Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden

Rating: 4/5 stars
Genre: Historical fiction
Features: Japanese culture, romance
Quotes:

"Grief is a most peculiar thing; we're so helpless in the face of it. It's like a window that will simply open of its own accord. The room grows cold, and we can do nothing but shiver. But it opens a little less each time, and a little less; and one day we wonder what has become of it."

"Destiny isn't always like a party at the end of the evening. Sometimes it's nothing more than struggling through life from day to day."

"We don't become geisha so our lives will be satisfying. We become geisha because we have no other choice."

___________________________________________________________________

I have such a difficult time summing up a book as rich as this one. The characters were so dynamic and well-developed and the insight into geisha life and Japanese culture was utterly fascinating. The writing style, though a little dense to wade through at times, is full of lovely imagery and carefully-crafted word choice. And the book deals with such important themes, namely love, life, identity, true beauty, relationships, character, and destiny.

Here are a few examples of the excellent imagery the author used:

"I couldn't hear their voices any longer; for in my ears I heard a sound like a bird's wings flapping in panic."

"His face was very heavily creased, and into each crease he had tucked some worry or other, so that it wasn't really his own face any longer, but more like a tree that had nests of birds in all the branches."

There were a couple of times I was quite shocked while reading the book, and marveled that people could be as cruel as Arthur Golden depicted. I was amazed at what many of the geisha had to endure, and surprised at what was considered normal within that culture.

Other cultural things were really interesting to me, like how superstitious the geisha were and what was expected behavior between men and women during that time. I was astonished at how much work went into being a prominent geisha, from the makeup and hair to the dances they learned and instruments they played. I also loved reading about the traditions, like the tea ceremony.

Although interesting, the plot (especially the first third of the book or so) was somewhat slow. Overall, I really enjoyed the book and the characters, but couldn't give it a five-star rating because the book seemed to drag in some places with the depth of information the author was trying to convey. However, it's a book I've been meaning to read for some time, and I'm really glad I did.

Land of Hidden Fires by Kirk Kjeldsen

Rating: 3/5 stars
Genre: Historical fiction
Features: Strong female characters, father/daughter relationships
Quotes:

"He that lives on hope shall die fasting."

"People seemed to be full of hidden fires, invisible to one another and often even invisible to oneself."






*I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.*

Overall, I think this book was a good debut novel, but it had some rough patches. I'll start with what I liked about this book.

I liked the way Kjeldsen describes the landscape. Yes, it's cold and snowy the whole time you're tagging along with the characters, but the way he describes it, especially the sky, is quite picturesque. Here's some examples:

"Erling arrived . . . as the storm clouds began to gather, bunching like bed sheets after a long and sleepless night."

" . . . the full moon shone like a bowl of cream, luminous and pale."

"She kept going until the day turned to night, and the sky had become as purple-black as a bruise."

And even though it's nearly always snowing, the author describes the snow in different ways, such as stinging or falling down like flour from a sifter. It really helped me create a mental image of the scenes.

I also really liked that I could tell the author had done his research, and perhaps even had first-hand experience. (You can tell when someone writes about a place they've been, versus pouring over research and writing about it as if they know the area.) Some things I even looked up (like if the sun could be up til midnight in Norway and if some of the flora/fauna were native to the area), because I wanted to make sure it was true. I love when detailed facts are integrated into fiction, but only if they're accurate.

Similarly, I felt the author did his research historically, both through his own investigation and accounts of family members. I really enjoy a well-researched historical novel that gives new insights into a time or place that is fairly common, such as Europe in WWII. I can't say I've read a book about Norway during the second world war, so it was really refreshing. (Side note: I would have liked if the author had added an appendix explaining the German and Norwegian words he uses, such as the ranking of the German military.)

Okay, on to the things that did not work for me in this book:

1) The dialogue
2) The characters and character interactions

The prose in the novel seemed to flow well, but once it hit a scene with character dialogue, it felt shaky and disjointed. Here's an example:

"I'm Lance Mahurin, of the U.S. Army Air Corps—"
She interrupted him.
"I know," she said.
"How—?"
She interrupted him.
"I saw it on your plane," she said.
"Well now," he said grinning.
She turned away, trying not to blush.

It feels awkward, other that the fact that Kari just met an attractive American army man and can't figure out what to say. The whole time Kari is with Lance, their interactions feel stilted.

Kari, as a character, is a rather whiny teenager, and I couldn't figure out why she had such animosity towards her father. Lance is a very under-developed character. I wanted to know more of what he looked like, his personality, his mannerisms. I did, however, like Erling and Moltke's characters, so not all the characters were one dimensional.

In order to avoid spoilers, I will say that I didn't think Erling acted like a parent in a certain situation towards the end of the book. I thought of my own dad, and I couldn't imagine a father being okay with what he decides for Kari.

Although I was frustrated with Lance and Kari, I did like the ending. It reminded me of what Harper Lee said about her book To Kill a Mockingbird: "The novel is a love story pure and simple . . . a father's love for his children and the love they give in return."

And honestly, that's the best kind of love story.

Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur

Rating: 4/5 stars
Genre: Poetry

"who tricked you / into believing / another person / was meant to complete you / when the most they can do is complement"

"i want to be full on my own / i want to be so complete / i could light a whole city / and then / i want to have you / cause the two of us combined / would set it on fire"



This book felt like a poetic companion to Colleen Hoover's It Ends with Us. The first of the four sections, "the hurting," related mostly to abuse within the family, and that was tough to read. The following sections were "the loving," "the breaking," and "the healing." Each section focused on a different aspect of loving and living.

I enjoyed this book, but I will say it's not PG. The illustrations, though not terribly detailed, are sexual and some of the written content is sexual. (Just a disclaimer for younger readers who want to rush out and pick up this major poetic hit that's flying off the shelves.)

But this book isn't just about sex. It's about learning to love and accept yourself so that you can love and accept others. This can apply to anyone, but Kaur directs this message specifically to women. And I think it's an essential message to hear in today's culture when women are objectified and competing with one another to reach unobtainable standards.

I love how Kaur admonishes the reader to respect her body: "he placed his hands / on my mind / before reaching / for my waist." Amen, sister Rupi. Preach it. She encourages women to wait for the guy your mother said was worth it: "no / it won't / be love at / first sight when / we meet it'll be love / at first remembrance cause / i've seen you in my mother's eyes / when she tells me to marry the type / of man i'd want to raise my son to be like." That's wisdom right there.

She also speaks out about treating others right, even if they don't deserve it: "some people / are so bitter / to them / you must be kindest." And, "it takes grace / to remind kind / in cruel situations."

I also love how Kaur discusses pain and how hope can come from hurt: "stay strong through your pain / grow flowers from it," and "the world / gives you / so much pain / and here you are / making gold out of it / - there is nothing purer than that."

Quite a deep read, for a quick read. 

Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo

Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Genre: Fantasy/Young Adult


"I am not ruined. I am ruination."

"I will strip away all that you know, all that you love, until you have no shelter but me."

"'You might make me a better man.' 'And you might make me a monster.'"

"'Despise your heart' . . . 'What's the other part?' 'I have no heart.'"


I toyed back and forth with giving this one 4 stars, but although it was good, I didn't think it was 4-star quality. So I'll settle for 3.5.

As a series, the Grisha trilogy is a fun ride (even though I do not feel it's written as well as Six of Crows, but that's pardonable because Bardugo wrote this series first). Throughout the series, Alina has to grapple with who she is and constantly decide not to embrace the darkness. Even though this is fantasy, and most people don't wield sunlight, I do think that struggling against your nature and your desires is very relatable, and I liked that about Alina.

Also, the Darkling... Be still my heart. Once again, Leigh Bardugo is stellar at creating villains that you love to hate and hate to love. One minute, you're shipping Alina and the Darkling hard core and the chemistry is electric, the next minute you want someone to assassinate him ASAP. That's talent. The Darkling is well-developed, so that the more you get to know his back story, the more you ache for him and want him to find redemption.

But, love triangles! (Or more like a love square...is that what you call it when there's 3 guys going after 1 girl?) Gracious. How many eligible bachelors must we include in this story? I feel like that trope is overdone, and it makes me feel really bad for the male characters. They don't deserve the confusing emotions of the female main character. If there was ever a love triangle with 1 male and 2 females, we'd call the guy shallow and and a jerk if he flirted with both girls. It's really a double standard.

It's also annoying that Mal and Alina always seem to be fighting. Perhaps that's the norm for teenage relationships, but it's a nuisance.

I liked that the characters have to overcome their personal struggles and sufferings, even the ones that seemed perfect like Genya. I love what David tells her: "Beauty was your armor. Fragile stuff, all show. But what's inside? That's steel. It's brave and unbreakable. And it doesn't need fixing." True beauty and strength often comes through suffering, and that's a message I completely support.

And the ending! I don't want to give anything away, but I felt it was perfect and I had my doubts whether it would meet my expectations up to the last few chapters.

Despite the fact that some of the plot/characters were cliche, I think that overall, it was a worthwhile read.

Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo

Rating: 4/5 stars
Genre: Fantasy/Young Adult

"'My mother was an oyster . . . and I'm the pearl,' he said with a wink."

"I'm ambitious . . . but I hope I still know the difference between right and wrong."

"I've seen what you truly are . . . and I've never turned away. I never will. Can he say the same?"



I actually liked this book better than Shadow and Bone, which is impressive. Usually the first book in a series really captures my attention and draws me in, but I'm disappointed with the following books. Not this time, happily.

I really, really liked the characters and world building in this book. The plot and characters felt more fresh and original than the first book, and the dialogue flowed better in my opinion. The action was riveting, enough so, that I requested the third book from the library before I even finished it. I just have to know what happens!

I love Sturmhond. He's not perfect, but he's hilarious and so much fun to read about. And his lines are just great! (see the hilarious quote at the top about him being a pearl and his mother an oyster) And the Darkling . . . as much as he is a terrible, terrible person (okay, not a person really) there's still something about him that draws you in. I think it takes tremendous talent to write a character like that, and I applaud Leigh Bardugo for it. You want Alina to stay away from him, but you also want her to be with him at the same time. Thumbs up, Leigh.

I do still get serious Hunger Games vibes from Alina. Parts of the book read so much like Katniss in the Hunger Games: Alina's resistance to being a hero to the people, her assertion that she's "not a symbol," and her grooming into being a leader. Also, there's a love triangle, or maybe a love square. The plain Jane girl who the guys all want and is going to save the world trope gets a little bit tiring.

But still, it was a super fun ride and I'm thoroughly enjoying immersing myself in the Grisha-verse.

The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon

Rating: 4/5 stars
Genre: Contemporary/Romance/Young Adult

"Why settle? Why choose the practical thing, the mundane thing? We are born to dream and make the things we dream about."

"This is the life you're living. It's not temporary and it's not pretend and there's no do-over."

"...stars are more than just poetic. If you need to, you can navigate your way by them."



The basic plot of this book is not unique: guy and girl meet by coincidence (or fate) and fall in love and have this crazy connection after only a few hours. However, Nicola Yoon makes it unique by using diverse characters with diverse cultural backgrounds and by infusing the writing with her fun and humorous but serious style. (It was somewhat reminiscent of Eleanor & Park.) It was definitely a page turner!

One of the things I liked the most about this read was the diversity with the two main characters coming from Korean and Jamaican cultures. It was refreshing, too, to see the world through the eyes of Natasha and her family who are not what you typically imagine when you think of illegal immigrants. I love a book that yanks me out of my own life experiences and forces me to examine those of others. What is the American dream today? What's it like for immigrants trying to pursue that in our current culture? Natasha and Daniel's families provided insight into these questions.

I liked how the chapters rotated between Natasha and Daniel and other side characters (and sometimes they provided background on the history of a subject). I like seeing how the pieces fit together, how an action touches another person's life, and the difference you can make in someone's life even if you don't see it. The idea that we're connected in our humanity regardless of race or age or economic status, that we all speak the same language when it comes to our need for love and acceptance, that people often lash out because they cannot accept themselves, and that redemption is possible are just some of the concepts Yoon's book conveys.

I also loved the two main characters, Daniel and Natasha. Natasha reminded me so much of myself, and over and over again I said, "Yep, me too." Natasha is a logical girl who loves to talk about intellectual topics like dark matter and time travel. She loves to be precise and to analyze, and Daniel is her opposite. He's a dreamer and a poet, and he's anything but practical. I loved watching these characters interact and learn new ways of thinking about the world from each other.

And the ending: I thought the ending was perfect in that although a lot of the story seems to have many forced coincidences that allow the desired things to happen, the ending isn't tied up neatly with a silky red bow. (I don't want to say much more about it without giving away the ending.)

But I will say that the ending left me believing that people have a purpose in our lives, kindness matters, and nothing in this world is left up to chance.