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Review: Born On A Tuesday
“Born on a Tuesday” is a razor-sharp novel about a young man’s journey to adulthood. Set in Northern Nigeria, few years after religious clashes led to instability, is our protagonist, Dantala whose name means ‘Born on a Tuesday’. We do not know how old he is, but we know “he’s fasted for Ramadan 10 times.”…
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Review: Lady Tan’s Circle of Women
“Whether animal or woman, we are a man’s possessions. We women exist to give him heirs and feed, clothe and amuse him. Never forget that,” Respectful Lady instructs our protagonist at the beginning of this novel. This scene, which takes place as mother and daughter endure the pains of foot binding, sets the tone for…
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Review: The Sun Sets in Singapore
Set in the lush and luxurious cityscape of Singapore, “The Sun Sets in Singapore” otherwise known as “In Such Tremendous Heat” to American readers is a riveting tale of three Nigerian women living in Singapore, whose lives are upturned by the arrival of Lani- a very attractive, Nigerian lawyer. The prose sucks us into the…
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Review: “Wandering Souls” on Vietnamese Refugee Experience
In Vietnamese culture, if someone is not properly honored with a burial, “their souls are cursed to wander the earth aimlessly, as ghosts.” This is a story of ghosts- those who died fleeing Vietnam following the war, but also the living whose souls were crushed by the aftermath. Written in succint, precise prose, “Wandering Souls”…
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Review: “Yellowface” on Cultural Appropriation and White Privilege
“Yellowface” is a satirical account of the ugliness in the publishing industry- it is funny, and deeply uncomfortable. “Yellowface” will be one of the iconic novels that define the literary climate of this era. It is highly incisive, critical, and punctured with dry humour that kept me in its grips till the end. The breadth…
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Review: The Scent of Burnt Flowers
“The Scent of Burnt Flowers” is a historical fiction by filmmaker, Blitz Bazawule, that chronicles how impulsive, and reckless decisions shape our lives. It begins in 1960s where a young couple, Melvin and Bernadette, are currently fleeing American police after an altercation turned deadly. With an ill-thought out plan, Melvin, together with Bernadette, decides to…
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Review: “Maame” by Jessica George
This stunning debut by Jessica George is set in London, where we meet Maddie, her chronically-ill father, her absent and domineering mother, and an unreliable brother. It’s a full cast of characters that sets the stage for our story. Maddie is a first-generation Londoner born to Ghanaian immigrant parents. In the opening pages of this…
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Review: How Not To Drown in A Glass of Water
“My name is Cara Romero, and I came to this country because my husband wanted to kill me.” Angie Cruz from ‘How Not To Drown in A Glass of Water’ A striking opening sentence to this engaging, under-200 page book. Our protagonist Cara Romero is a 56-year old Dominican immigrant living in New York, where…
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Review: Small Worlds by Caleb Azumah Nelson
There are books you read, simply to pass time and occupy your mind. Yet, there are others which creep into your life, and slowly but surely, change how you see life. They offer a different lens, open your heart to receive, and also to give. There are books you read over and over again; you…
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Review: As Long As The Lemon Trees Grow
“Every lemon will bring forth a child, and the lemons never die out.” Zoulfa Katouh from “As Long as The Lemon Trees Grow” This is single-handedly one of the finest books I have read in 2023. Our story begins in war-torn Syria; except it isn’t a war but a revolution, a protest against a tyrannical…
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Review: “The Queens of New York”
Set in Queens, New York, “The Queens of New York” is a skillful, heartwrought portrayal of friendship and growing up. This story centers around Jia Lee, Everett Hoang, and Ariel Kim- 3 Asia-American girls who live very different lives but have been best friends since they were seven. This novel is told from their alternating…
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Review: ‘Dust Child’ by Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai
Our story begins in 2016, 41 years after the end of the Vietnam war. We meet Phong, a black Amerasian, trying to obtain American visas for himself and his family under the Amerasian Homecoming Act. Phong was abandoned at an orphanage as a child, where he was cared for by a nun, until she died.…
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Take My Hand: A History of Lawful Abuse.
We follow our protagonist, Civil Townsend, a black nurse who works in a reproductive clinic funded by the US government in Alabama. She is fresh out of school, doe-eyed and ready to make a change in healthcare by providing contraception and family planning services to the very poor and mostly black women of Alabama. She is…
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Review: Rootless- A Marriage in Crisis
Rootless is a story of a Ghanaian-British couple, Efe and Sam, who fall in love as teenagers and quickly get married. Our story begins when Sam realizes Efe has withdrawn 1,300 pounds from their joint account and fled to Ghana, leaving their infant daughter and their marriage in her rearview. Sam is totally blindsided, and…
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Love and Saffron: A novel of friendship, food, and love.
“Love and Saffron” is a gentle story about friendship that can be savored in one sitting. It begins when 27- year old Joan Bergstrom sends a fan letter as well as a gift of saffron to 59 year-old Imogen Fortier. An unlikely friendship is formed and these women commune with eachother, exchanging letters, recipes, dreams…
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Exploring Grief And Lost Love in ‘Someday, Maybe’
Someday, Maybe is the story of Eve, a woman who just found out her husband unalived himself on New Year’s Eve. To be precise, she discovers his dead body and her life is forever altered. Eve plunges into a deep, dark depression, trying to navigate her grief and learning to live with her loss. Few…
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Review: You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty
Let’s talk about Feyi and this gorgeous, imperfect love story Akwaeke so graciously gave us.‘You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty’ follows the story of Feyi, a 29 year old widow, who is still mourning the loss of her husband. Her best friend, Joy, encourages her to open up to love again and…
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Review: Butter Honey Pig Bread
The best word I can use to describe this book is : texture. It just melts so well like a spoonful of honey. The prose is vivid! The descriptions are so rich, I could see them in the eye of my mind. What is this beauty that is Butter Honey Pig Bread? The writing is…