Reviews tagging 'Colonisation'

Afterparties by Anthony Veasna So

5 reviews

samantha1960's review

emotional reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

One of the best short story collections I’ve ever read. Each one is unique yet perfectly aligns with the books overall theme. This book will make you laugh with absurdly weird moments and cry from true tragedies. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide, Racism, War, Addiction, Death, Dementia, Colonisation, Violence, Grief, Mass/school shootings, and Mental illness

goodolnicole's review

emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective relaxing fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Mass/school shootings, and Sexual content

Minor: Colonisation, Addiction, Genocide, and War

martinatan's review

emotional funny hopeful reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

Enjoyable and incredibly reflective. At the center of all of these stories is the protagonists’ emotional development, set against a vibrant exploration of many corners of the Cambodian American experience. It is obvious that the author found a lot of catharsis in writing about friends, relatives, and other figures of his personal community. He treats all of these people with empathy and nuance. I was a little lost at times when beginning a new story as it would introduce a new point of view, and it took me a little effort to come to terms with the fine line that So treads between autobiography and autofiction. However, it didn’t take me long to grow fond of each character’s personality and care about their challenges and victories. I felt some kinship as a fellow Asian American, but learned much more about the specific histories that Cambodian immigrants in California have to reckon with. Hard for me to pick a favorite story, but Generational Differences was an extremely interesting and uniquely written story to end the collection on. I wish Anthony Veasna So were still here to see his work move through the world, but regardless he leaves behind a body of work that I and many others will cherish.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Genocide, Drug use, Mass/school shootings, Alcohol, Death, Dementia, Medical content, Death of parent, Alcoholism, and Addiction

Minor: Gun violence, Classism, Violence, Hate crime, Cancer, Drug abuse, War, Cursing, Colonisation, Excrement, Sexual content, Xenophobia, Grief, Homophobia, Infidelity, and Racism

maregred's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny inspiring mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide

Moderate: Alcoholism, Colonisation, Cursing, Death, Dementia, Drug use, War, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Xenophobia, Suicidal thoughts, Cultural appropriation, Suicide, Racism, Alcohol, Classism, and Sexual content

stevie's review

challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Colonisation, Death, Genocide, Grief, Homophobia, Mass/school shootings, Medical content, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Suicide, War, and Xenophobia