Review: Kin (by Tayari Jones)

My Rating: 5 stars

Tayari Jones’s latest novel is a beautifully rendered story of two motherless daughters – self-named “cradle friends” -- raised together in the small town of Honeysuckle, Louisiana who, despite growing apart and living entirely contrasting lives as adults, manage to maintain their lifelong friendship and sisterhood truly through thick and thin. 

After her mother’s death at the hands of her father, Vernice (Niecy) was taken in by her Aunt Irene (her mother’s sister) and raised to be a refined young lady who not only ends up attending Spelman College (one of the most elite schools for Black women), but also marries into a powerful and rich family where she finally gets to experience the “motherly love” that she had been yearning for since childhood.  Annie, on the other hand, experiences a completely different fate as she longs to find the mother who abandoned her as a baby, leaving her to be raised by her grandmother.  When she inadvertently stumbles across a potential address for her mother, Annie sets off on a perilous journey that takes her on what is essentially a wild goose chase across the American South, searching for her mother while also experiencing love and friendship in the process.

The story is told through the alternating first-person perspectives of Niecy and Annie, and I have to say that this structure worked really well because as a reader, I felt as though I was experiencing everything alongside both women.  Jones has a wonderful way of writing unforgettable characters whom we can’t help but root for and love, despite their obvious shortcomings, and this was definitely the case with Niecy and Annie.  I love the strong bond between these two characters and the “kinship” they shared despite not being related by blood (there’s a scene late in the book where Niecy refers to Annie as “family” – reading that honestly made me cry).  Jones is a masterful writer who has the unique ability of taking a complex theme and weaving an emotionally rich, nuanced story that balances both humor and heartbreak in a powerful and moving way. With the exception of the ending, which gutted me (it was hard not to cry given how invested I was in these characters), the rest of the story was well-balanced on the emotional front (in terms of being both heartwarming and heartbreaking), while also giving us a realistic view of what it means to be a Black woman living in the South during the 1950s and 60s.

This book is getting a lot of buzz (it was recently chosen for Oprah’s Book Club) and deservedly so, in my opinion.  Definitely prioritize this one if you get a chance to pick it up – it is truly a wonderful read!

 

Received ARC from Knopf via NetGalley.

Review: Real Americans (by Rachel Khong)

My Rating: 4.5 stars

I just finished a major project for class, so I'm hoping to have some time for catching up on my leisure reading over the next couple weeks. I decided to pick up Rachel Khong's Real Americans next because of an author talk I plan to attend (which I'm very much looking forward to!).  

I will start off by saying that, admittedly, this was one of those books that I found a little bit hard to parse at times, mostly because of the "science" element — which, even though it remains largely in the background throughout most of the story, it does play a pretty significant role in advancing parts of the plot. That said however, I feel that the way Khong structured the story is brilliant — there are 3 parts to the story, each told from the first person perspective of 3 different characters: Lily in 1999, Nick in 2021, and Mei in 2030. All 3 voices felt distinct to me, which is an admirable feat, no doubt, given how different it is to pull off.  The first part of the story, told from Lily's perspective, reads like a romance, as it is the love story of how Lily — the daughter of Chinese immigrants who struggles to make sense of her life working a dead-end job that she's not even getting paid for — meets Matthew, the rich heir of a pharmaceutical conglomerate -a and how they ultimately fall in love and start a family together.  Part 2 fast forwards 22 years later — Lily and Matthew are separated and Lily is raising their son Nick, who is 15 years old, alone in a remote part of Washington.  Told from Nick's perspective, this part feels like a coming of age story, as Nick (who, though biracial, looks more like his father than his mother) struggles to come to terms with his own identity as well as that of his estranged father, whom his mother refuses to tell him anything about.  Part 3 takes place 9 years later, in 2030, but actually provides the backstory that explains many of the things that happened in parts 1 and 2.  This last section (which reads like historical fiction) is told from the perspective of Lily's mother Mei, as she recounts what her life was like growing up in China in the 1960s, at the height of the country's Cultural Revolution, and how she ended up fleeing to America.  What I found interesting about this structure is that all 3 parts, at times, read like 3 different stories (albeit with the same characters), and interestingly enough, the 3 timelines never truly converge like most multiple timeline stories do, yet the overarching story as a whole never felt disjointed.  As I was reading, I was continually engaged with the story, even though oftentimes, not a whole lot was actually happening plot-wise.  All the characters in here were also well-drawn, realistic, and relatable — especially the 3 characters who narrate the story.  

Another interesting thing to note with this story is that it's not one of those stories that ties everything up neatly (and not just the ending). There are gaps in all 3 timelines that are never fully explained, yet the story still feels complete somehow (not sure how to explain this properly but I think those who've read this will know what I mean).  

Overall, this was an engrossing read that I absolutely recommend.  The story itself is definitely the slow burn type — quiet, subtle, and rarely makes any major waves — yet it also never felt boring to me (case in point, I read this in 2 days because I couldn't bring myself to put it down).  Part of this was due to Khong's writing, which the blurb to the book already describes perfectly as "moving" and "immersive."  I haven't yet read Khong's debut novel Goodbye, Vitamin, but given how much I enjoyed this new one, I will definitely have to go back and read that one.

Received ARC from Knopf via NetGalley. 

Review: A Spell of Good Things (by Ayobami Adebayo)

My Rating:  4 stars

Ayobami Adebayo’s debut novel Stay With Me on my TBR for a while, but unfortunately, despite the best of intentions, I never got around to picking it up (classic case of “too many books, too little time”).  Well, a few weeks ago, when an ARC of her second book, A Spell of Good Things, landed in my email box, I was determined that, this time, I will get around to it.  And I am so glad I did because Adebayo’s writing here is amazing — poetic, lyrical, completely immersive and engaging.  I also appreciated getting to learn about Nigeria and a culture that I knew next to nothing about prior to reading this book — though I will admit that the sentences and phrases written in an untranslated Nigerian dialect throughout the book did throw me for a loop in that I had to stop and look stuff up at times in order to fully understand what I was reading.

With that said though, the book’s subject matter is actually quite heavy.   The story revolves around two main characters — a female doctor in her twenties named Wuraola and a teenage boy named Eniola — from two Nigerian families at opposite ends of the economic spectrum (the extremely wealthy vs the devastatingly impoverished, the “haves” vs the “have-nots”) whose paths unexpectedly yet inevitably intertwine, amidst a backdrop of economic strife, political corruption, violence, and tragedy (and that’s just scratching the surface). Even though there were moments of levity (manifested primarily through one of the Wuraola aunties and a few other relatives) interspersed primarily throughout the first half of the story, much of the second half had an undercurrent of bleakness and sadness to it that I actually found difficult to shake even after I had turned the last page.

I don’t want to say too much about this one, as I feel this is the type of story that you have to actually experience for it to be most impactful. What I will say is that this is one of those quiet, slow-burn type stories that takes its time to build up and play out — thoughtfully, meticulously, carefully — then in the last quarter or so of the book, the story suddenly hits you in the gut and you’re left reeling a bit.  For me, I found myself still thinking about that last quarter of the book even long after I had finished reading — I kept playing though different scenarios and wondering, if certain people had acted differently, if some circumstances had been different, would that have changed things in the end?  

While this was not an easy read by any means (especially emotionally), I’m glad I picked it up, as it was a unique, thought-provoking experience that doesn’t come around too often.  I know for sure now that I need to go back and read Adebayo’s debut, sooner rather than later.

Received ARC from Knopf via NetGalley.

Review: Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow (by Gabrielle Zevin)

My Rating:  4 stars

I'm not a video game fanatic by any means, but I have definitely played my fair share of video games growing up. Even though nowadays, I don't play video games as much as I used to, I still play enough to keep myself informed about the various gaming trends out there, mostly due to my nephew being an avid gamer.  Overall, I would consider my interest in gaming-related stuff to be moderate, so the fact that Gabrielle Zevin's newest book is about gaming, by itself, wouldn't necessarily make this a "must-read" for me.  Rather, what attracted me to this book were the following (in no particular order):  1) the timespan, which covered most of the 1990s through contemporary times, some of which mirrors the time period of my youth (though admittedly, the 1980s was a huge part of that as well);  2) the setting, with a large part of the story taking place in Los Angeles, which is where I grew up (and where I still live);  3) the intricately complex premise as described in the plot summary, which essentially promised that this story would be about much more than just gaming (which was indeed true!) and that it would be different from anything I've read before (also true!); 4) I'm a sucker for nostalgia and it was pretty obvious, even before reading this book, that there would be plenty if that throughout the story;  5) this is by the same author who wrote The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry, which is one of my favorite books of all time.  In the end, what ultimately drew me in and kept me reading were all of the above, yes, but also, the characters, who were all so realistically rendered — it was hard not to empathize with Sam and Sadie and, given all they go through, root for them even during those times when they made frustratingly horrible decisions.  Oh and of course, there's Marx, who plays such a critical role in both Sam's and Sadie's lives — these three characters, their trials and tribulations, form the heart of the story, though if I were to choose a favorite character, it would probably be Sam's grandfather Dong Hyun, whom I adored despite his brief appearances throughout the story.

In addition to the brilliant writing as well as the wonderfully drawn characters, another aspect that makes this book stand out is its unique structure — there are segments that switch between different points of views and perspective, as well as scenes that take place in the gaming world and also in the real world.  While it was a bit difficult to keep up with at times, the journey to the end was well worth he effort, in my opinion. This is one of those books that needs to be experienced to be effective, which is why I'm keeping my review deliberately short as well as vague.  This is also a book that's very hard to categorize, as there is a little bit of everything in here — there are aspects of multiple genres in here, from historical to contemporary to romance (though as the premise suggests, this is not a typical love story), with subtle hints of science fiction and nonfiction elements sprinkled in throughout.  There is humor and warmth in the story, but there is also tragedy and heartbreak — though most impressive for me in terms of the structure is Zevin's ability to incorporate such a wide range of current affairs and social issues into the story, but in a way that didn't feel contrived or overwhelming.  I felt that the story overall was way more complex than her previous works, plus the emotional elements were also well done, though for me, this one was a bit less poignant and resonant than The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry, in my opinion at least (that book made me cry multiple times as I was reading it!).

While you don't need to be a gamer to enjoy this one, I do feel that having some familiarity with the gaming world does make a difference in that it enhances the reading experience (at least that's what it did for me).  I loved the bit about the trick for getting Mario on top of the flag, (where was this tip 30 years ago when I was obsessed with playing Super Mario Bros?  LOL!) as well as the various other references to games that I was familiar with (whether through playing those games myself at some point or hearing my nephew and his cousins / friends talk about them).  Given everything that has gone on the past couple years, I was definitely happy getting the chance to relive those fun, nostalgic moments of childhood, even if only for a short while!  Even if you're not into gaming, I still highly recommend reading this one, as the story on its own goes deep — though some parts do take a little bit of patience to get through, but to me, the journey was worth it in the end.

Received ARC from Knopf Publishing via NetGalley.

Review: Great Circle (by Maggie Shipstead)

My Rating:  4.5 stars

Wow, what a story!  

Before I go into how much I enjoyed this book, let me start things off by honestly admitting that, actually, I "almost" didn't end up reading this one, for various reasons. 

First and foremost, I was intimidated by the page length — when I initially accepted an ARC of this book from the publisher in NetGalley, I had no idea that this would be a 600–page tome.  With a TBR a mile high and so many books already lined up to read for the month of July, I definitely felt like I didn't have the time to spend on a long book (this is exacerbated by the fact that I'm a "one-book-at-a-time" kind of reader who also has problems DNFing books once I start them, no matter how bad the book gets).  Second, I was torn by the book's premise. While I love reading about strong women protagonists, and epic historical stories are usually right up my alley, the part that made me wary was the overarching subject matter.  Going into this, I knew that it would be about a female pilot circumnavigating the globe and undoubtedly, there would be a lot of technical language and details involving the mechanics of flying a plane and getting from one point to another (on the first 2 pages, before the story even starts, there is a detailed map charting the main character Marian Graves' journey - which, being someone who has no sense of direction and is incapable of reading maps, I was completely lost even after staring at the map for several minutes) — given my lack of interest in aviation and airplanes / flying, as well as my general aversion to books that go a bit too much into the "science-y" side of things because much of it usually goes over my head and therefore impacts my ability to enjoy the story, this of course added to my anxiety about reading this book.  Third, I had never read this author before and as such, didn't have the benefit of a positive or negative reaction to previous works to sway me either way.  In the end though, I decided to go for it — start the book and hope for the best. And now, after finishing this epic story, I can say for sure that it was absolutely worth the time and effort!

This book actually turned out to be completely different from what I expected (in a good way, of course).  Surprisingly, none of the fears that I initially had about the book ended up materializing.  Yes, there was a lot of technical detail about aviation and airplanes and flying, but it was done in a way that was accessible and didn't detract from the story itself.  Most importantly though, the story wasn't just about that — in fact, it's actually one of those stories that truly has something for everyone in terms of the themes and topics that it explores (i.e.: history, adventure, romance, relationships, complex family dynamics, war and sacrifice, love, heartbreak, contemporary societal and gender conflicts, etc.).  So far, this is the only book I've read that can truly be classified as having a multitude of settings that span the depths of time and space — from modern day Los Angeles in 2014 to a doomed cruise ship in the North Atlantic in 1914, to Prohibition-era Montana, to London and Europe where female pilots helped ferry warplanes for the ATA during WWII, to the wilds of Alaska, to Vancouver (Canada) to Seattle and New York, to the icy depths of Antarctica, to the unknown expanse of the skies above and beyond the clouds — from land to air to sea, this is a story that traverses the globe in a "great circle" worthy of its title.  

This magnificent, epic tale is beautifully written in prose that is lyrical, poetic, lively, descriptive, and as mentioned previously, also incredibly accessible, given its content.  Normally, a big book such as this one would take me more than a week to finish, but I found myself so absorbed and invested in the story and its characters that I felt compelled to keep turning the pages, which resulted in me being able to finish this massive tome over the course of a 3-day holiday weekend. Maggie Shipstead is indeed a gifted writer — I admire so much of what she tried to do with this story, from the impeccable research to the near flawless execution of the story, to the well-developed, realistic rendering of the characters (especially remarkable given the fact that many of the characters in the story were actually unlikable) — all of it came together in fantastic, epic fashion.

With all that said, the one complaint that I did have — and the main reason for why I gave this book 4.5 stars rather than 5 stars — is that I didn't really like the present day story arc involving Hadley Baxter.  While I understand the critical role that Hadley played in terms of helping Marian's story unfold as well as the parallels we are supposed to infer with their personalities and the paths their lives ultimately take, etc., I honestly could not bring myself to like Hadley.  She came across as annoying to me and I actually had no interest at all in her background or her "struggles" in Hollywood where she is seemingly "misunderstood" by everyone. It's hard to pinpoint exactly why, but I just couldn't stand her — thankfully, the chapters about her were extremely short, so I was able to skim majority of the pages about her until I got to the passages actually related to Marian's life.

With such an epic story, it's pretty much impossible to relay its scope and magnificence through a brief review.  This is a story that is guaranteed to be an immersive experience — a rewarding journey that is absolutely worth the time it takes to get to the end.  I am definitely glad I got the chance to read this one and of course there is no doubt that I will be exploring Shipstead's backlist now while looking forward to what she might have in store for us next!

Received ARC from Alfred A. Knopf publishers via NetGalley.

Review: Clock Dance (by Anne Tyler)

 My Rating:  4 stars

This is my first time reading Anne Tyler and it certainly won’t be my last!  I like this author’s style – the way she is able to take everyday, mundane events and turn them into an interesting story, yet still keep the overall tone low-key, subtle, and rooted in reality.    The story is divided into 4 major segments that highlight 4 particular “defining moments” in the life of the main character Willa Drake -- starting in 1967 when she is 11 years old, we get a glimpse of what her childhood was like and how her family environment helped shape the kind of person she would become; then the story jumps to 1977, when Willa is in college and faces a major life decision in the form of a marriage proposal; then it jumps to 20 years later, in 1997, when Willa is faced with yet another life-changing event, widowhood at the young age of 41 and having to figure out how to move forward with her 2 teenage sons; and finally, 2017 when Willa is 61 years old, remarried (to a man whose personality is similar to her first husband in so many ways), retired and contemplating her lot in life when she gets a phone call about her son’s ex-girlfriend and impulsively flies to Baltimore.  Through these vignette-like “observations” into her life at various stages, we get to know Willa on a deeper level and by the end of the book, she has become like a dear friend whom we just finished spending quality time with.  Granted, I didn’t always agree with Willa’s decisions and honestly, at times her passiveness and tolerance for things she shouldn’t have tolerated really frustrated me, but I still liked her as a character and enjoyed being in her company, even if only for a short few days (the amount of time it took me to read the book).  The character development is definitely well-done in here, and not just with Willa but also with the other characters, even some of the ones who only make a brief appearance.  I enjoy reading about characters that are relatable, which many times means that they also have to be realistic and yes, sometimes even “ordinary,” – a character that may not necessarily have much excitement going on in their lives, but yet encounter interesting enough moments where a story like this never once comes across as boring. 

As other reviewers have said, the story here is simple as well as subtle and not much goes on outside of normal, everyday stuff, yet at no point did I feel the story drag.  In the beginning, when I found out this would be a “slice of life” type of story, I was a little worried, as I usually don’t take to these types of stories too well – I prefer a continuous story where I am able to see the main character’s growth and gradual development.  This book was very different from other “slice of life” books I’ve read in that this one went deeper in terms of characterization as well as emotional depth and to me at least, the transitions from one time period to another were seamless.  I’ve heard that Anne Tyler is a masterful writer and I can definitely see why.  I’m sure that the next time I am in the mood for a quiet, yet meaningful read with characters that are relatable and easy to connect with, I will be picking up one of Tyler’s other novels to enjoy!

Received ARC from Knopf Publishing via Penguin First to Read program.