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chantelcashgal's review
4.0
The first memoir I’ve ever actually finished. A beautiful and, in ways, heartbreaking book that felt extremely relatable.
allisonbuzard's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.0
This was a brutally honest memoir - a personal, family, and United States history tell all. This memoir blends history and narrative with artful writing. This book was engaging but I always cringe a bit when memoirists edge out of their own story and into the stories of others (in this case, her parents). Overall, I’d recommend this as a good read!
brice_mo's review
3.0
Such an interesting collection of ideas that never quite coalesce as a whole.
I loved reading this book, and I felt consistently engaged in both Elizabeth Miki Brina's personal history and Okinawa's history, but these two narratives often feel like they were in tension with each other, which prevents the memoir from having a clear thematic core. One could make the argument that it's an intentional move to show how the author's identity feels fragmented, but this is never explored in a way that makes that ambiguity feel like a narrative resolution.
Unfortunately, I think the linguistic rift between the author and her mother obscures the relationship that—it seems—is supposed to be the book's beating heart. Readers spend a great deal of time with Brina's father, but her mother is felt only as a kind of absence. This is explicitly addressed, but I question whether the mother's depiction is at her expense—perpetuating the struggles Brina addresses throughout.
I hope these critiques do not sound too harsh—this is easily one of my favorite books I've read this year, and it is one I will think about for quite some time to come. It opened my eyes to a whole piece of history I knew nothing about, and I'm curious to learn more. I'll also eagerly read anything else that Elizabeth Miki Brina publishes because there's so much good here, and I'd love to see her pursue some of these themes in the future.
I loved reading this book, and I felt consistently engaged in both Elizabeth Miki Brina's personal history and Okinawa's history, but these two narratives often feel like they were in tension with each other, which prevents the memoir from having a clear thematic core. One could make the argument that it's an intentional move to show how the author's identity feels fragmented, but this is never explored in a way that makes that ambiguity feel like a narrative resolution.
Unfortunately, I think the linguistic rift between the author and her mother obscures the relationship that—it seems—is supposed to be the book's beating heart. Readers spend a great deal of time with Brina's father, but her mother is felt only as a kind of absence. This is explicitly addressed, but I question whether the mother's depiction is at her expense—perpetuating the struggles Brina addresses throughout.
I hope these critiques do not sound too harsh—this is easily one of my favorite books I've read this year, and it is one I will think about for quite some time to come. It opened my eyes to a whole piece of history I knew nothing about, and I'm curious to learn more. I'll also eagerly read anything else that Elizabeth Miki Brina publishes because there's so much good here, and I'd love to see her pursue some of these themes in the future.
misomonkey5's review
4.0
How the author's parents and ancestor's histories shaped who she was. Themes of: family, difficult mothers, attempts at reconciliation, making bad decisions, immaturity, okinawan history, war, war wives, immigrants, being Asian-American, being half-Asian, and so much more that I can't quite remember now. it's an incredibly powerful and touching book.
This was my first memoir and I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it (I've tended to stay away from non-fiction books). It told her life sort of chronologically (iirc) with Okinawan history beautifully tied within. I also liked how you can tell that this story is just the beginning of a journey the author is making to understand her parents, especially her mother. She is flawed and has made many mistakes, but that should not stop us from trying to become better people.
This was my first memoir and I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it (I've tended to stay away from non-fiction books). It told her life sort of chronologically (iirc) with Okinawan history beautifully tied within. I also liked how you can tell that this story is just the beginning of a journey the author is making to understand her parents, especially her mother. She is flawed and has made many mistakes, but that should not stop us from trying to become better people.
tinaisslay's review
4.5
Throughout reading the beginning of this book I naturally had a hard time being empathetic with the author. As the author kept explaining her personal stories of her earlier life I found it hard to read, naturally, due to her impactful actions and apathetic ways of thinking. I knew there was reasons for it but it didn’t make it any easier to read… until the last few chapters. Throughout her book she mentioned the ravishing country filled with its own language, history and stories stored within its ancient cities, clear running rivers and traditional dancing that had been passed down for centuries. The author then exhibits the gruesome transitions Okinawa had endured, how the country was stripped and destroyed, from its land down to its own identity, for a war they weren’t apart of, anger they refused to partake in. The author deeply unpacks the trauma Okinawans were forced to endure and her relationship with her father, an American soldier stationed in Okinawa, on top of that. I’m going to end this review by mentioning how impactful those last chapters were. Apologies and forgiveness is what makes us human, it’s what brings us at peace with ourselves and with each other and the author beautiful encapsulates that while describing her relationship with her mother, an Okinawa woman who strongly fought to love her only daughter and husband, even during her darkest times of shame and lostness.
meganlow's review
5.0
the struggle of cultural identity, family dynamics, and historical guilt all wrapped up in touching prose — highly recommend
youkirmv's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
tense
slow-paced
3.0