September Wrap-Up

Happy September 🍂

School starts up this month, so I did not have a very prolific reading month :") I can feel myself falling back into that reading slump, probably because I've been spending more time thinking about which books to bring to my school apartment and which books to keep at home. I'm bringing the absolute bare minimum (books I haven't read that I plan on reading, books I know I'll be lending) but it really does pain me to leave books behind, especially the books I have on display on my shelf. 

Books Mentioned

• On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong
• Jujutsu Kaisen Vol. 8 - 16 by Akutami Gege
• She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan

⸺ ⁕⁕⁕⁕⁕ ⸺

Genre: Literary Fiction

Trigger/Content Warnings: war, sexual assault, racism, homophobia, death, addiction, abuse, bullying, 

On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong

Summary

On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous is a letter from a son to a mother who cannot read. Written when the speaker, Little Dog, is in his late twenties, the letter unearths a family's history that began before he was born — a history whose epicenter is rooted in Vietnam — and serves as a doorway into parts of his life his mother has never known, all of it leading to an unforgettable revelation. At once a witness to the fraught yet undeniable love between a single mother and her son, it is also a brutally honest exploration of race, class, and masculinity. 

Rating: ★★★★+(0.5) (4.5/5)

I don't think anything I can say will do this book justice.

Ocean Vuong's debut novel explores race, sexuality, as well as the effects of war that resonate generation to generation. He also explores the ups and downs of relationships, namely the relationship between mother and child, through this letter that Little Dog writes for his illiterate mother. I loved the way Vuong wrote Little Dog's relationship with his mother; it was a very vulnerable and also refreshingly relatable view of unconditional love between mother and child. 

I like how Vuong wrote about several generations of this family through what Little Dog was told about his family history, and how they connect to historical events. 

Vuong definitely has a way with words, and his prose was absolutely lovely to read. I thought this would be quite a short read, given the length of the book, but this actually took me a while since every single word and every single phrase was so deliberately written and so many lines were thought-provoking in the best of ways. It's the kind of book that makes you want to read slowly, because every word feels like it is meant to be savored.

Overall, this novel is a lovely and haunting exploration of generational trauma as well as the unconditional love between family. I highly, highly recommend this book, it is such a beautifully written story.

Genre: Shonen

Trigger/Content Warnings: body horror, violence, death

Jujutsu Kaisen Vol. 8 - 16 by Akutami Gege

Summary

In a world where demons feed on unsuspecting humans, fragments of the legendary and feared demon Ryoma Sukuna were lost and scattered about. Should any demon consume Sukuna’s body parts, the power they gain could destroy the world as we know it. Fortunately, there exists a mysterious school of Jujutsu Sorcerers who exist to protect the precarious existence of the living from the undead.

Yuji Itadori is high schooler who spends his days visiting his bedridden grandfather. Although he looks like your average teenager, his immense physical strength is something to behold! Every sports club wants him to join, but Itadori would rather hang out with the school outcasts in the Occult Club. One day, the club manages to get their hands on a sealed cursed object, but little do they know the terror they’ll unleash when they break the seal... 

Rating: ★★★+(0.5) (3.5/5)

I think as school gets closer the less I want to read a whole block of words, so I have read yet another manga.

Jujutsu Kaisen is a complicated one. I don't really know what to say or think, especially since it's ongoing and my opinion can definitely change for the better later. I also feel conflicted probably because it's so well-loved and I thought I would like it a lot more than I did.

I thought the pacing of the story was quite fast. But I also acknowledge that it would probably feel more dragged out if I was following it week by week with each new release, but I binged it, so that could be a factor that influenced my reading experience. I also found it a little difficult to get attached to the characters since we know so little about them. For now the characters I feel most attached to are the main trio, but I wish we knew a little more about other characters. 

Overall, it was an enjoyable read, I was just a bit underwhelmed. I will probably try to keep up with future releases though (keyword here is try) since I do hope to fall in love with more of the characters as everyone around me has.  

Genre: Historical Fantasy

Trigger/Content Warnings: violence, death, starvation, torture, amputation, ableism, homophobia, misgendering, sexual content, 

 

She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan

Summary

In 1345, China lies under harsh Mongol rule. For the starving peasants of the Central Plains, greatness is something found only in stories. When the Zhu family’s eighth-born son, Zhu Chongba, is given a fate of greatness, everyone is mystified as to how it will come to pass. The fate of nothingness received by the family’s clever and capable second daughter, on the other hand, is only as expected.

When a bandit attack orphans the two children, though, it is Zhu Chongba who succumbs to despair and dies. Desperate to escape her own fated death, the girl uses her brother's identity to enter a monastery as a young male novice. There, propelled by her burning desire to survive, Zhu learns she is capable of doing whatever it takes, no matter how callous, to stay hidden from her fate.

After her sanctuary is destroyed for supporting the rebellion against Mongol rule, Zhu takes the chance to claim another future altogether: her brother's abandoned greatness.

Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5)

I've recently been compiling a list of my favorite Asian-inspired fantasy books over the past couple of months since I love giving out book recommendations, and I am so happy to say that this book has definitely been added to this ever-growing list. 

She Who Became the Sun is a Historical Fantasy book that is set in 14th century China and follows Zhu Chongba, whose family passes due to famine when she is a child and she decides to assume her brother's name and fate in order to escape her own fate of nothingness. It is a reimagining of the rise of the Ming Dynasty and its founding emperor, Zhu Yuanzhang, who was born a peasant and eventually rose to be one of the most powerful figures in history. This story was originally pitched as "Mulan meets The Song of Achilles," but I agree with the reviewers who say that it would be more accurate to say it is "Mulan meets The Poppy War." 

I loved the exploration of power dynamics in relation to perception, and how gender roles and gender discrimination play a role in who is deemed worthy of holding power. I think some of the greatest examples of this is, of course, our protagonist Zhu Chongba and her belief that she can only be deemed worthy of greatness if she continues to assume her brother's identity, both in looks and in behavior/mentality. 

I also really enjoyed the role that fate played in this story. I have read a number of Chinese stories from both Chinese diaspora and native Chinese authors that both use fate as a driving force in their stories. One of my favorite lines that very accurately encapsulates the tug-of-war between human will and the hand of fate is "我命由我不由天" which roughly translates to "my fate by me, not by heaven," from MXTX's novel Heaven Official's Blessing. Both Zhu and Ouyang's relationship with Heaven's Will and the dichotomy between their simultaneous struggle and compliance to it were very interesting to read. 

Parker-Chan also proves to be amazing at writing character relationships. I really felt the comradery between Xu Da and Zhu Chongba, and I felt the depth of their care for each other throughout their time in the monastery and beyond. I also really loved the relationship that developed between Zhu Chongba and Ma Xiuying; I thought their relationship developed very naturally and the chemistry between them was very well-written. They're probably my favorite relationship of the entire book. I also really loved complexity of the relationships within the Henan family. Wang Baoxiang is probably one of my favorite characters of the entire book since I very much sympathized with his position in his household and the way he was looked down on by everyone around him because he did not take up the role he was expected to live up to. 

Overall, She Who Became the Sun was a riveting and emotionally powerful reimagining of Chinese history that also explores gender and sexuality and the role they play in a historical setting. I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys reading about political intrigue, tragic romances that are full of yearning, and powerful female leads. This has been one of my favorite reads of the year, and I hope everyone will give it a try and hopefully love it as much as I did.

⸺ ⁕⁕⁕⁕⁕ ⸺

October TBR

I've been watching Demon Slayer with my friends, and so hopefully I'll finally get to reading the manga sometime in this next month! The good thing about Demon Slayer is that the manga is complete, so I won't be an emotional wreck with every weekly chapter release like I currently am with Tokyo Revengers. 

Dark Rise by C.S. Pacat is one of my most anticipated reads of the year! I thought the last 2 books of The Captive Prince Trilogy were very well-plotted and I enjoyed the political intrigue of the series and so I am very excited to read what Pacat has in store for us in this new YA Fantasy trilogy. 

⸺ ⁕⁕⁕⁕⁕ ⸺

I admittedly finished She Who Became the Sun so quickly because I grew bored in class and have learned how to do split screens with my iPad so that I can read while also having my notetaking app at ready at the same time :") This is probably why I haven't touched Jade War even though I know Jade Legacy comes out soon. One day...

I hope everyone is staying healthy & safe, and I hope you all had a great September!

—璇