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readingbrb's review against another edition
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Xenophobia, Racism, and Colonisation
Moderate: Misogyny
jayisreading's review against another edition
challenging
funny
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.75
Elaine Castillo’s collection of essays is one with claws unfurled, teeth bared, ready to challenge readers—white and nonwhite—to really think about their reading practices. It would be difficult to summarize this ambitious collection, but topics ranged from decolonizing your reading practices, issues of “diverse” and “empathetic” reading, among others that are ultimately asking, “Why are you reading? How are you reading?”
If you’re approaching this collection with hopes that Castillo will give you the “correct” answer or a better direction, well, that’s not what you’ll find. It’s not her intention to give a right or wrong answer, but, rather, share her reading journey and practices, as well as to engage with ongoing discourse around reading today, and this was presented well.
This isn’t a perfect book by any means, and I didn’t agree with everything, but I found each essay (some more than others) provocative. If you’re looking to reflect on your reading practices (which we should all do every once in a while), I strongly recommend checking this book out.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Colonisation
Moderate: Misogyny
Minor: Death
kirkspockreads's review against another edition
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
FUCK ME this was good. The chapter on Joan Didion, “Main Character Syndrome” in particular is just a master class takedown of her entire vibe as a writer and all of the thinly veiled racism in her writings.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation and Racism
Moderate: Misogyny, Death of parent, and Sexual assault
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