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bookishmillennial's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
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? Yes
disclaimer: I don’t really give starred reviews. I hope my reviews provide enough information to let you know if a book is for you or not. Find me here: https://linktr.ee/bookishmillennial
I don't have the words yet, but this book deeply moved me amidst my own grief, and I highly recommend it.
This was recommended to me by my friend @maddysbookopinions on Instagram <3
I don't have the words yet, but this book deeply moved me amidst my own grief, and I highly recommend it.
This was recommended to me by my friend @maddysbookopinions on Instagram <3
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Terminal illness, and Grief
Moderate: War, Death, Racism, Colonisation, Medical trauma, and Medical content
nicoleisalwaysreading's review against another edition
emotional
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? Yes
4.0
vignettes on memory, family, and grief
Content Warnings
Graphic: Terminal illness and Death of parent
siobhanward's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Sometimes I struggle with stories told through short vignettes, but this book was so well done, it was wonderful to read. I love how Fung created her narrative from the unnamed protagonist's POV while still incorporating other POVs as stories told to the narrator. She created complex and multi-dimensional characters that served as a reminder that no one is just one thing and that sometimes it can be a challenge to wrap your head around that.
I did find that the beginning dragged a bit, but as soon as focus shifted to the protagonist's experience with her father's illness, I couldn't put the book down. This was just a great read.
I did find that the beginning dragged a bit, but as soon as focus shifted to the protagonist's experience with her father's illness, I couldn't put the book down. This was just a great read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Terminal illness, and Medical content
katievh's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Terminal illness, Grief, and Death of parent
typedtruths's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content, Death of parent, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Grief
savvylit's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Ghost Forest is made up of a series of memories, of vignettes from our narrator's life. These vignettes are not in a linear chronological order - a quality that lends the novel a diaristic feel. I often imagined that Ghost Forest was actually a published copy of the narrator's private journal. The nonlinear order seems to mimic the narrator's real-time recollections.
As a whole, Ghost Forest is a heartbreaking and poetic portrait of family love, sacrifice, and grief. For that alone, Fung has written a novel unlike any other that I have read. Additionally, though, Ghost Forest is told through the unique cultural lens of a Hong Kong 'astronaut' family. The narrator's relationship with her father is strained in many ways. Some strain is due to their cultural differences as a native Hong Konger and his Canadian-raised daughter. But beyond that, so much strain can be explained by their physical distance. While the narrator immigrated to Canada with her mother and grandparents, her father stayed behind in Hong Kong.
Ultimately, this was a short and sparse read. However, the raw human emotions of Ghost Forest are potent and immersive. Fung has given readers a powerful reminder to appreciate the complexity of their familial relationships before it may be too late. I know I won't be forgetting this debut novel any time soon & I can't wait to read more from Pik-Shuen Fung in the future!
As a whole, Ghost Forest is a heartbreaking and poetic portrait of family love, sacrifice, and grief. For that alone, Fung has written a novel unlike any other that I have read. Additionally, though, Ghost Forest is told through the unique cultural lens of a Hong Kong 'astronaut' family. The narrator's relationship with her father is strained in many ways. Some strain is due to their cultural differences as a native Hong Konger and his Canadian-raised daughter. But beyond that, so much strain can be explained by their physical distance. While the narrator immigrated to Canada with her mother and grandparents, her father stayed behind in Hong Kong.
Ultimately, this was a short and sparse read. However, the raw human emotions of Ghost Forest are potent and immersive. Fung has given readers a powerful reminder to appreciate the complexity of their familial relationships before it may be too late. I know I won't be forgetting this debut novel any time soon & I can't wait to read more from Pik-Shuen Fung in the future!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Terminal illness, and Medical content
Minor: Colonisation and War
rynicolereads's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Have you ever read a novel that feels so real you're convinced it's a memoir? Ghost Forest was like that for me. It's a coming-of-age story about life, loss, love, and grief—and apparently (lol) it's fiction. It is uniquely written (both in actual writing style and the memoir-like feel) and incredibly emotional. Emma (@bookstagr.em) yelled at me to read this small, powerful book, and now I'm yelling at all of you to read it, too!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Terminal illness, Grief, and Death of parent
meemawreads's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
This 2021 debut by Pik-Shuen Fung was on my library’s New shelf and I’m so grateful I wandered in and found it there. It reads like memory, it looks like poetry and it boils over with feeling.
The narrator of this story moves with her family to Canada from Hong Kong in the 90s, leaving behind an “astronaut dad” - a term invented to describe men who stayed behind to keep their jobs while their families left ahead of Britain’s return of Hong Kong to China. The chapters are short and not necessarily chronological, giving the book an almost stream-of-consciousness feeling. Y’all know I love an audiobook but I HIGHLY recommend a physical copy of this one: the way the pages are formatted makes a difference in how this book is experienced. Words are placed with artistic intention. Empty space matters.
Speaking of empty space, this book will resonate with anyone who felt distant from their dad. Strong warning, it features illness and hospitals and death. It harnesses deep grief, so not everyone will be in a space to receive it. I was, and was so touched by the opportunity to learn about the funeral practices of another culture while deeply connecting with the common experience of loss. I can’t recommend it enough, I devoured it in one day, and I bequeath it a full 5 taters! 🥔🥔🥔🥔🥔/🥔🥔🥔🥔🥔
The narrator of this story moves with her family to Canada from Hong Kong in the 90s, leaving behind an “astronaut dad” - a term invented to describe men who stayed behind to keep their jobs while their families left ahead of Britain’s return of Hong Kong to China. The chapters are short and not necessarily chronological, giving the book an almost stream-of-consciousness feeling. Y’all know I love an audiobook but I HIGHLY recommend a physical copy of this one: the way the pages are formatted makes a difference in how this book is experienced. Words are placed with artistic intention. Empty space matters.
Speaking of empty space, this book will resonate with anyone who felt distant from their dad. Strong warning, it features illness and hospitals and death. It harnesses deep grief, so not everyone will be in a space to receive it. I was, and was so touched by the opportunity to learn about the funeral practices of another culture while deeply connecting with the common experience of loss. I can’t recommend it enough, I devoured it in one day, and I bequeath it a full 5 taters! 🥔🥔🥔🥔🥔/🥔🥔🥔🥔🥔
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Terminal illness
Moderate: Death of parent
painausten314's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Terminal illness, and Chronic illness
atenderwitch's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Terminal illness, Medical content, Grief, and Chronic illness