RaveThe Asian Review of BooksRand’s translation is fluent and seamless; she captures the lyricism and meditative quality of the writing with care, a feat made more impressive given that there’s also a distinct Japanese sensibility ... powerful and moving, thoughtful and evocative. Messina writes with both clarity and restraint, with the ability to reveal much in a single, compressed paragraph ... Messina deals both with the profound questions as well as the, perhaps, more practical moments ... Longer chapters are punctuated by shorter ones, some written as list, others as fragments, a single word, or an in-depth look and what had otherwise seemed like a secondary observation. These ultimately add to the experience: revealing a relationship through quieter moments, serving as a break in the tension or offering a different lens to reflect upon the previous chapter ... There is a stillness and quietness to the book that makes each movement all the more meaningful. The words carry a weight that makes each sentence feel intentional; there’s no fat to trim. Moving and heart-breaking, Yui’s story—and that of the Wind Phone—is equally uplifting and heart-warming.
Elisa Macellari
PositiveAsian Review of BooksMacellari cleverly deploys dots throughout the book: a nod to the theme, but also a way of communicating that for Kusama dots are everywhere ... Of course, Macellari does not solely rely on the dot to communicate her story: she integrates traditional Japanese prints into her work, giving texture to clothing, objects and skylines ... Macellari’s book offers some welcome insights.
Xiaolu Guo
RaveAsian Review of BooksGuo uses language to play with cultural clashes, be it between the narrator and life in post-Brexit Britain or between the narrator and \'you\' ... Even in the book’s quieter and seemingly unimportant moments, Guo moves with her thoughts on language ... Guo writes with a directness and honesty that suits the narrator’s sensibility, but with an intelligence and depth that constantly forces the reader to think ... moving and affecting; the language lingers.
Bonnie Tsui
PositiveAsian Review of Books... a thoughtful and meditative contemplation, and an exploration and memoir about her own relationship with water ... Tsui spends time writing about water’s meditative qualities—its flow—and it’s here where her own writing shines.
Jade Chang
PositiveThe Asian Review of BooksAnd so begins Jade Chang’s take on the classic American road trip in The Wangs vs. the World, a riches-to-rags to (immaterial) riches tale that is fresh, funny, pacey and bright ... Chang brings out each character of the Wang crew with humor and skill, creating a cast of likeable characters that the reader can cheer for. Each family member is given equal billing in the narration and the resulting effect is a novel that moves at a spirited pace with a sense of adventure and humor on a situation that is less than funny ... Rather the Wang family’s Chinese heritage informs the story and enriches the characters, but she is never precious about it ... Wangs vs. the World joins an increasing number of novels about the financial crisis. Chang’s take works and her bold style pairs nicely with her heartwarming tale.
