all excited to keep chewing on them.
My genre preferences keep me gravitating much more towards speculative short stories than this collection’s sort of contemporary/literary stories, which in this case all focus on Black men or boys of all different ages in New York City. I thought I was getting better at reading this genre after several stunners in a row, but this one made me feel a little bit like I was back at square one. It was clearly very well written, and I’m sure these stories will land better with others than they did with me though, so don’t let this review dissuade you from checking it out.
My genre preferences keep me gravitating much more towards speculative short stories than this collection’s sort of contemporary/literary stories, which in this case all focus on Black men or boys of all different ages in New York City. I thought I was getting better at reading this genre after several stunners in a row, but this one made me feel a little bit like I was back at square one. It was clearly very well written, and I’m sure these stories will land better with others than they did with me though, so don’t let this review dissuade you from checking it out.
Older Sister. Not Necessarily Related. by Jenny Heijun Wills is the final book I read as part of a buddy read series on transracial adoption. Characteristic of all the books we’ve read together, this was a stunning and heartbreaking book, an excellent conclusion to this hugely educational discussion series.
Told in short diary-esque vignettes and letters, Wills paints the story of meeting her Korean family almost thirty years after her adoption by white parents and childhood in Canada. She explores her evolving relationship with her birth parents and siblings, and their relationships as well. Wills was the product of an affair between her mother and her married father and their relationship ended after her birth, but surprisingly her reaching out to reconnect with them leads to their reconciliation after as many years without contact. Unfortunately this isn't a wholly happy ending to the story, as she and her siblings worry over the power her father wields over her mother.
Wills’ style is beautifully poetic, but her relationship to her family and Korea are complicated, often deeply painful, and colored by loss. She touches also on experiences of racism growing up, but her adoptive family are mostly absent from this narrative since it focuses on her Korean family and takes place in large part in Korea. Her relationships with her younger sister and mother are unique treasures, and she thoughtfully explores the beauties and difficulties of those connections. Weaving together pain and hope for eventual healing, this book was a special thing to read. I highly recommend the experience.
Cw for rape, self harm, disordered eating
Told in short diary-esque vignettes and letters, Wills paints the story of meeting her Korean family almost thirty years after her adoption by white parents and childhood in Canada. She explores her evolving relationship with her birth parents and siblings, and their relationships as well. Wills was the product of an affair between her mother and her married father and their relationship ended after her birth, but surprisingly her reaching out to reconnect with them leads to their reconciliation after as many years without contact. Unfortunately this isn't a wholly happy ending to the story, as she and her siblings worry over the power her father wields over her mother.
Wills’ style is beautifully poetic, but her relationship to her family and Korea are complicated, often deeply painful, and colored by loss. She touches also on experiences of racism growing up, but her adoptive family are mostly absent from this narrative since it focuses on her Korean family and takes place in large part in Korea. Her relationships with her younger sister and mother are unique treasures, and she thoughtfully explores the beauties and difficulties of those connections. Weaving together pain and hope for eventual healing, this book was a special thing to read. I highly recommend the experience.
Cw for rape, self harm, disordered eating
My dearest scatter of virtual conspirators,
This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone is a delicious novella, more poetry than speculative fiction. It’s a romantic, swoon-worthy love letter to language and human* connection (*though the characters are not really human.)
I’ve been hotly anticipating this read for the better part of a year, worrying over the best moment to start reading, since most reviewers say they loved reading this book in one breathless sitting, but it took Matthew about a week to read as he savored the experience as long as possible. Thanks to the Bisexual Book Club for picking this as March’s buddy read, I finally just took the plunge.
The Time War started slower for me than I was anticipating, and what I found most challenging was the way the two dueling protagonists, Red and Blue, felt surprisingly undifferentiated to me. The narrative follows a distinct pattern twisting threads together, but I found myself distracted trying to remember whose thread I was reading at any given moment, whether in the narration or their letters. My patience was absolutely rewarded however as the characters began to come more sharply in focus over time, and then the story sucked me completely in and drowned me in not only beautiful writing, but a desperate need to see their stories to their conclusion.
I found the ending to be brilliant and rich, and I’ll leave off there to keep it unspoiled, but those of you who’ve read this one please feel free to gush into my DMs (or I guess if you don’t feel like gushing you can share your impressions whatever they may be.)
This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone is a delicious novella, more poetry than speculative fiction. It’s a romantic, swoon-worthy love letter to language and human* connection (*though the characters are not really human.)
I’ve been hotly anticipating this read for the better part of a year, worrying over the best moment to start reading, since most reviewers say they loved reading this book in one breathless sitting, but it took Matthew about a week to read as he savored the experience as long as possible. Thanks to the Bisexual Book Club for picking this as March’s buddy read, I finally just took the plunge.
The Time War started slower for me than I was anticipating, and what I found most challenging was the way the two dueling protagonists, Red and Blue, felt surprisingly undifferentiated to me. The narrative follows a distinct pattern twisting threads together, but I found myself distracted trying to remember whose thread I was reading at any given moment, whether in the narration or their letters. My patience was absolutely rewarded however as the characters began to come more sharply in focus over time, and then the story sucked me completely in and drowned me in not only beautiful writing, but a desperate need to see their stories to their conclusion.
I found the ending to be brilliant and rich, and I’ll leave off there to keep it unspoiled, but those of you who’ve read this one please feel free to gush into my DMs (or I guess if you don’t feel like gushing you can share your impressions whatever they may be.)
Tears of the Trufflepig is a wild ride through the underground world of filtered animals - a technology that allows artificially produced animals, even of now extinct species. But to my surprise, this book is strongest not in its exploration of the technology or its worldbuilding, but in the character-driven narrative of its protagonist, Esteban Bellacosa who's wedged himself firmly in my heart.
I didn’t leave this book feeling like everything came together, and I have a lot of unanswered questions, but the book isn’t *failing* to answer them so much as intentionally avoiding doing so. And though the plot doesn’t ever make sense of itself, I found a satisfying conclusion in the character’s growth instead.
This book delivered on expected weirdness, while simultaneously not matching my expectations at all, but I’d recommend it if any of the above has you interested. I know I definitely want more folks to come chat with me about it!
I didn’t leave this book feeling like everything came together, and I have a lot of unanswered questions, but the book isn’t *failing* to answer them so much as intentionally avoiding doing so. And though the plot doesn’t ever make sense of itself, I found a satisfying conclusion in the character’s growth instead.
This book delivered on expected weirdness, while simultaneously not matching my expectations at all, but I’d recommend it if any of the above has you interested. I know I definitely want more folks to come chat with me about it!
I’ll be honest, it took me quite a while to adjust to Irby’s style of storytelling, replete with exaggeration that occasionally kicked me full out of the story. Things were funny but I felt somewhat confused too, and it took me a while to get comfortable and find myself laughing out loud. This collection is packed with Irby’s life stories with a few great takeaways, all the sarcasm, heavy self deprecation, yet somehow also some powerful self love? Still trying to wrap a description around how Irby achieved that. I appreciated her frank discussions of chronic and mental illness, which isn’t the main focus of the collection but is nonetheless naturally integrated throughout.
My favorite essays were “You Don’t Have to Be Grateful for Sex” and “I’m in Love and It’s Boring”.
My favorite essays were “You Don’t Have to Be Grateful for Sex” and “I’m in Love and It’s Boring”.