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emmaraeempowered's reviews
411 reviews
Death of the Author by Nnedi Okorafor
4.75
Here I am again, in love with Nnedi Okorafor's writing!!!
I really enjoyed the experience of reading Death of the Author. I thought Zelu was such a complex character, she was so human. I felt like she was so real. Almost similar to the author...which is a wild statement to make seeing how I have never met Nnedi Okorafor and only know things about her that she has shared with her audience. This thought made me chuckle when reading the Author's Note she thanked her daughter and said something to the effect of "telling me its okay if people think Zelu is me". I was indeed one of those people.
I really felt for Zelu in this, I felt for her when she lost her job, I felt for her when her family tried being controlling or keeping her down in what they deemed comfortable. I felt for her as she navigated relationships (romantic, friendship, and family). I felt for her as she processed grief. I wanted to shout at her at times for seemingly being selfish....yet in that same token I understood where she was coming from and would have probably made the same decisions.
I think it was cool to see a relationship like Zelu's and Msizi's. It wasn't this above and beyond gushy romance, it was very direct and simply was what it was. Very analytical. I appreciated that.
I love how this book explores disability, love and loss, family that is so close it's too close, speaking up for yourself, adventure, the world of the internet now days, having fans, loosing fans, feeling like your world is crumbling, feeling like there's hope and joy. GAH feeling so many emotions I don't even think this review makes sense. But's it's in my mind so it will have to do.
I really enjoyed the experience of reading Death of the Author. I thought Zelu was such a complex character, she was so human. I felt like she was so real. Almost similar to the author...which is a wild statement to make seeing how I have never met Nnedi Okorafor and only know things about her that she has shared with her audience. This thought made me chuckle when reading the Author's Note she thanked her daughter and said something to the effect of "telling me its okay if people think Zelu is me". I was indeed one of those people.
I really felt for Zelu in this, I felt for her when she lost her job, I felt for her when her family tried being controlling or keeping her down in what they deemed comfortable. I felt for her as she navigated relationships (romantic, friendship, and family). I felt for her as she processed grief. I wanted to shout at her at times for seemingly being selfish....yet in that same token I understood where she was coming from and would have probably made the same decisions.
I think it was cool to see a relationship like Zelu's and Msizi's. It wasn't this above and beyond gushy romance, it was very direct and simply was what it was. Very analytical. I appreciated that.
I love how this book explores disability, love and loss, family that is so close it's too close, speaking up for yourself, adventure, the world of the internet now days, having fans, loosing fans, feeling like your world is crumbling, feeling like there's hope and joy. GAH feeling so many emotions I don't even think this review makes sense. But's it's in my mind so it will have to do.
Those Who Run in the Sky by Aviaq Johnston
4.5
Those Who Run in the Sky was a fantastic book! This follows Petu, a young Inuk boy who is a shaman in training...however at the beginning of this story he is unaware of that.
I loved how this book showed the reader Inuit culture. The author did so in such a balanced and beautiful way. For instance, when using Inuktitut language throughout the book sometimes she would use some words and immediately explain what that word meant other times it was up to the reader to look at the glossary for what it means. I bring this up because this is a middle grade/YA book and I think this was done in a great way for younger readers to follow and stay engaged in the story.
I loved learning more about Inuit spirituality and culture. There was so much I had never known before, and so much I had learned from Inuit creators on Instagram and Tiktok.
One part that made me smile real big is when the girl Petu is so clearly in love with gets facial tattoos and he is absolutely beaming because she is SO beautiful and he loves how her tattoos enhance her beauty. It was just so sweet and heartwarming to read that part. I loved their story so much.
Once Petu gets into the spiritual world things start to take a darker turn, he learns things about another character that changes the way he views this character. We also take a journey with other myths that Petu realizes are actually real and not just a story. From giants to spirits of ancestors.
And the artwork!!! The artwork is amazing throughout this book! I will definitely be picking up book two!
I loved how this book showed the reader Inuit culture. The author did so in such a balanced and beautiful way. For instance, when using Inuktitut language throughout the book sometimes she would use some words and immediately explain what that word meant other times it was up to the reader to look at the glossary for what it means. I bring this up because this is a middle grade/YA book and I think this was done in a great way for younger readers to follow and stay engaged in the story.
I loved learning more about Inuit spirituality and culture. There was so much I had never known before, and so much I had learned from Inuit creators on Instagram and Tiktok.
One part that made me smile real big is when the girl Petu is so clearly in love with gets facial tattoos and he is absolutely beaming because she is SO beautiful and he loves how her tattoos enhance her beauty. It was just so sweet and heartwarming to read that part. I loved their story so much.
Once Petu gets into the spiritual world things start to take a darker turn, he learns things about another character that changes the way he views this character. We also take a journey with other myths that Petu realizes are actually real and not just a story. From giants to spirits of ancestors.
And the artwork!!! The artwork is amazing throughout this book! I will definitely be picking up book two!
Among Us: A Traitor in Space by Théo Berthet, Laura Rivière
fast-paced
3.0
This was a silly fun read haha. If you like Among Us the game you'll love this.
The Changeling by Victor LaValle
5.0
YO! The Changeling?! Did what it needed to do! WOW!
This had been on my tbr for a while, then I remember when the trailer for the tv show came out and I thought oh I totally gotta read that before it comes out. I knew it vaguely had to do with magic and a young family. But I never read any reviews or really paid attention to the tv show trailer.
So when I did finally read this I was shook.
Beginning with the love story of Apollo Kagwa's parents. I remember thinking "hmm interesting to go all the way back but okay..." Until one day Apollo's father just disappears, no trace just boom gone. And little Apollo begins having dreams of his dad coming to him surrounded by a deep fog saying "you're coming with me". The nightmare plagued him for a while, his mother eventually changes his last time officially so he has no trace to his father. Now fast forward a bit and he is a teenager, avid reader, and a mysterious box appears at he and his moms doorstep. It's filled with things from his dad including a children's book he remembers him reading. Fast forward again to adult Apollo he is happily married and his wife is pregnant, due any moment actually!
What follows is a striking portrayal of post partum depression. With a terrifying element of horror...something is following this young family too closely. Something very dangerous is lurking.
I loved this story! Like loved loved loved! I loved how his wife, Emma, was portrayed. Her post partum depression felt like it was a true account. I have never been pregnant so I haven't felt these emotions or level of ppd, but from what I have heard from women in my community and women on the internet this depiction really felt real. It just showed how much care and research LaValle clearly put in. There is also a mystery around Emma, I won't mention here but with every passing chapter I just kept thinking "what is it???"
The ending took such a wild turn of events I was not expecting that at all! I really loved how like...New York it felt. I'm not sure how to put words to this but - New York always feels like the true 'melting pot'. So many cultures and thus so many fairytales, myths, beliefs, lores, etc. and I felt like the turn this story took really reflected that.
This was a fantastic book, another in the long list of "Why didn't i read this earlier???"
I hope you pick this up. But also please check content warnings. This post partum exploration gets very dark very fast. I've included content warnings with this review.
This had been on my tbr for a while, then I remember when the trailer for the tv show came out and I thought oh I totally gotta read that before it comes out. I knew it vaguely had to do with magic and a young family. But I never read any reviews or really paid attention to the tv show trailer.
So when I did finally read this I was shook.
Beginning with the love story of Apollo Kagwa's parents. I remember thinking "hmm interesting to go all the way back but okay..." Until one day Apollo's father just disappears, no trace just boom gone. And little Apollo begins having dreams of his dad coming to him surrounded by a deep fog saying "you're coming with me". The nightmare plagued him for a while, his mother eventually changes his last time officially so he has no trace to his father. Now fast forward a bit and he is a teenager, avid reader, and a mysterious box appears at he and his moms doorstep. It's filled with things from his dad including a children's book he remembers him reading. Fast forward again to adult Apollo he is happily married and his wife is pregnant, due any moment actually!
What follows is a striking portrayal of post partum depression. With a terrifying element of horror...something is following this young family too closely. Something very dangerous is lurking.
I loved this story! Like loved loved loved! I loved how his wife, Emma, was portrayed. Her post partum depression felt like it was a true account. I have never been pregnant so I haven't felt these emotions or level of ppd, but from what I have heard from women in my community and women on the internet this depiction really felt real. It just showed how much care and research LaValle clearly put in. There is also a mystery around Emma, I won't mention here but with every passing chapter I just kept thinking "what is it???"
The ending took such a wild turn of events I was not expecting that at all! I really loved how like...New York it felt. I'm not sure how to put words to this but - New York always feels like the true 'melting pot'. So many cultures and thus so many fairytales, myths, beliefs, lores, etc. and I felt like the turn this story took really reflected that.
This was a fantastic book, another in the long list of "Why didn't i read this earlier???"
I hope you pick this up. But also please check content warnings. This post partum exploration gets very dark very fast. I've included content warnings with this review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Mental illness, Violence, Kidnapping, Stalking, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury