megansoetaert's reviews
475 reviews

the structure of the book & the way it was written fit perfectly with the main character’s selfhood and how she seems to stumble through life. it gets clearer as the book goes on, but her life is told in stories, not chronologically, which seems to be how she feels, too. you see so closely into her mind- even if it’s confusing- and being Black in germany pre and post unification.

While I feel like the pacing of this book was a little off (I would've taken another 100 pages to have the final battle + conclusion drawn out more), I still loved it. I like how each character received a sort of ending- good or not- and we see where the world may be headed. There were some things I didn't love re: pacing and character during the first half of the book, but each served its purpose. So sad to see this series end :(( i do maintain that the second book is the best!!

Caitlin Doughty is so cool. I appreciated how much care she gave to the funerary & death rituals of other countries. Like her other books, this made me think more deeply about and become more comfortable with death! 

Ganeshananthan is a master storyteller. She weaves years, horrors, families, characters, and truths together in an incredible way that leaves you hurting. Thank you for helping to tell these stories. 

i say this every time i read a short story collection.. i’m just not a short story girl. i got more into some stories than others.

A very reflective story following three generations of a Rwandan family- Immaculeta, Blanche, and Stokely. The book weaves their lives together in a poetic and emotional way, following threads rather than timelines. I enjoyed listening to the audiobook but may have been able to follow more easily if I was reading a physical copy!

An excellent investigation into postcolonial Indonesia, U.S. involvement in the country & elsewhere in the name of “anti-communism”, and the multitude of forces that shape current realities in countries around the world. I love how much space was given to Indonesian people from various walks of life.

Note: the audiobook narrator couldn’t pronounce certain words to save his life! Learn how to pronounce “Allende” before you say his name a hundred times! 

i love emily henry. you know how to make me (a lesbian) like a man. 

I have lots of feelings about this trilogy ending & the way this final book played out. I wish this plot- if this is what Adeyemi wanted- had been introduced/developed earlier on. There was a completely new world/enemy/etc in the final book that took away from the impact of the series and the characters at its core. Especially as the characters had no space to grow & develop in this short, action-driven book. Also, an editor should’ve nixed about 30 uses of the word “russet”. Regardless- I liked the idea of New Gaīa and wish we’d had more time to learn about that society/history.

i cried so much listening to this book!! (and i was driving from NOLA to austin so it was rough)