Lily is the child of two ethnic Chinese who immigrated to Canada from Brunei. Her father, who was stateless (without citizenship) in Brunei, wholeheartedly embraces his Canadian citizenship and identity; in contrast, her mother cannot (or will not) adapt to the colder, drier climate and longs to return. This conflict culminates in the mother’s abrupt departure, which haunts Lily until she becomes a mother herself. Seeking closure, she sets out to find out what happened to her mother. The writing style is simple and sometimes a bit awkward, but the novel is touching, with themes of culture clash, mental illness, citizenship, belonging, and how family ties can support and stifle in equal measure.
Author: librarykat
Allow Me to Retort: A Black Guy’s Guide to the Constitution, by Elie Mystal
Mystal’s take on the Constitution of the United States is essentially this: it was written by white male supremacists interested in codifying white male supremacy, and then interpreted and enforced by further white male supremacists interested in retaining said supremacy; this has continued right up through to the current day, with only occasional hard-fought moments of relief. He backs this up with quotations, facts from the historical record, and examples from current events. Mystal does not spare liberals either, excoriating them for working within a system designed to promote inequality, instead of fixing the racist foundations. His tone is educated, snarky, occasionally profane, and incredibly readable; the only reason I couldn’t devour this in one go is because there is only so much rage I can handle (and corroborating examples from the news) before I need to give my brain a break.
The Old Woman With the Knife, by Gu Byeong-mo, trans. Chi-Young Kim
One would think that a book whose main character is a contract assassin would be fast-moving and violent, but instead this book takes its time. Hornclaw, an unassuming woman in her sixties, uses her age as a visual shield: no one suspects the grandma. Yet her shield of uncaring and unattachment, built over decades, begins to crack just as a very personal threat looms. I thought the pacing of the plot was a little uneven – seemed like over half the book was taken up in a detailed portrait of Hornclaw’s circumstances before all the plot points started to rain hurriedly in – but I liked the flow of the prose and the social commentary on the role of the elderly.
Null Set, by S.L. Huang
Sequel to Zero Sum Game, which saw mathematical (anti) heroine Cas Russell claim victory, but possibly at the cost of her own sanity. She spends most of this book dealing with the fallout from that and (over)reacting in ways that make both friends and enemies nervous. Her motives are pure but her tactics are extremely questionable, and she gradually works herself into a corner from which not even she can plot a possible escape vector. Loved how the title was used in the plot; definitely wondering what will come next.
A Hero Born, by Jin Yong, trans. Anna Holmwood
No one watches a wuxia movie for the clever plot and detailed characterization; similarly, no one should read A Hero Born (Legend of the Condor Heroes, #1) expecting anything approaching a coherent storyline. It’s all about the action. The bones of a story are there: two fathers die, two baby sons live to carry on their legacies, they are separated but fated to meet… but it all gets drowned beneath the crazy martial arts nonsense, and boy do they get into depth with that. It’s kind of like watching an entire season of Dragon Ball Z – not deep, nor exactly logical, but undeniably entertaining.
The Nameless City trilogy, by Faith Erin Hicks
The Nameless City trilogy consists of three books: The Nameless City, The Stone Heart, and The Divided Earth. The city in question has been conquered so many times that its name has been lost; its inhabitants merely put their heads down and just try to get by. Kaidu, an extremely unwarlike scion of the current occupiers, slowly gains the trust of a native girl who calls herself Rat, and soon the two find themselves at the center of a conflict that could destroy the city. The main characters were adorable and even the villains were deftly handled; the art style was simple and clean with great details, especially when it comes to illustrating the city itself. It’s theoretically for kids, but the complex character motivations and the themes of identity and belonging make it good reading material for adults as well.
Book collage, July 2022
It’s been a busy month; only nine books to talk about, and one was a novella and one a short story. I also hit “deliver later” on a bunch of library books that came off the hold list; hopefully I’ll have time to get to them next month (there are quite an intimidating number of them!).
In the meantime, very much enjoying visiting with family and friends. Really can’t complain.
The Thief, by Megan Whalen Turner
How the Word Is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America, by Clint Smith
The Serpent Sea, by Martha Wells
The Queen of Attolia, by Megan Whalen Turner
Home: Habitat, Range, Niche, Territory, by Martha Wells
Point of Knives, by Melissa Scott
The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet, by Becky Chambers
Scorpica, by G.R. Macallister
In a Sunburned Country, by Bill Bryson
In a Sunburned Country, by Bill Bryson
Conveniently available on my gracious hosts’ bookshelf, this is Bryson’s travelogue through Australia and a constant delight to read. Bryson mixes keen observation of Australia’s unique biology, geology, and cultures with fascinating snippets of history and science, leaving the reader fascinated and enthralled. There were so many bits of this book that I loved and had to share immediately with whoever was around me. Great book, great insights.
Scorpica, by G.R. Macallister
Thoroughly awesome book set in a matriarchal society, in which five queendoms exist in an uneasy balance of power. Scorpica is the martial queendom, where girls are trained to battle and boys are given over to other queendoms to raise. I absolutely loved the various queendoms and their clashing cultures, illustrations of the various ways that matriarchies would rule. Great pacing, building towards a climactic ending; the worst thing about this book was finding out that it was actually only published earlier this year, and that I would have to wait for further sequels to arrive.
The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet, by Becky Chambers
A book of found family, in which the family is a hardworking multispecies crew of a starship. The sheer inventiveness of the alien characteristics and biology was amazing; however, Chambers I think falls into the trap of loving her characters too much to let anything bad happen to them, which blunts the edge of some of the more exciting bits. Still, great characters and universe and I would love to follow the series further.