If 2021 has blessed me with one thing, it’s my new found love for short story collections & goodness this one has shot up to one of my all time favourIf 2021 has blessed me with one thing, it’s my new found love for short story collections & goodness this one has shot up to one of my all time favourites.
After recently having lost my own mother, I find myself gravitating towards reads that explore mother/daughter relationships as it provides me with a sense of comfort I can’t quite articulate. Going into Quereshi’s collection, I had no idea what to expect & as always it was the best thing as I am so blown away & cannot sing it’s praises high enough.
Made up of 10 stories, each drawing you into a vivid world full of emotive writing, beautiful yet subtle insights into a culture that may be new to you - exploring what cultural differences may be/feel like to those who find themselves at those inevitable we crossroads. Motherhood, love, marriage, friendship, lust, adolescence, loss are just a few themes explored.
I picked this one up Monday morning & had gulped it down by Wednesday morning (have just moved into my new role at work whilst training my replacement) - I hope that provides any sort of testament to how incredible this one is! I really liked all the stories, yet a few stood as favourites - namely: The Jam Maker, The Wishes & Too Much.
I’ll leave it at that as always this one is best enjoyed not knowing too much, yet if it isn’t clear by now - I can’t rec this one enough! Thank you to the publisher for the gifted copy....more
‘Everyone weeps apart from me, but something inside me has frozen. It isn’t just the tears, it is something else. A disillusionment so deep, so penetr‘Everyone weeps apart from me, but something inside me has frozen. It isn’t just the tears, it is something else. A disillusionment so deep, so penetrating, the freezing point of blood, the ultimate Antarctica of love.’
I’ll start by saying that this is one of the most outstanding novels I have come across in a long time, it’s unlike anything I have ever read & I was instantly captivated by Stridsberg’s poetic prose, just such a vivid sense of place was depicted, pure emotive/raw writing – all of which has left me somewhat awestruck & now I find myself googling all her backlist titles. Truly a remarkable novel! I do just want to preface this review by saying that this will not be to everyone’s taste as it is on the darker side – however if you feel you want to give it a go, Stridsberg will take you on the most visceral journey that you will not forget for a while to come. In a nutshell it’s a chilling (quite literally) work of literary fantasy where our protagonist describes her own brutal murder & takes us on a journey depicting a life lived on the margins & those left behind in the wake of her untimely death.
Inni is a young woman of 24 years old living in Stockholm, an addict, a prostitute – working to secure that next fix. A life littered with regrets as post death she ‘visits’ those left behind & reflects on her life, the impact it had on those closest to her & the heartache she experiences with these realisations. Her story is dark & intense, as one may understand working the streets is dangerous in its own rights & Inni likens herself to Snow White as she reflects back on how she came to find herself in that particular car, with that particular man. Her reflections are chilling as its clear that she was unafraid, resigned to the fact that this was her fate & holds no desire to be saved. Stridsberg masterfully depicts the darkness that goes with a murder, how fragile our lives are & the power one person can have over a human life – add a dash of that Scandi Noir, yet without the gore – add the beauty of the environment (think lakes & forest) & how that may tie into the story to truly paint a picture for the reader.
I’m not sure I have experienced storytelling quite like this, at times it’s sentimental, at others regretful, philosophical & reflective -yet will leave you devastated for our protagonist, wishing she had been given a chance to redo it all when you realise she is a soft soul who was led astray. When the saying ‘You only have one life’ has never felt more apt. I would also like to mention that the translation was seamless & has reiterated why I have fallen head over heels for translated titles this year.
All in all, when I was reading this title I found that the loud noise of my life was silenced – its an all encompassing reading experience & after finishing I truly was speechless. I am tempted to read this one again, to see if there’s anything I can gleam from a second viewing – to absorb Stridsberg’s words all over. Needless to say this one will stay with me for a very long time, it’s a novel that changes the focus of your typical ‘murder’ novel & shines a spotlight on the life that was taken vs. the one who took it – that for me was the most beautiful aspect. One I cannot recommend enough, yet that recommendation comes with the warning of the subject matter explored – please be mindful.
Enormous thank you to the publisher for the gifted copy....more
REVIEW: A Girl Returned by Donatella Di Pietrantonio
“I was an orphan with two living mothers. One had given me up with her milk still on my tongue, tREVIEW: A Girl Returned by Donatella Di Pietrantonio
“I was an orphan with two living mothers. One had given me up with her milk still on my tongue, the other had given me back at the age of thirteen. I was a child of separations, false or unspoken kinships, distances.”
I will start by saying that I had a hunch that this would be a great read, however I underestimated just how brilliant this one is & for anyone who enjoys dipping their toes in WIT – this on will not disappoint. In spite of its short length, this novella packs a punch & I will admit I was hypnotised by Di Pietrantonio’s seemingly direct & unadorned language, bring her protagonists world to life in vivid colour, yet in an introspective manner & packed to the brim with emotion.
Our protagonist goes unnamed in this story, referenced as the ‘Arminuta’ – the one returned. She will sweep you off into her world, depicting the side of Italy not often seen by tourists – an incredible portrayal of large Italian families, poverty, gender roles & the intensity of her account of her return is striking. As a child she is unable to reconcile herself with being sent away from the parents who raised her, left confused by the silence of her ‘mother’ - there is nothing quite as heart-breaking as a child who is made to feel like they are unwanted. She is sent back to her biological parents who are so different from her 'previous' parents that the narrator feels increasingly confused, lost & unhappy. Heartbroken & angry by those who have rejected her, discarding her without allowing her to understand & having to adjust to her family's poverty (far from what she was used to), enduring her new brothers' taunts - it is only through her studies & her younger sister Adriana that our protagonist can find a way to cope & alleviate her despair.
The bond between the two sisters was one of my favourite elements of this novella, Adriana is incredibly loyal to her sister and will provide her with plenty heart-warming moments. I was so enamoured with Adriana, a stand out character – so bold, mature, brave & loyal- that I kept thinking I just want to read an entire book about her (I have since learnt that there is a sequel coming & it has answered this wish of mine, rejoice!). Another element that in my opinion Di Pietrantonio executed beautifully were those sparse, quiet moments explored between our protagonist & her birth mother – who happens to be a hard, at times cold woman – yet sprinkles our protagonist with moments of tenderness & looks out for her in ways a child wouldn’t understand.
The tale of a girl divided between two families, an introspective & thought-provoking journey as she ventures into her painful childhood, viewing the behaviour of the adults around her with a new understanding while still faithfully conveying the feelings and thoughts she had at that young age. Translated by Ann Goldstein, the renowned translator of Ferrante & with gorgeous writing – not sure I can recommend this one enough! ...more
This my dear friends is the new Moss that is due to be released next month & it also happens to be my first Moss, all I can say is that I will slowly This my dear friends is the new Moss that is due to be released next month & it also happens to be my first Moss, all I can say is that I will slowly but surely make my way through her backlist as she is a PHENOMENAL writer & wow I am devastated I didn’t pick up one of her novels sooner. This novel may feel somewhat surreal for a lot of readers, it explores a topic that we have all just recently experienced & lived through that I no doubt imagine none of us want to relive anytime soon. Moss paints a picture of 24 hours of life in lockdown set in the Peak District from 4 POV’s that are interwoven & will have you reeling with her brilliant depiction of modern day Britain amidst a global pandemic.
It’s early November 2020, the UK is in lockdown & Kate is self isolating for 14 days. Lockdown impacted so many of us in varying ways & we witness Kate slowly unravel as she becomes entirely claustrophobic in the house her & her son Matt have been isolating in for so long, the lure of the Fells soon proves to be too hard to resist. Her elderly neighbour Alice sees her leave & after sometime the realisation that his mum isn’t home dawns on Matt which sets in motion a surreal chain of events. The small yet precise level of detail that is scattered throughout this novel is honestly stellar, at moments had me thinking that I can’t quite believe some of the things that we had to do in order to protect each other & ourselves.
This is an introspective novel, glimpses into the minds of ordinary people in an extraordinary situation - a woman shielding due to having cancer & all she wants to do is see her grandkids, a single mother stretching every penny to fed her & her son due to her place of work being shut, a mountain rescuer whose family panic every time he gets a call yet he craves the freedom but more importantly the safety of the one missing.
I read this novel over a 24 hour span, I just could not put it down - her writing brims with so much compassion & empathy, utterly visceral yet with a level of softness & understanding, a real insight into the mind during a crisis. There’s so much more I could say about this one, yet I feel its best left unsaid & I encourage you to go into it with an open mind. Whilst this one may be very raw for some, for me it’s a timely novel that will be looked back on by readers for years to come when thinking about life & the world in 2020 - not sure anyone barring Moss could deliver it in such an eloquent & surreal manner. I cannot recommend this one enough.
An enormous thank you to the publisher for the ARC!...more
A lot of the time I love going into books not knowing much regarding the synopsis - leaving me free to become completely immersed in the story. What IA lot of the time I love going into books not knowing much regarding the synopsis - leaving me free to become completely immersed in the story. What I will say is that Lemon is described is a thriller examining the aftermath of a death of a beautiful high school student in South Korea, yet personally this was more of an insight into the lives & grief of those left behind who find themselves shaken by these events.
The narrative of this novel is so unique & I cannot recall if I have read anything like it, we are given fragment of the story from various perspectives - that of her sister, her classmate, a young delivery driver & are left to construct our own conclusion of what happened on that day. Whilst I found this to be a smart play on delivering a thriller, I found the vagueness of what actually happened somewhat jarring & by the end I was keen to put this one a side. Some chapters I struggled to identify who the narrator was which I found somewhat confusing & some points I felt were executed somewhat sloppily (I wish I could say more, yet this would truly be a spoiler!)
All this to say that this one is a short, breezy read that I feel so many will enjoy - yet for me it didn’t quite deliver what I was hoping it would. Enormous thank you to Netgalley & the publisher for the ARC....more
I’ll start off by saying that this read won’t be for everyone, it touches on difficult subject matters (please see my TW’s below) – however this one cI’ll start off by saying that this read won’t be for everyone, it touches on difficult subject matters (please see my TW’s below) – however this one completely blew me away & I ended up reading it all in one sitting! This is a short, yet powerful & disturbing read that has been translated from Icelandic & I found the setting added to the chilling sense of the overall storyline.
Whilst travelling around Latin America, 20 year-old Lilja strikes up conversation with an acquaintance back home in Reykjavik & very soon they become infatuated with each other. On the surface, he seems to be quite a catch - he's extremely handsome, an avid reader, a proud vegetarian leading a healthy lifestyle & we watch Lilja fall head over heels in love. From the onset, the reader witnesses the toxic treatment Lilja endures from her “love” – from blackmail to buttering her up & a lot of truly nasty things that I won’t spoil, we witness all the signs of an abusive relationship unravel & subsequently Lija’s mental health deteriorate. I’ll say that I was seething, livid & desperate to help Lilja get out!!
The writing is completely compelling & becomes somewhat sparse & brutal as their relationship becomes increasingly toxic. Hjörleifsdóttir holds nothing back in the depiction of increasingly abusive and destructive behaviour & rightly so as in her brief introduction she tells the reader that there are many “Lilja’s” out there, who live with this abuse on a daily basis, who go unheard & unseen.
This novel will stay with me for a long time, Lilja is not a protagonist that I will forget easily & Hjörleifsdóttir is an author I will most definitely be keeping an eye on. For anyone who enjoyed Acts Of Desperation, this one may well be for you!
An enormous thank you to the publisher for kindly sending a gifted copy my way.
(TW: scenes of sexual violence, self harm, abusive relationship, depression)...more
Coming in at just over 100 pages, I read this book in one sitting as part of a Tiny Book Challenge that I took part in during July & all I can say is Coming in at just over 100 pages, I read this book in one sitting as part of a Tiny Book Challenge that I took part in during July & all I can say is what a delightful, unique & engaging novella it is. Originally written in Finnish & then translated to English by the author herself, needless to say she will impress you!
Our story is set in an unnamed state behind the Iron Curtain as we follow 6 women who all work at a cigarette factory & meet frequently at the river to practise their synchronised swimming routine. The flow of the story is very unique, we follow their collective journey via short chapters that feature between each individual chapter. The collective chapters explore how they come together, practise, the toll it takes on their bodies, the lengths they are willing to go to & often highlighting how frequently they look to the state on the other side of the river, symbolising their desire to leave their current homeland. In between these chapters we have a chance to explore snippets of these women’s lives after they have left their homeland, exploring how they are faring, where in the world they have ended up & small insights into their individual ambitions. There is a common theme with all 6 women as we watch them learning new languages & masking their accents, why are they hiding? What does the synchronized swimming symbolise? If they are good enough, could they make it to an international championship…that would mean an opportunity to cross the border….and so we watch these 6 women tirelessly train.
If you are looking for an in depth look into what it may be like to be a synchronized swimmer, this isn’t for you! However if you are looking for a novella that is beautifully written, smart, experimental in its structure & style – that also happens to be translated wonderfully – well then this one may be for you. The aspect that I enjoy most about novellas is how they can pack so much into so few pages, however what I enjoyed most about this one is how Sandu manages to leave so much open to interpretation by the reader – allowing you to fill the gaps. I thoroughly enjoy this little book & would recommend it if you fancy a nice short & unique read, needless to say I am very interested to read more by Sandu.
An enormous thank you to the publisher for kindly sending a gifted copy!...more
Holding Her Breath is an impressive debut by an Irish author that combines friendship, relationships, a personal crisis and a family mystery into a coHolding Her Breath is an impressive debut by an Irish author that combines friendship, relationships, a personal crisis and a family mystery into a coming of age story that is truly so satisfying to read that I gulped this one down over 2 sittings – I genuinely loved it.
Our narrator is Beth, a university student studying psychology in Dublin whilst swimming laps of the pool there, we quickly learn that swimming is a very important part of her life & that in fact she used to be competitive prior to some sort of personal crisis happening. Swimming quickly becomes a staple within this book, however not as you would expect – yes we follow the physical side yet the true exploration is Beth’s internal dilemma of the pressures imposed by it & her exploration of boundaries that are right for her. Beth is somewhat of a social introvert & I absolutely adored following her friendship with her roommate Sadie blossom – love me strong female friendships!! On campus Beth becomes somewhat of an object of fascination amongst her peers as her grandfather was a renowned Irish poet & in particular, she attracts the attention of Justin, an English post-doc who continuously encourages Beth to find out more about the relationship between her grandparents and thus solve some of the mysteries relating to his life and death. Another element I just want to highlight is how much I adore witnessing the lovely relationship Beth has with her grandmother, a brilliant woman full of intrigue & secrets.
I fear that if I say more I will give away bits that make this novel such a delight to read, however suffice to say this book is beautifully written & such a strong debut. I loved the themes explored from mental health to grief to mystery/intrigue & tying in coming of age elements, a strong female lead, exquisite female friendships – plus it varying settings from Trinity, to her home town to West Cork made this novel that much more vivid & immersive. I cannot recommend this one enough & it certainly deserves a lot of attention, this again has confirmed why I am such a fan of Irish author’s & will be scanning my selves to jump into more shortly.
Massive thank you to the publisher for the arc....more
Wow, I just absolutely ADORED this novel. Massive thank you to NetGally & Wellbeck Publishers for approving my request to I listen to this on audio, aWow, I just absolutely ADORED this novel. Massive thank you to NetGally & Wellbeck Publishers for approving my request to I listen to this on audio, all I can say is BeBe Cave did a phenomenal job of narrating this beautiful story.
I went into Sunset not having much knowledge of what the novel was about and for me that was the best surprise. Following sisters Ruth & Hannah, complete opposites but so extremely close and totally reliant on each other. Observing this sisterly bond was really something special and I haven't read a sibling relationship quite like this one. When a tragic even occurs, their lives are never the same and the story unfolds as we dip in and out of two timelines, past and present.
A narrative full of emotive prose, exploring grief and how it creeps into every inch of your life - from your thoughts, emotions, daily tasks etc - life is never quite the same. A truly visceral reflection on grief that genuinely was like nothing I have ever read, I could not get enough of this one and cannot recommend this one enough (TW's to be mindful of).
I do not want to go into too much detail with this one as I truly feel the element of surprise is what makes this story so unique, so beautiful and utterly moving! The fact that this is a debut still blows my mind and bravo to Jessie, I cannot wait to see what she does next - I loved this one so much that I will 100% be purchasing a physical copy when released in paperback. ...more
REVIEW: Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead by Emily Austin
“I have chosen happiness. Out of all the emotions set out on the table, I have selecREVIEW: Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead by Emily Austin
“I have chosen happiness. Out of all the emotions set out on the table, I have selected it. It is by far the superior option. It’s insane to think I would have ever picked one of those shittier emotions before – when all the while, I could have chosen shiny, shimmering, iridescent happiness. I am ready to feel happy, universe. Lay it on me.”
Wow, what a book to get lost in is my initial thought. Austin’s darkly humorous & yet realistic story of a woman living with extreme dread & anxiety, yet with an uncanny desire to please people – showing how our lives can spiral out of control & doesn’t sugar-coat the depths of depression.
Our narrator Gilda is living with what I can only describe as top tier anxiety & in particular she is utterly fixated on death – what she doesn’t quite realise is just how severe her depression is. She’s unable to hold down a stable job, can’t keep her flat clean & has a rocky relationship with those closest to her. When she finds an ad for counselling sessions at a local church, things quickly take a turn when she subsequently lands a job as the church administrator….is this the moment I mention Gilda is queer & an atheist? Finding herself in a unique position of having to keep two damning secrets hidden & learning of the mysterious death of her elderly predecessor – Gilda finds herself spinning tale after tale to appease those around her whilst spiralling deeper & deeper into depression as she struggles to find meaning in a world that ultimately ends in death. As the mystery surrounding the death of her predecessor unravels (this was a great addition to the narrative!), Gilda finds herself in downward spiral as her mental health, her relationships, her security all falter further whilst balancing that existential dread that comes with knowing that everyone eventually dies .
Insert Austin’s unique ability to captivate you as a reader, whilst the subject matter may come across as depressing – it is also enduring as perhaps on some levels we can all relate to Gilda. Personally the examination of mental health, how severe anxiety can be for some, the darkness of depression & when you’re caught in it you cannot always see the wood from the trees – was executed in a way that doesn’t detract from the importance & severity, yet weaves in dark humour to remind you – we’re all human & it’s okay to crack a smile even in those moments! I thoroughly enjoyed the journey of reading this one, the introspective writing style & shorter paragraphs gave it a tough of lightness to balance the content. The ending left me wanting something slightly more, however that could just be me being greedy – overall a book I really enjoyed!
Massive thank you to the publisher for the gifted/ad-pr copy! ...more
“I asked my mother what a harpy was; she told me that they punish men, for the things they do.”
I’ll start off by saying that I had no idea what to ex“I asked my mother what a harpy was; she told me that they punish men, for the things they do.”
I’ll start off by saying that I had no idea what to expect going into this one & WOW, this was such a captivating & well executed novel - I absolutely loved it!
The story follows our protagonist Lucy, she lives an idyllic life with her husband Jake & their two sons in a beautiful home. Lucy receives a life altering call one evening & from then on things are never the same, she learns that Jake is having an affair. In an attempt to save their marriage Jake agrees that Lucy can hurt him 3 times, in whatever manner she wants & when he least expects it. This element is what sets this novel apart from anything surrounding infidelity/scorned woman I have ever read, insert psychological thriller.
Hunter is exceptionally talented, her writing is beautiful & keeps you on your toes never knowing what will happen next. I particularly loved the short paragraphs slotted between chapters that are Lucy’s internal dialogues, the reader gains so much insight into the mind of a woman who is clearly troubled facing a devastating period in her life. This may be a short novel but one that explores so many themes, the darkness of the human mind, how by gaining control of a certain situation & revenge can drive a person to breaking point, childhood trauma & how one can lose their grip on reality. I have seen some people mention that they didn’t care for the ending as it was vague, however for me - it was absolutely brilliant & the perfect ending to this dark, brilliant novel.
If you enjoy novels that are on the darker side, a psychological thriller & not too lengthly then this may well be one that you will enjoy. I am so pleased I picked this one up & an owe an enormous thank you to the publisher for sending this gifted copy my way!...more
I’ll admit that when I first started reading this one I wasn’t sure if I was going to vibe with it, boy was I wrong! All I needed was some uninterruptI’ll admit that when I first started reading this one I wasn’t sure if I was going to vibe with it, boy was I wrong! All I needed was some uninterrupted time to submerge myself into Laurie’s story & that was it, I was hooked! Needless to say that this has shot up & very quickly scored a seat as one of my favourite reads of the year.
The story unfolds as we are introduced to our narrator Laurie, her husband Mark has vanished - his wallet & phone both left behind, the peculiar thing is that Laurie has waited for weeks to call the police. I’ve seen so many say that they expected this novel to be a thriller, yet one thing I have recently been focussing on doing, is delving into novels with zero expectations & for me that made this one that much more brilliant.
We follow Laurie go about her days, going to work, drinking a lot, visiting her Father who is suffering from dementia & not doing a whole bunch to find Mark. Her behaviour is so odd causing alarm to those around her & an aspect of the novel I found so intriguing - is she that detached/cold or has something happened prior to Mark’s disappearance? Slowly but surely the story unravels via interactions, remarks & conversations that are so off the cuff & razor sharp, Ashworth’s ability to drip feed you significant pieces of these characters lives & past events is truly masterful.
I genuinely do not want to delve too deep as that is the beauty of this one, go in expecting nothing & it will blow you away with how smart & well executed it is! I particularly loved the fact that these characters were just normal everyday people living modest lives, it was refreshing to have that switch up! The exploration & development of varying relationships, as well as the flashbacks to certain events were brilliant, the moment you realise just how smart the title is- refers to so much more & hot damn I nearly wept at the ending it was so beautiful!
I genuinely cannot recommend this novel enough & I am so immensely grateful to the publisher for a gifted proof copy, thank you! ...more
A story centring around Miwako Sumida, whose untimely death leave those closest to her paralysed by grief & shock only to find themselves retracing he A story centring around Miwako Sumida, whose untimely death leave those closest to her paralysed by grief & shock only to find themselves retracing her steps to solve the mystery of what drove her to the edge. All I can say is that going in I wasn’t sure what to expect from this one, however I really loved this novel.
Set in Japan in the 90’s & penned as an intricate character study, Miwako’s life is laid bare – from her innermost secrets & relatable thoughts/feelings, it was a joy to read. Further to that the novel is split between varying viewpoints & this for me was the best element, as a reader being able to see parts of the story from so many perspectives was so enlightening.. Goenawan is an immensely talented author, of Indonesian-Singaporean origin – you would have never known & I am making the assumption that she has spent time in Tokyo as her writing is incredibly descriptive & absorbing, yet it has a subtleness to it & personally I found it had an element of quietness to it, which was delightfully refreshing - ensuring a sense of mystery lingered through the pages. Her ability to craft narratives from multiple protagonists was executed gracefully & I soon found myself emotionally attached to these characters, feeling their grief as my own. I adored the way she allowed the story to unravel naturally whilst weaving in magical realism that didn’t feel wishy-washy & some beautiful LGBTQIA+ representation left me feeling immensely satisfied as a reader. I have since purchased her debut Rainbirds as she is now an author on my go-to list.
Of all the characters I found myself to surprisingly be most attached to Fumi, what a beautiful portrait Goenawan painted of this complex character & a whole book could be dedicated to them alone. An all round stellar read for me that was gulped down over a few sittings & one that I have already passed on to my friends to enjoy, I hope you guys will consider picking this one up too as it deserves so much more love & time in the spotlight. ...more
This was my first foray into auto-fiction, one that I found beautifully written & utterly captivating. Bouraoui is masterful in her prose & an author This was my first foray into auto-fiction, one that I found beautifully written & utterly captivating. Bouraoui is masterful in her prose & an author I feel like I should read more of. I particularly loved the short chapters & dual narrative, painting a picture of her younger years in her birth country Algeria & her life now in Paris - at points I felt as if I was there. Bouraoui’s examination of her identify as a gay women was incredibly insightful & yet again I felt as if I have learnt a fair bit. All this being said, I will mention that I did find this one to be lacking something - not sure if it’s just the way I perceived it yet it felt as if it was skimming the surface of her story with no real depth. I still feel like so many will enjoy this one, so please don’t be put off! ...more
“For the rest of my life there would be a splinter in my being, stinging from the moment my mother died until it was buried with me.”
I read this phen“For the rest of my life there would be a splinter in my being, stinging from the moment my mother died until it was buried with me.”
I read this phenomenal memoir in June & have been at an utter loss of how to review it ever since. To read a book that can sum up your own thoughts, feelings, grief when you are unable to is a truly humbly experience & I will forever be grateful to Zauner for sharing her story with the world. This is a memoir of an American-Korean woman, her life with all the ups & downs, her & her family’s relationship with food & how it plays an integral part of our lives – yet for me, the most moving was the focus on her relationship with her Mother.
Of course by reading the blurb you will know Michelle lost her Mom to cancer, I shared the quote above as I actually wrote it on a post-it note & have it next to my bed. The pain that comes with the grief of losing a parent is very individual, yet I found Zauner’s words infiltrated a part of me that I have been shutting off to the world, a part of me that I have to keep a lid on & can only open at certain times when I feel safe – for when I do open it all the immense love I have for my Mother comes rushing out & my grief of having recently lost her washes over me like a wave. Don’t get me wrong, I like feeling it & want to feel it – as it’s a reflection of the extent of my love for her, yet it’s not for everyone’s eyes as people do not know how to interact with someone who is grieving & I haven’t ever really known how to speak about it. In steps this memoir…
Now let me just say, this memoir will captivate you, it will most likely make you cry – yet it is so incredibly beautiful. Zauner writes with so much emotion & you would never think this is a debut, one element that stunned me. Further to that I loved reading about her experiences as a biracial woman in America, the connection to food & how there is so much more to it than just consuming it – yet as I am sure from the above you can imagine that exploring her relationship with her Mom was the penultimate for me. The small details that were so personal & utterly wonderful, how her mom would mispronounced words/use incorrect words – my mother who was also an expat with English as a second language who did the same! Even when the memoir gets to the tougher parts of her mom’s cancer, she will captivate you & give you an insight into a bond between mother & daughter that cannot be broken – truly moving. The flipside to the story that unravelled as it so naturally would is how Japanese Breakfast came to be & how her mother inspired her even after her death, now I will not pretend I knew them prior to reading this – however safe to say I am a fan.
I do not know what more to say besides read this memoir, it will make you laugh, cry, inspire you & instil a range of emotions deep set within you that you didn’t know were lurking beneath the surface. To Michelle, from one girl who lost her mother to another, I have no words to thank you for sharing your story & putting into words emotions I have never known how to place, eternally grateful!...more
“What do you want from us? The dumb girls are too dumb, the smart girls are too smart, and the average girls are too unexceptional?”
Well all I can is “What do you want from us? The dumb girls are too dumb, the smart girls are too smart, and the average girls are too unexceptional?”
Well all I can is what a book! I thoroughly enjoyed this tiny novel, adding yet another title to my translated fiction read pile & one that I would encourage everyone to read. The story unfolds as we are introduced to our protagonist Jiyoung, a new mother who seems to be on the precipice of a mental breakdown causing serious alarm to her husband – woman are not meant to act out of what is deemed ‘ordinary’…
The story flows effortlessly, following Jiyoung from early childhood, adolescent years, early adulthood with the penultimate being married life & new motherhood exploring how one woman’s bright future & relentless hard work is overshadowed by inevitable misogyny. Whilst reading (especially as female) you will be raging, Cho masterfully weaves gut wrenching facts with direct sources in the footnotes highlighting the extent of the oppression of women in South Korea – facts that is not limited to just South Korea, yet global issues faced daily by all women. I absolutely adored that we followed the lives of so many powerful women in the narrative being Jiyoung sister & friends, yet the woman who stood out most to me was her powerhouse of a mother!
Whilst I appreciate the ending may not be for everyone, the final chapter had me thinking how incredibly smart the structure of the book was & what a unique perspective to explore Jiyoung’s life. The final twist had be throwing the book across the room, here the cycle starts again – yet its such a true reflection of the predicament women have been in for decades & one I felt was an incredibly apt choice by the Cho. All I can say is, I loved the writing & translation, the pace, the structure, insights into life as a woman in South Korea & it was a perfect one sitting read I would definitely recommend! ...more
“The music flows out of the windows one wavering note at a time, achingly sweet, a pear drop caught in her throat”.
This was my first Fuller novel & al“The music flows out of the windows one wavering note at a time, achingly sweet, a pear drop caught in her throat”.
This was my first Fuller novel & all I can say is it most definitely will not be my last, I had no idea what to expect going into this one & WOW I absolutely adored it. This one starts with a heartbreaking first chapter - immediately sucking you in & needless to say I was hooked!
We follow twins Jeanie & Julius, 51 years of age who live an isolated life in a small country cottage with their mother Dot, seemingly content with their existence of farming the land, doing odd jobs, playing folklore & enjoying a simple life together. One day they awaken to find their mother dead on the kitchen floor & from that moment on their lives as they know it begins to unravel - leaving them questioning if they ever truly knew Dot & the life they have been leading for years.
Fuller is a masterful storyteller & her characterisation is like nothing I have read in a while, my heart simply ached for the twins - watching as their worlds fell apart around them & their battle to hang onto what they hold dear. It’s a story that shines a light on a part of society that so frequently gets overlooked, sparing no rosy details of just how tough it can be for those on the outskirts, the impoverished, the illiterate & their battle to carve out a spot for themselves in the world. There were so many moments when I felt myself biting my lip, hoping that the outcome of a particular part of the situation wasn’t another setback for the twins - I found myself to be so invested in their story & was rooting for them to just find a safe space for themselves in the chaotic world.
Fuller has created a masterpiece of a novel that is full of rich prose, superb characterisation - exploring how long kept secrets can have such a profound impact on the lives of those involved & how we tend to underestimate our own strength until we are left with nothing else. Yes, I will admit that Dot’s secret was easy to work out - yet I left that there was so much uncertainty that I couldn’t be sure of further elements, adding to the overall reading experience! An utterly compelling novel!
(A very big thank you to the publisher for the gifted review copy)...more
I will start by saying that when I picked this one up I was expecting something light-hearted but in turn got a book with way more depth than anticipaI will start by saying that when I picked this one up I was expecting something light-hearted but in turn got a book with way more depth than anticipated.
The story follows 3 protagonists George, Dan and Lizzie. Whilst the characters have never met each other, throughout the course of the story they all cross paths in one way or another. I will admit I was expecting a bit more to do with dogs which I was particularly keen for, however the roles the dogs play are vital and highlight the special bond us humans share with our four legged friends and how they can be an incredible source of emotional support.
George was my favourite of the three characters, recently widowed and possibly the grumpiest character I have ever read about - he will still show you what it means to grieve, love fiercely and under all his layers, he’s actually just a big old softy. The friendship that blossoms between himself and Betty was particularly beautiful and really felt like the cherry on top when it came to his story.
Dan a counsellor who does his best to manage and live with his OCD is introduced to a new patient who flips his world upside down. It was wonderful witnessing Dan overcome deep rooted fears, explore his sexuality and also open his heart up for the first time. His close friendship with his cousin Luke was lovely to see, I just wish we got to see more of him and explore his story in a tiny bit more detail.
Lizzie was the character that took me by surprise the most, living in a shelter for battered woman with her son - attempting to start rebuilding her life. Its clear she is hiding something, Waller does a phenomenal job at building the suspense and when it is revealed - WOW I was shocked! I will not say more as I don’t want to spoil it.
This little book explores many themes including OCD, suicide, depression, domestic abuse, grief and homophobia. The aspect I think I enjoyed most about this one is that it felt real in that it didn’t necessarily have the fairytale happy ending, it was real and all the characters managed to face their individual hardships and issues resulting in better versions of themselves, giving them the opportunity to lead a more fulfilling life.
I would definitely recommend this one if any of the above tickles your fancy, this wouldn’t have been something I would normally have picked up yet I am happy I did. A very big thank you to the publisher for the gifted copy of this book....more
“And maybe there is no nation or citizenry; they’re just territories mapped in place of family, in place of love, the infinite country.”
I’ll start off“And maybe there is no nation or citizenry; they’re just territories mapped in place of family, in place of love, the infinite country.”
I’ll start off by saying that I didn’t read the synopsis before going in & from the first few pages it became clear that Engel knows how to write, I’m truly in awe of this of brief but impactful family saga, following the lives of a young Colombian couple seeking a new life in America.
Our story follows the lives of Mauro & Elena who fall in love as teenagers in Columbia, they take a chance & decide to go to the US on visitor visas with their infant child, remaining in the country illegally once the visas expire. Engel is masterful in how she portrays the span of time, year pass including plenty new states, meagre living conditions, under the counter jobs - with a further 2 children born. An unfortunate event transpires causing Mauro’s deportation, Elena struggles to cope with an infant & now needing to earn money - making the tough decision to send her youngest daughter to Columbia to be raised by her grandmother. So the story of longing commences, Mauro dreams only of Elena & his family, whilst Elena longs to find her way back to Columbia - to her home, her mother, her husband & the daughter she lost.
I really loved the non-linear & sharp narrative style Engel used to tell this story. We learn about each family member in snapshots, sometimes letters from the past & present which truly helped me connect to them & root for them to find their way back to each other.
This novel is truly breathtaking, it explores many themes including migration, racism, rape, alcoholism, violence & the struggle so many undocumented migrants face daily. I adored the way Engel wove Columbian folklore into the narrative, adding more complexity. I fell in love with this family, their collective voices were powerful & insightful, my heart broke for them. A truly compelling & thought provoking read which I definitely recommend.
Massive thank you to the publisher & NetGalley for the gifted e-ARC. This one is released 27 May here in the UK...more
Well this novel was a real treat & one I would easily recommend! I’ll admit that I have never read anything focussing on OCD & what it is like in the Well this novel was a real treat & one I would easily recommend! I’ll admit that I have never read anything focussing on OCD & what it is like in the daily life of somebody battling with this condition, this was such a gorgeous & enlightening story that I found myself to be immensely invested in. The story follows our protagonist Amy as she navigates her daily life, her interactions with people & their disappoints/expectations of her, a stunning work trip to Sydney - all whilst battling with an internal dialogue & physical inability to perform certain tasks/interactions that majority would deem “normal”. I walked away from this one feeling like I have gained a new insight & have been so conscious of that term “I’m OCD etc” when referring to being particular that we so often use flippantly! I enjoyed this one over the course of 24 hours, its an easy read that will keep you captivated & remind of what it means to be human, the power of friends & a strong support network & how important it is for all of us to continue championing mental health awareness....more