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madhamster's review against another edition
5.0
Powerful, precious and painful.
The difficulty of negotiating identities and places.
The difficulty of negotiating identities and places.
qontfnns's review
4.0
This is my first introduction to Samoan and Oceania literature. I love it! It's lighthearted, fun, and vibrant at the beginning, heartbreaking, and sadly realistic at the later part, and relatable throughout. Afakasi is the term used for people born from Samoan and Palagi (Caucasian) parents. So to say, this book highlights Afakasi's experiences trying to fit in between the 2 worlds, and both the joyous and painful part of being a woman in the ever oppressing patriarchal culture. At first, I struggled with the use of unfamiliar Samoan words which I had to google every so often in the middle of reading. But the writer did a good job giving a clear and wide-scoped picture of Samoan life in mere 128 pages that such a new world for me ended up so close to home.
There are a lot of memorable short stories. Many parts made me smile. They remind me of mudik to a noisy, close-knitted, and warm atmosphere of a village full of extra caring relatives, neighbors, and childhood friends. Kinda vexing but also lovely, haha. But it's not all sunny. "Don't Tell" absolutely caught me by surprise. I commend Wendt Young who can skillfully utilize the simple and raw narrative to capture how unfair the system is against women, and deliver a powerful and poignant story. Honestly, it still hurts so much, especially for the fact that the sexual violence victim was a child, and even though her case got processed to a degree, society still fails to give her the safe place she deserves. And 'don't tell' that was enforced on her becomes the words she believes and chanted herself. The avenging Teine Sā tale at the end of the book is awesome. But it also stings because not everyone has a shapeshifting spirit grandma with a slasher. It's a consoling empty dream in a world full of lonely victims. If only everyone has a Teine Sā :(
So yeah, this book has been a vivid and colorful experience, a loudspeaker for the silenced, and a precious homage for women. I'd recommend it for everyone, but do check the TWs!
There are a lot of memorable short stories. Many parts made me smile. They remind me of mudik to a noisy, close-knitted, and warm atmosphere of a village full of extra caring relatives, neighbors, and childhood friends. Kinda vexing but also lovely, haha. But it's not all sunny. "Don't Tell" absolutely caught me by surprise. I commend Wendt Young who can skillfully utilize the simple and raw narrative to capture how unfair the system is against women, and deliver a powerful and poignant story. Honestly, it still hurts so much, especially for the fact that the sexual violence victim was a child, and even though her case got processed to a degree, society still fails to give her the safe place she deserves. And 'don't tell' that was enforced on her becomes the words she believes and chanted herself. The avenging Teine Sā tale at the end of the book is awesome. But it also stings because not everyone has a shapeshifting spirit grandma with a slasher. It's a consoling empty dream in a world full of lonely victims. If only everyone has a Teine Sā :(
So yeah, this book has been a vivid and colorful experience, a loudspeaker for the silenced, and a precious homage for women. I'd recommend it for everyone, but do check the TWs!
tylovesbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death
Moderate: Sexual assault
safaracathasa's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
febnalae's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
i think this is the first book by Samoan woman that I've ever read and I LIKE THIS SO MUCH!
This book tells about the life of Samoan women and their relationship with her culture, her surroundings, and herself.
Some stories will make you laugh, but some stories will also make you feel pain.
taliascout's review
5.0
4.5
incredible short stories that seem so simple yet communicate the intricacies and unspoken rules of samoan culture <3 amazing
incredible short stories that seem so simple yet communicate the intricacies and unspoken rules of samoan culture <3 amazing
madhamster's review
5.0
Powerful, precious and painful.
The difficulty of negotiating identities and places.
The difficulty of negotiating identities and places.
mybookworldtour's review
5.0
I heard once that listening to women's stories is the best way to get to know the soul of a given place. That's exactly what it felt like to read this collection of short stories. With close to no knowledge of Samoan or Pacific Islander culture in general, Lani Wendt Young transported me to her home and allowed me to peek into its soul.