The sequel to Neal Shusterman’s thrilling Unwind, UnWholly follows Connor, Risa, and Lev as they take on new enemies and events. They live in a world The sequel to Neal Shusterman’s thrilling Unwind, UnWholly follows Connor, Risa, and Lev as they take on new enemies and events. They live in a world in which teenagers are able to be literally taken apart once they reach the age of thirteen (the process is called “unwinding”), and their separated body parts are sold to others. After the trio escaped Happy Jack Harvest Camp, unwinding has garnered some negative media attention, but not enough to do anything except lower the safety age from 18 to 17. Connor and Risa struggle to stay together and afloat while Connor takes charge of the Graveyard, a safe haven for AWOL unwinds. Lev leaves the spotlight and after some unfortunate occurrences strikes out on his own. And there are some newcomers to the game – Starkey, Miracolina, and Cam – who change things up for our three original protagonists. All six will encounter danger and will be forced to fight for what they believe in, if they can even figure out what they believe in at all.
Shusterman still captivates with his writing in UnWholly. His foreshadowing, layering of suspense, and overall buildup to the climax sucked me into the story and had me wondering what would happen next. His inclusion of public service announcements and other sources of media solidified the world he created, and the numerous themes within the book – sacrifice, what makes a human human, etc. – all made it more scary and shocking than the average dystopia novel.
The characters spoke to me as well. Their internal struggles and external conflicts combined to communicate how tough they each had to be to survive, as well as how confused and in turmoil they were. Starkey, Miracolina, and Cam’s stories added an extra layer of awesomeness to the book, and I look forward to seeing how they’ll develop in the next novel.
Overall, I didn’t love UnWholly as much as I did Unwind. It didn’t feel as fresh and some of the science felt a little fake. It certainly was entertaining, but not extremely thought-provoking like the first book. I had to read it in snippets due to school, which may have contributed to my apathy, but in the end my emotions were not as revved up as I wished they had been. I’m still curious to see where Shusterman takes the characters and the big picture idea of unwinding in the last book of this trilogy, though.
Merged review:
The sequel to Neal Shusterman’s thrilling Unwind, UnWholly follows Connor, Risa, and Lev as they take on new enemies and events. They live in a world in which teenagers are able to be literally taken apart once they reach the age of thirteen (the process is called “unwinding”), and their separated body parts are sold to others. After the trio escaped Happy Jack Harvest Camp, unwinding has garnered some negative media attention, but not enough to do anything except lower the safety age from 18 to 17. Connor and Risa struggle to stay together and afloat while Connor takes charge of the Graveyard, a safe haven for AWOL unwinds. Lev leaves the spotlight and after some unfortunate occurrences strikes out on his own. And there are some newcomers to the game – Starkey, Miracolina, and Cam – who change things up for our three original protagonists. All six will encounter danger and will be forced to fight for what they believe in, if they can even figure out what they believe in at all.
Shusterman still captivates with his writing in UnWholly. His foreshadowing, layering of suspense, and overall buildup to the climax sucked me into the story and had me wondering what would happen next. His inclusion of public service announcements and other sources of media solidified the world he created, and the numerous themes within the book – sacrifice, what makes a human human, etc. – all made it more scary and shocking than the average dystopia novel.
The characters spoke to me as well. Their internal struggles and external conflicts combined to communicate how tough they each had to be to survive, as well as how confused and in turmoil they were. Starkey, Miracolina, and Cam’s stories added an extra layer of awesomeness to the book, and I look forward to seeing how they’ll develop in the next novel.
Overall, I didn’t love UnWholly as much as I did Unwind. It didn’t feel as fresh and some of the science felt a little fake. It certainly was entertaining, but not extremely thought-provoking like the first book. I had to read it in snippets due to school, which may have contributed to my apathy, but in the end my emotions were not as revved up as I wished they had been. I’m still curious to see where Shusterman takes the characters and the big picture idea of unwinding in the last book of this trilogy, though....more
Important book about the inequities faced by disadvantaged students (e.g., low income, students of color, students with both those identities) at collImportant book about the inequities faced by disadvantaged students (e.g., low income, students of color, students with both those identities) at college, with Harvard as the site for this specific study. Anthony Abraham Jack details the disparities between these students especially in the context of COVID-19, for example how wealthy students could afford to take lavish vacations whereas low-income students were often forced to go back to difficult home situations and struggle for financial security. There were interesting points too about the performativity of social justice, like how White students could post on social media about being anti-racist even while literally perpetuating racism in their day-to-day lives.
There were times while reading this book that I felt like I was reading anecdote after anecdote. They were important anecdotes but it seemed a bit repetitive stylistically, almost like I was reading a long results section of a qualitative peer-reviewed publication in book form. Still, the content is important so if you’re interested in education and equity issues, you may want to check this one out....more
I really enjoyed reading this book despite its devastating contents. First, I found Jesselyn Cook an excellent nonfiction writer. We follow f4.5 stars
I really enjoyed reading this book despite its devastating contents. First, I found Jesselyn Cook an excellent nonfiction writer. We follow five different families in The Quiet Damage and Cook makes each of their stories memorable and distinct. I was on the edge of my seat and so curious about how each of their stories would unfold.
On the note of Cook’s writing, she does a superb job of both humanizing the people who fell/bought into QAnon conspiracy theories while also showing the harms they inflicted upon their loved ones. There’s so much showing instead of telling in this book and that made each of the family’s lived experiences immersive and compelling. Seeing how traumatic life events, loneliness, and disconnection from others fueled people’s buy into QAnon was an eye-opener to how just presenting facts isn’t a sufficient solution to these horrifying conspiracy theories. And, it was so heartbreaking reading about the loved ones who lost their relationships with the people who cared about who rabidly bought into QAnon.
In sum, I felt genuinely moved reading this book and applaud Cook for her skilled writing in making that happen. The blend of holding empathy for all parties involved while also wanting better for the grieving loved ones (and the marginalized people in society who suffer because of these vile extremist views) is a hard balance to strike, and Cook pulls it off with this book. Recommended!...more
This book wrecked me in the best possible way. In Here After, Amy Lin writes about her husband’s death at the tragic age of 32, their relationship befThis book wrecked me in the best possible way. In Here After, Amy Lin writes about her husband’s death at the tragic age of 32, their relationship before and her journey into grief afterward. She captures scenes and emotions so well, writing about the moments she and Kurtis shared together throughout their relationship, to when she learned about his death, to the pain-ridden moments that comprised her existence following his passing. By page 29 I already felt sucker punched in the stomach and a couple of passages had already made me tear up. She writes in a short vignette style and her ability to render specific memories of their relationship, like little slices of conversation, tore my heart up. Some may describe her writing as choppy though I think it worked in this memoir and represented the consciousness of someone going through an awful, raw, real tragedy. She depicted Kurtis’s loving and larger-than-life personality so well; I felt like I got a real sense of him as a person.
One of my favorite elements of this memoir was how Lin asserted her right to be sad. With grief, sometimes the aftermath is just horrible and painful and morose. You don’t need to try to make it happy or put a positive spin on it. A tragedy can be a tragedy and it’s important to make space for those feelings.
I also appreciated Lin’s honesty throughout Here After. I liked her candid self-characterization as the more prickly or “petty” romantic partner compared to Kurtis. She writes about her own insecurities in their relationship and how she feared him leaving her, which I think takes guts to put on the page. She’s real about many parts of the grieving process, such as how after Kurtis’s death she spent time with one of his closest friends, and then this friend ghosted her with no explanation.
In sum, I absolutely loved this. Reading Here After, I felt immersed in Lin’s emotional landscape while also feeling compassion for the tragedies and losses I’ve experienced in my own life. Great representation of an Asian couple though of course it's so freaking tragic. A stunner of a debut....more
Really great academic book about Palestinian American youth living in the United States after 9/11. Thea Renda Abu El-Haj does a wonderful and thorougReally great academic book about Palestinian American youth living in the United States after 9/11. Thea Renda Abu El-Haj does a wonderful and thorough job of writing about several important topics, such as how Palestinian American kids and teens navigate their identities both as Palestinians and as Americans. She highlights the racism they face from their teachers as well as how everyday nationalism contributes to stereotypical and violent assumptions about Arab individuals and Arab Americans. What I most loved about this book is how Thea Renda Abu El-Haj interviews Palestinian American kids and teens and highlights how they practice resistance of racism in the United States and how they cultivate pride in their identities as Palestinians. Amidst the horrific ongoing genocide in Palestine now it was heartwarming to read these narratives that portrayed Palestinian American youth in a more three-dimensional light.
Given that it’s an academic text sometimes the writing is a little dry though I found the content important and meaningful regardless....more
A powerful, somewhat uneven memoir with some sections that absolutely gutted me. In They Called Us Exceptional, Prachi Gupta writes about growing up iA powerful, somewhat uneven memoir with some sections that absolutely gutted me. In They Called Us Exceptional, Prachi Gupta writes about growing up in an Indian American family that some would describe as the American ideal: a doctor father, a nurturing mother, and two high-achieving children. Underneath this veneer though lies a family simmering with conflict and painful unaddressed wounds. Gupta details her journey of breaking free from the cycles of violence plaguing her family and dissects the cost of “achieving” what may appear as the American success story.
I found the first 100 pages or so of this book okay, somewhere between three and four stars. Gupta does a nice job of detailing her childhood and naming some sociocultural complexities: her father’s patriarchal violence, the racism that everyone including in her family including her father experienced, and her desire to figure out what she wants for herself. Gupta’s tone felt a bit formal for me in this first half or so of the memoir and even throughout the book. I can see why she chose to write in the second person but I felt that that created some emotional distance or dilution in the prose.
However, something happens around the 125-page mark and onward that wrecked me. I won’t spoil it so all I’ll say is that Gupta’s writing about her relationship with her brother *gutted* me. I read this book on a plane and I was holding back tears in several parts of the second half of the book. I think Gupta wrote a successful essay about her brother that got some attention which then led to this book, and I can see why that essay was successful. Gupta’s writing about her brother felt both sophisticated and deeply emotionally resonant. Honoring the complexities of how Asian American men and Indian American men in this case are dehumanized and made to feel inferior in the United States. While at the same time writing honestly about her brother’s faults and shortcomings, the pain and power of setting boundaries with him, and the deep love between the two of them born out of shared experience and tenderness. Her writing about him and their relationship and her feelings about him floored me. I’m typing this review in the Atlanta airport listening to “Ghost in the Machine” by SZA and staring into space, a heartbroken mess!
Despite how some of the writing, especially the use of the second person, felt dry, Gupta accomplishes a lot in this memoir: breaking down the model minority myth, detailing her journey to know more about her own culture and come into her unique feminist voice, sharing a bit about her therapy process and destigmatizing mental illness. Her father’s abusive behavior reminded me my mother’s and I appreciated her sharing about how this abuse (and the abuser’s potential mental illness) is often conflated with stereotypes about harsh immigrant parents. Still, though, her writing about her brother, wow. My heart aches just thinking about it (and if you saw a gaysian crying in the Atlanta airport holding a copy of this book and crying, it was me!)....more
I enjoyed this book about consumerism and resisting it for the sake of our world’s collective wellbeing. I thought Aja Barber did a great job of writiI enjoyed this book about consumerism and resisting it for the sake of our world’s collective wellbeing. I thought Aja Barber did a great job of writing about how consumerism intersects with oppressive forces such as racism and fatphobia. Her writing is conversational, though still thorough and intelligent.
I appreciated how she included specific strategies for resisting consumerism in regard to clothes (e.g., actually wear the clothes you buy several times, unsubscribe from notifications from stores and companies, check in with yourself emotionally before going to purchase something). Her commentary about class and how some people may underestimate their wealth made a lot of sense to me. Even though I found that her writing felt a bit too discursive for me in certain sections, I think Consumed is a smart and honest attempt at addressing consumerism and its environmental and psychological impacts....more
I liked this graphic memoir about a queer Wuhanese American’s coming of age. Laura Gao portrays her journey to self-acceptance, especially pertaining I liked this graphic memoir about a queer Wuhanese American’s coming of age. Laura Gao portrays her journey to self-acceptance, especially pertaining to her racial identity after growing up in a predominantly white town. I appreciated Gao’s honesty about confronting her internalized racism, in particular when she moved from Texas to Philadelphia for college. She doesn’t sacrifice complexity in this memoir either; she writes and draws with honesty in relation to her complex dynamic with her father. At the same time, her story exemplifies the importance of embracing and loving oneself and one’s roots, and it’s wonderful that she’s able to honor her heritage and her parents even if her relationship with her father isn’t 100% perfect.
This felt like an easy read, though not in a negative way. For some reason I wanted a bit more punch, though perhaps that would’ve detracted from Gao’s story. Either way, an enjoyable graphic novel that Asian immigrants to the United States may relate to....more
The second half of this novel blew me away! I enjoyed An Echo in the City, a book about two star-crossed teenagers falling in love during the 2019 HonThe second half of this novel blew me away! I enjoyed An Echo in the City, a book about two star-crossed teenagers falling in love during the 2019 Hong Kong protests. I feel that K.X. Song did a great job writing about a topic that doesn’t get much mainstream attention in the United States (I’m referencing the U.S. just because that’s where I live.) She highlights sixteen-year-old Phoenix’s journey from privilege and lack of awareness to activism, from her disinterested path in attending Yale to her taking action to capture key moments in an activist movement. Song also portrays seventeen-year-old Kai’s evolution from working as a police officer to fulfill what his father wants from him, to honoring what he wants from his life regardless of what other people may think. In the afterword of this novel, Song writes about how people told her that this book may not do well because it doesn’t feature a white protagonist. While the book doesn’t seem to be super popular, I’m so glad Song stuck through with it because it definitely raises intersecting themes of identity, politics, and pursuing what’s right even when doing so comes at a cost.
I also enjoyed the characterization and romance in this novel. Loved the development of a healthy romance between two Asian protagonists! I also thought Song did a nice job of having both Phoenix and Kai come to terms with what they really want and who they really are despite familial pressures. I will say though that that ending ~broke~ my heart in an amazing way, I was sitting in bed just like “omg I can’t believe this I’m shaking and devastated though thank goodness a book can make me feel this way.” I’m giving this novel four out of five stars instead of five out of five because I felt that the book did drag a bit in the first half, there just wasn’t much that grabbed my attention. Still, the second half won me over and I’d recommend this book to fans of young-adult realistic fiction....more
One of the best nonfiction books I’ve read this year, an incisive and powerful book about the experience of diverse Latinx people within the United StOne of the best nonfiction books I’ve read this year, an incisive and powerful book about the experience of diverse Latinx people within the United States. Héctor Tobar writes about so many nuances of Latinx identity and experience, ranging from the border crisis/border trauma, colorism, colonialism, racist depictions in media, immigration, and more. I like how he integrated his own life story, perspectives from students he’s taught, diverse forms of art, and more. I feel that it can be difficult to write a nonfiction book about topics like these in a way that doesn’t become a pure rant (which is also fair given how heinous racism against Latinx people is), though Tobar is able to both write with compelling, controlled flourish and convey his points with conviction and poignancy. In a way, this reminded me of Cathy Park Hong’s Minor Feelings, which felt similarly striking at the time of its publication.
While the ending was a bit abstract, I appreciated Tobar’s note of hope and his call to activism. Well-written and educational without sacrificing style or depth, I’d recommend this book....more
I really liked this novel about three Asian American teenagers navigating relationships, career aspirations, and life in general. E.L. Shen includes aI really liked this novel about three Asian American teenagers navigating relationships, career aspirations, and life in general. E.L. Shen includes a nice diversity of plot lines: Jia Lee, who feels pressured to stay at home and support her family’s business, Ariel Kim, an academic superstar grieving the death of her sister, and Everett Hoang, an aspiring actress who faces racist challenges that make her question herself. I appreciated that Shen didn’t stereotype or lazily characterize these characters or their parents/families – each of the main characters and the main side characters felt multidimensional. I also enjoyed that while the book did address anti-Asian racism, it didn’t center whiteness or make any of the characters aspire to be white or be in relationships with white people. Finally, Shen did a great job of emphasizing the characters’ friendship with one another and how they supported one another through positive and negative experiences.
I give this book four stars instead of five because I felt like it was missing that little extra emotional punch to make me feel super invested. Still, I’d consider recommending it to fans of young-adult realistic fiction....more
I liked this novel about a forbidden love between two boys in war-torn Syria and how their tragic fallout reverberates into their adult lives. In one I liked this novel about a forbidden love between two boys in war-torn Syria and how their tragic fallout reverberates into their adult lives. In one perspective we follow Hussam, an openly gay man in Canada coping with his trauma through sex, drugs, and alcohol. In the other perspective we witness Wassim living on the streets of Damascus, having left behind a wife and child and a false narrative he could no longer keep up. We watch as both men contend with heartache, painful memories, and present relationships as they try to grow from their tumultuous pasts.
I found this novel moving and a genuine portrayal of trauma and recovery. Danny Ramadan does a nice job highlighting the intersectionality of homophobia as well as racism within different contexts for queer men of color. I was definitely emo about Hussam’s connection with Dawood, we love this representation of queer men and nonbinary folks of color who are messy yet doing their best to grow!
I did find the writing a little lopsided in parts. I skimmed some reviews and it looks like other folks on here may have resonated more with Wassim’s narrative than Hussam’s, whereas I felt more invested in Hussam’s narrative than Wassim’s. I thought the writing in Wassim’s perspective was less grounded and more abstract. Despite this quibble I’d still recommend the novel to those interested in its synopsis. And for more queer men of color rep I’d still say check out Tell Me How to Be by Neel Patel!...more
I liked this memoir more than I thought I would based on some of the negative reviews I read! In particular, I enjoyed reading Elliot Page’s raw refleI liked this memoir more than I thought I would based on some of the negative reviews I read! In particular, I enjoyed reading Elliot Page’s raw reflections about his life, both related to his trans identity and his family dynamics. Though he uses a nonlinear frame in Pageboy, I still felt invested in the memoir because he writes each scene with enough specific detail that I could visualize his experiences and get a strong sense of his emotions. I found the nonlinear approach effective in this memoir because Page has a *lot* of trauma and life stuff broadly to share about, including parental stuff, coming out as a lesbian initially, then coming out as trans, sexual trauma, messy relationships, connecting with nature, and more. Getting snippets from each component of his life as opposed to a linear timeline of everything probably saved this memoir from being 600 pages long.
I hovered around a 3.5 for a lot of this book so I’ll share what tipped me over to a four. First, I did get a sense of Page’s genuine healing and self-growth in this book, such as when he reflected about how he’s working on his attachment issues, setting better boundaries, and going to therapy. He also acknowledges his privilege, especially in regard to his wealth, which is something I appreciate in art. He doesn’t do it in an in-your-face “I have X privilege and Y privilege which means I was able to do A thing and B thing,” rather, he slips it in in ways that felt both subtle and important (though perhaps he could’ve named the problems with the cult of celebrity that contributed to people being obsessed with him in the first place, but anyway.) I liked too that he was real about his family estrangement and his separation from his father and his father’s current wife. Bio family members can be toxic, unwilling to change, and totally oppressive, and in my opinion it’s great for more people to be honest about that (my favorite read of the year so far, the novel Post-Traumatic by Chantal Johnson, addresses family estrangement from the perspective of Black Latinx woman. Would highly recommend this novel.)
I don’t think this was a perfect memoir and I agree with other reviewers that Page could have tightened up some of the different narrative threads or provided a little more direct reflection on his emotional growth and healing journey. Still, with the rampant, horrible, just heinous transphobia in the United States right now, I do believe it’s courageous for him to share this account, even with his white privilege, wealth privilege, immense social capital, etc. Curious what others think of this one!...more
Enjoyed a lot of the themes in this novel: difficult mother/daughter dynamics, the struggle to recognize and satisfy our desires (e.g., for food, for Enjoyed a lot of the themes in this novel: difficult mother/daughter dynamics, the struggle to recognize and satisfy our desires (e.g., for food, for connection), the invisibility and repression of queerness. Melissa Broder’s prose was as per usual sharp and engaging. The main character struggles with disordered eating and is obsessed with monitoring her food intake. At the same time, I liked reading about her hard-won path toward growth, through setting boundaries, working through her mother-based transference, and doing things that feed her spirit even when they feel hard. One scene in particular that pushed me toward a four-star rating over a three-star one is when Rachel speaks up about (view spoiler)[Zionism at the dinner table with Miriam’s family, fighting against anti-Palestine ideology (hide spoiler)], a gusty move and a topic I don’t see featured in fiction too much. I would also highly recommend Post-Traumatic by Chantal Johnson to those who resonate with Milk Fed!...more
Oh I loved this book about a messy Indian American family. Lata and Suresh Raman divorce after 36 years of marriage, with both wanting new starts in lOh I loved this book about a messy Indian American family. Lata and Suresh Raman divorce after 36 years of marriage, with both wanting new starts in life. Suresh tries his hand at internet dating while Lata enjoys her new independence until she’s caught off guard by a professor in his early sixties who expresses an interest in her. Meanwhile, Lata and Suresh’s daughter Priya finds her father’s internet trysts distasteful even when she herself is embroiled in a clandestine affair with a married man. Finally, Lata and Suresh’s son Nikesh, their more affable child, struggles to adjust to life with a newborn child and a “marriage” with a woman that may not live up to Lata and Suresh’s expectations. The novel follows each of these four as they try to find happiness both in their own lives and with one another.
I think Late Bloomers did such an excellent job of conveying the theme of new beginnings and how we can form and repair relationships at any stage of life. Deepa Varadarajan shows this theme through her masterful writing. Her prose felt so effortless and smooth; the novel’s tone is relaxed and casual, though I found myself immersed in each of the four character’s unique perspectives and flipping the pages to see what would happen next. Varadarjan really shows instead of tells with her writing and each scene entertained me while giving me more insight into each of the character’s fears and hopes. I appreciated that this novel centered fully-developed Indian American characters and that the plot didn’t focus on racism, whiteness, or anything too out of the ordinary – it was about four family members navigating their own lives with a lot of heart and humanity.
I liked that Varadarajan made each of her four characters’ so well-developed. It can be difficult to juggle even two points of view in a novel, though she somehow created four narrators who each felt distinct. By the end of the novel, I could clearly see how each of them had grown. Late Bloomers ends on a realistically hopeful note, not with all the conflicts perfectly resolved though with enough movement that I felt satisfied with the plot’s progression. I was feeling a strong 4.5 for this book until some of the passages at the end brought tears to my eyes. And, by the last 75 pages, I was already processing my sadness about the novel ending. I wanted to keep learning about these characters and seeing how their lives played out, which always indicates a high quality read.
I hope Varadarajan writes more books because I already know I’m definitely reading what she puts out next! I’m thankful to give this book five stars after several months without a five-star read....more
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