yseemeusnier's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
5.0
marlmar3000's review
2.0
i saw bits of my grandparents’ story in here so that was what kept me most intrigued — really hated the parts where she put herself in the shoes of okinawans at several points in the book, felt disingenuous without the use of interviews or at least citations of other books/scholars/primary sources. i get being disconnected from your mother & family thru language barrier, but then she didn’t need to include those at all.
i’m not sure why this book frustrated me so much! i had to skim my way through the end, save for the part about them traveling to japan for the first time in a while juxtaposed w her parents in 1975, which was interesting. maybe i just have difficulty reading about someone have so much contempt for their mother even if it’s a perfectly valid emotion to hold and write about.
i’m not sure why this book frustrated me so much! i had to skim my way through the end, save for the part about them traveling to japan for the first time in a while juxtaposed w her parents in 1975, which was interesting. maybe i just have difficulty reading about someone have so much contempt for their mother even if it’s a perfectly valid emotion to hold and write about.
emikowos's review
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
4.5
just so good.
i am surprised to have connected so much. i really cant express how beautifully meaningful this book is to me.
i am surprised to have connected so much. i really cant express how beautifully meaningful this book is to me.
lindsloveslit's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
4.0
I am in awe at how much Elizabeth Miki Brina was able to pack into the 304 pages of Speak, Okinawa. Not only was I given Okinawa history that I knew nothing about, but it was a very introspective, honest, vulnerable, and reflective background of Brina's familial life, too.
It was beautifully written. Brina clearly and unapologetically communicated her lived experiences with me as the reader. I believed her and felt for her, but all that said? Something was missing for me. I can't pinpoint why it wasn't a perfect five stars for me... It could just be that it followed Isabel Wilkerson's 'A Warmth of Other Suns' and 'Braiding Sweetgrass' by Robin Kimmerer, which were both masterful! But, it just didn't feel memorable to me.
If you love/are interested in:
- multicultural familial relationships
- memoirs about belonging and identity
- complicated mother daughter relationships
- US military presence in other countries
then you should check Speak, Okinawa out!
It was beautifully written. Brina clearly and unapologetically communicated her lived experiences with me as the reader. I believed her and felt for her, but all that said? Something was missing for me. I can't pinpoint why it wasn't a perfect five stars for me... It could just be that it followed Isabel Wilkerson's 'A Warmth of Other Suns' and 'Braiding Sweetgrass' by Robin Kimmerer, which were both masterful! But, it just didn't feel memorable to me.
If you love/are interested in:
- multicultural familial relationships
- memoirs about belonging and identity
- complicated mother daughter relationships
- US military presence in other countries
then you should check Speak, Okinawa out!
theblandfalafel's review
emotional
informative
reflective
fast-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Rape, and War
kobayashi's review
emotional
sad
medium-paced
3.0
A book dedicated for her parents. I could feel how sorry the author was towards her parents and how hard she is trying in life no matter what age she was at. A decent memoir also to speak about Okinawa. The author had a good quote to “ Love is to stay “
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, War, Child death, Death, and Vomit
sofiadanielle's review
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
4.25
Ah, a lot to unpack in this book from the relationship a mixed child has with their two cultures, the feeling of being ‘othered’ for not being White, the rocky relationship of an immigrant mother with her daughter, the history of Okinawa…
It’s a bit heavy, I won’t lie. I saw some of my my own habits, thoughts, emotions, all laid out in front of me in this book, as a first generation Asian child born in America. I saw my mother and I in Elizabeth and her mother, even when I wish I couldn’t. I understand her emotions, why she went through some of the situations she did, when you just want to say: well, why would you ever do that?
Beautiful read. I find the second half to be more moving. I hope to find peace with my mother in the way Brina managed, too.
It’s a bit heavy, I won’t lie. I saw some of my my own habits, thoughts, emotions, all laid out in front of me in this book, as a first generation Asian child born in America. I saw my mother and I in Elizabeth and her mother, even when I wish I couldn’t. I understand her emotions, why she went through some of the situations she did, when you just want to say: well, why would you ever do that?
Beautiful read. I find the second half to be more moving. I hope to find peace with my mother in the way Brina managed, too.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Rape, Xenophobia, Alcoholism, and War