A Day in Bookland

Here are all the books I read in May. The majority of my reads were written by Asian authors due to the Asian readathon. I have post mini-reviews here for some of them and also on my instagram if you fancy having a look. Some of the books I read were ebooks and since my e-reader died on me and I'm too lazy to charge it, they are not pictured. The Complete Chi's Sweet Home, Part 1 by Konami Kanata (8/10). All Among the Barley by Melissa Harrison (8/10). The Beast Player by Nahoko Uehashi (6.5/10) The Map of Salt and Stars by Zeyn Joukhadar (DNF). The Magical Language of Others by E.J. Koh (8.5/10). Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer (7/10). Emma by Jane Austen (a reread - 8/10). Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning by Cathy Park Hong (9/10). On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong (5.5/10). A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry (9.5/10). How Much of These Hills Is Gold by C.Pam Zhang (7/10). Of the ebooks I have purchased a physical copy ...

The Magical Language of Others by E.J. Koh . Koh's parents left for South Korea to work when she was 15. She and her brother stayed in the United States. Using her mother's letters as an unifying thread, Koh explores how abandoned she felt and the difficulties she faced all alone and the consequences the move had on her and her family. Dealing with mental health issues, racism and identity, The Magical Language of Others is written in a beautiful, lyrical manner. I highly recommend it. Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning by Cathy Park Hong . An essay collection blending many genres all at once. Every single essay was brutal and I love how they felt like a memoir since she links the issues she explores (mental health issues, racism, East-West history, colonialism and art/literature among others) to her own experiences. On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong . Unfortunately I have mixed feelings about this one. The writing I found beautiful alt...

The Beast Player by Nahoko Uehashi . My feelings towards this book are mixed. Whereas I thought it was worth my time, and I enjoyed it as a whole and will probably read the sequel containing the last two books, I also had some issues. First of all, this is translated from the Japanese and I have to say it's a good one; it never felt out of place and the language was fluid and felt natural to me. In terms of the story, I enjoyed the first half way more than the second half - where I found the main character became very passive towards what was happening around her and consequently, behaved in circles. And for a character that appeared to be very smart, her lack of action got to my nerves. Most of the time she remained silent when it was necessary for her to speak up and she endangered herself when it wasn't necessary. The highlight of the story for me was how much she cared for animals and how well she treated them. It's a great message the author conveyed.  The Co...

I have decided to take part in the asian readathon. I am aware there are some prompts to follow but I pretty much believe the books in my list fill them perfectly. The only prompt I will not be doing is reading Little Fires Everywhere mainly because I have already read it and it's not a book I'm interested in rereading. Here is the physical list: A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry The Beast Player by Nahoko Uehashi The God of Small Things  by Arundhati Roy On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Voung The Map of Salt and Stars by Zeyn Joukhadar The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan However, there are some other titles I own as ebooks that will work as back up in case I finish my physical TBR: The Sleepwalker's Guide to Dancing by Mira Jacob Anna K by Jenny Lee Territory of Light by Yuko Tsushima Your House Will Pay by Steph Cha The Immortals of Tehran by Ali Araghi The Mountains Sing by Nguyen Phan Que Mai The Beauty of Your Face by Saha...