INT. CHINATOWN
A review/reflection of how Shang-Chi, Interior Chinatown, and Houston Chinatown reflect the Asian-American identity - tied together with usual rambling Christina Ji flair
friday the 13th
musings on memory, emotion, and ambiguity - less a blog update, more a reflection on Omori and Almond. really nothing to do with Friday the 13th besides serendipitous posting date
Review of The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane by Lisa See
As someone who loves tea, narratives centered on the experiences of womxn, and learning more about Chinese culture, this book was a mix of elements that I knew I’d enjoy.
Review of The Secret Talker by Geling Yan
There's a sort of allure that comes from the unknown, from the dark, and Hongmei's struggle between complacency and a hunger for novelty taps into that seduction. However, as much as I loved the idea of this book, I was still felt feeling as though it was left largely unfinished, as though we were reading the outline or a draft.
Review of The Garden of Evening Mists by Tan Twan Eng
I have to preface this review by saying that The Garden of Evening Mists is by far one of the “slowest” books I’ve ever read. As many reviews have mentioned, Tan attempts to “capture stillness on paper” in the same manner as Aritomo, and I would honestly consider his endeavor a success. The novel is practically a carefully pruned garden itself, with lovely, meditative prose and poignant themes that meld into one another, almost an act of “borrowed scenery” amongst the end-of-empire narrative.
Review of If I Had Your Face by Frances Cha
I appreciated a lot of the themes that Cha brings up, and she peels back a layer when examining Korean culture, making what would otherwise appear “exotic” something familiar and accessible—a testament to the importance of reading books by Own Voices.
Review of “Before the Coffee Gets Cold” by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
Short and sweet story, so here’s a short and sweet review. Before the Coffee Gets Cold gave me the general feeling I wanted out of a book today—something heartfelt and warm