But Yehya was not convinced, and he did not stop bleeding.” – The Queue Summary and Thoughts In a surreal, but familiar, vision of modern day Egypt, a centralized authority known as ‘the Gate’ has risen to power in the aftermath of the ‘Disgraceful Events,’ a failed popular uprising. Citizens are required to obtain permissionContinue reading “Review: The Queue by Basma Abdel Aziz”
Tag Archives: Books
Review: Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
Evil begets evil. It grows. It transmutes, so that sometimes you cannot see that the evil in the world began as the evil in your own home. – Homegoing Summary and Thoughts Two half-sisters, Effia and Esi, are born into different villages in eighteenth-century Ghana. Effia is married off to an Englishman and lives inContinue reading “Review: Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi”
Review: The Pretty One by Keah Brown
Care, respect, fighting for our proper representation and rights: that’s what’s necessary. – Keah Brown Summary and Thoughts In The Pretty One, Brown gives a contemporary and relatable voice to the disabled—so often portrayed as mute, weak, or isolated. With clear, fresh, and light-hearted prose, these essays explore everything from her relationship with her able-bodied identicalContinue reading “Review: The Pretty One by Keah Brown”
January Reads
I’ve read a lot of interesting books this past month, and I’m so excited to share them all with you. Though not each book was a hit, I am still glad to have read them all, as I felt they all provided a unique voice and story. As always, this is based on my personalContinue reading “January Reads”
The Winter Bundle
She could not fathom the hexagonal miracle of snowflakes formed from clouds, crystallized fern and feather that tumble down to light on a coat sleeve, white stars melting even as they strike. How did such force and beauty come to be in something so small and fleeting and unknowable? – Eowyn Ivey, The Snow ChildContinue reading “The Winter Bundle”
Review: Thus Were Their Faces by Silvina Ocampo
I gazed into the mirror, hoping that it would reflect creatures less afflicted, less demented than ourselves. – “The Punishment,” Thus Were Their Faces by Silvina Ocampo Summary and Thoughts Thus Were Their Faces collects a wide range of Ocampo’s best short fiction and novella-length stories from her whole writing life. Stories about creepy doubles,Continue reading “Review: Thus Were Their Faces by Silvina Ocampo”
Review: The Goddess Chronicle by Natsuo Kirino
The living mourn the dead for a time but they forget about them as days pass. The living are so selfish, so spoilt, so taken with the very act of living that they don’t remember long. – The Goddess Chronicle Summary and Thoughts In a place like no other, on a mystical island in theContinue reading “Review: The Goddess Chronicle by Natsuo Kirino”
Review: Useful Phrases for Immigrants: Stories by May-lee Chai
Far from home, in Rose’s memories, Ma had become like a black-and-white movie that she had watched on TV when she was a kid. Flickering and quaint. Up close in real life, Ma burned like a live coal against Rose’s heart. – Useful Phrases for Immigrants: Stories Summary and Thoughts In the title story ofContinue reading “Review: Useful Phrases for Immigrants: Stories by May-lee Chai”
Review: Ayesha at Last by Uzma Jalaluddin
“It’s not enough to find someone you love. You have to be ready for that love, and ready to make changes to welcome it into your life.” – Ayesha at Last Summary and Thoughts Ayesha Shamsi has a lot going on. Her dreams of being a poet have been set aside for a teaching jobContinue reading “Review: Ayesha at Last by Uzma Jalaluddin”
Review: Yona of the Dawn Manga Series
“I fight so I can survive. I have no desire to bow down to unjust power.” – Yona of the Dawn Chapter 82 Summary and Thoughts Princess Yona lives an ideal life as the only princess of her kingdom. Doted on by her father, the king, and protected by her faithful guard Hak, she cherishesContinue reading “Review: Yona of the Dawn Manga Series”
Skincare for Introverts 