As someone who is also planning a wedding and feeling a little out of sorts about it, I found this book to be exactly what I needed.
In this graphic meAs someone who is also planning a wedding and feeling a little out of sorts about it, I found this book to be exactly what I needed.
In this graphic memoir, Lucy recounts her experience meeting and dating her husband, planning her wedding, and the big day. Along the way, she provides retrospective commentary with the wisdom of hindsight. Through her narration, she relays little lessons and overall sheds perspective on things that may have seemed like such a big deal in the moment (such as arguments with her mother or fixating on the smallest details). Although she recognizes that some of her reactions or obsessions may have been a bit over-exaggerated in the moment, with the passage of time she makes peace with the fumbles throughout the process.
I love Lucy's voice, her illustrations, and her perspective. One of the topics she touches on is how she never really imagined herself as a bride, and now had to contend with millenniums' worth of marital traditions often rooted in archaic patriarchal origins. I feel the same way myself. Like Lucy, I'm stoked to be getting married, but I don't want to participate in some of these normative and weird activities that ultimately signal that as a woman I'm property and which generally just don't feel like "me." I appreciated the way Lucy both acknowledged that a wedding can be whatever you want it to be, but that you're not a "bad" feminist for partaking in traditional wedding festivities. Coming away from this, I feel like I can give myself permission to indulge in the wedding-related things that bring me joy without feeling like I have to be "not like the other brides."
While I will certainly not be printing out personalized photos and assembling little sketchbooks for each wedding guest like Lucy did (not knocking it), I did overall find her perspective helpful. She also includes a little bit of advice--take it or leave it--but more than anything this is just a heartfelt record of her marriage. I'm very grateful she shared this, because I read this at just the right time....more
I have never read a Lisa See book before, and I was admittedly a little shocked how much I liked this. Upon reading the first chapter, I was sucked inI have never read a Lisa See book before, and I was admittedly a little shocked how much I liked this. Upon reading the first chapter, I was sucked in to Tan Yunxian's life.
The narrative was very compelling, carried by the strong prose. The characters were dynamic--some of whom I loved, others hated, then came to like. I was very invested in Yunxian's life story and felt many emotions during the reading experience, and I was happy to see that many threads that arose in the earlier sections were properly revisited near the end. A very thoroughly researched work of fiction based on a real historical figure, with many layers and heart, and a beautiful tale of friendship and its "deep-heart love."
Content warnings: (view spoiler)[ Tan Yunxian is a physician of women, and so there is much discussion of women's anatomy using euphemisms such as "childbirth gate," "bedchamber affairs," and "moon water" (menstruation), blood, placenta; what we would now consider pedophilia (over-18 men having concubines who are girls as young as 14 years old) but was commonplace; bodily functions and infections, bound feet, death of a loved one, miscarriage, a scene where Yunxian removes a tapeworm(?) from a woman, smallpox epidemic (hide spoiler)]...more
Patternmaster, on its own, is an interesting and compelling story. I believe it could be read as a standalone, but having read the prior three books iPatternmaster, on its own, is an interesting and compelling story. I believe it could be read as a standalone, but having read the prior three books in the series, it was much easier for me to read through this.
Subject-wise and plot-wise, it is very similar to Mind of my Mind, which is a good thing--Mind of my Mind being my favorite in this series--but if you've previously read it, Patternmaster may serve as a bit of an underwhelming conclusion to the series. It has the same general premise/structure. I also got to the end of this and felt a little bit, "So what?" This novel incorporates so many power dynamics, social and structural oppression, and other issues, that the way this ends doesn't really encourage me that anything in their society is really going to change--but that it won't change also doesn't feel like that's the point it's trying to make.
I also hate that even though this is set "hundreds of years" after the events of Clay's Ark (which took place in 2021), sexism is still alive and thriving in this novel. Doubtless a product of its time, yet still. A bit disheartening. Although, on the other hand, it was awesome that Amber is explicitly described to be bisexual. And there was far less incest in this one. Yay for small wins.
I did really like this novel, and it was almost five stars for me. I wish there were one more book following this, which did a bit more to conclude the Patternmaster saga. It's a really cool series....more
The House of Eve is a historical fiction novel about two young Black women in the late 1940's and early 1950's. Ruby is a high school student in PhilaThe House of Eve is a historical fiction novel about two young Black women in the late 1940's and early 1950's. Ruby is a high school student in Philadelphia and Eleanor is a Howard University student in Washington, D.C. Both girls are ambitious students from low-income situations, and both are pursued and wooed by charming young men. Consequently, Ruby and Eleanor both end up pregnant.
The writing is pretty strong and the characters are interesting and likeable. I am not often a historical fiction reader, but about a third of the way into this, I started to feel really invested and plowed through the second half. It was saddening to read about Ruby's time at the home for unwed mothers, and my heart is heavy for young women like her who, in real life, had to endure such unpleasant and traumatic living situations. Perhaps needless to say, the variety of topics that arise in this book would lend this read to a good book discussion.
Content warnings: (view spoiler)[miscarriage, stillbirth, attempted abortion, racism (including use of the n-word), colorism, sexism, discussion of sexual assault, forced relinquishing of newborn, forced labor, and religious shaming (hide spoiler)]...more
This third and final volume is a bit of a letdown after reading the first two. The artwork and story are fine, but for me it was the breakneck pacing This third and final volume is a bit of a letdown after reading the first two. The artwork and story are fine, but for me it was the breakneck pacing as the writer made a mad dash to wrap everything up, which led scenes to feeling kind of corny and rushed. Consequently, the characters and the reader had no time to breathe, and it was hard for me to feel anything for some of the long awaited character resolutions....more
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