Scan barcode
melodys_library's review against another edition
2.0
I have a hard time rating memoirs because writing one is such a courageous and cathartic act. Baring your soul for all to see takes courage, and who am I to judge someone’s personal recounting of historical events and his/her life?
What I liked: The history. I appreciated the research on the European colonization of Ghana, Armenian genocide, postcolonial states and diaspora. The chapter about language and discussions on race relations drew me in as well.
What I didn’t like: I’ll admit that I was not moved to tears. There’s no doubt that the author had a traumatic, exhausting childhood experience. However, while the author writes about her emotions, I didn’t find her writing emotional. Also, the paragraphs didn’t flow, and felt disjointed and pieced together. Perhaps that’s what the author intended - for it to feel like phases of an earthquake, which was her driving metaphor?
What I liked: The history. I appreciated the research on the European colonization of Ghana, Armenian genocide, postcolonial states and diaspora. The chapter about language and discussions on race relations drew me in as well.
What I didn’t like: I’ll admit that I was not moved to tears. There’s no doubt that the author had a traumatic, exhausting childhood experience. However, while the author writes about her emotions, I didn’t find her writing emotional. Also, the paragraphs didn’t flow, and felt disjointed and pieced together. Perhaps that’s what the author intended - for it to feel like phases of an earthquake, which was her driving metaphor?
digiomar's review against another edition
challenging
dark
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
vtlism's review against another edition
I can't withstand this amount of history and stay awake. Not for me. Needs more of a theme/angle/plot for me.
alexismc01's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
brice_mo's review against another edition
2.0
My favorite aspect of memoir as a genre is that a “mundane” history can still be absolutely riveting when the author uses the text as a site for sustained reflection—when they write about how they met life.
Conversely, I think some memoirs feel like an (understandable) reaction to years of the author being told, “Your life is so interesting!” These books, while still occasionally enjoyable, often feel like a collection of events that happened to the author.
“Aftershocks” falls into the latter category.
Without question, Nadia Owusu’s life has been characterized by fascinating, singular experiences, and I feel grateful that we get to learn about them at all, but this book reads more like an incomplete autobiography than a memoir.
By attempting to be “about” so many things—grief, race, family, and mental health—“Aftershocks” seems uncertain of a reason for its existence. That is not to say that Owusu is uncertain; she writes with confidence and an admirable vulnerability. Instead, the book itself feels uncertain. The nonsequential storytelling does not develop any clear themes, and it instead begins to feel like multiple competing drafts of the same chapters.
Unfortunately, the central metaphor of earthquakes and aftershocks feels more like a recurrent interruption than a unifying rhetorical device. It feels underdeveloped, like the image is supposed to act as shorthand for interiority we never actually get to see.
In the end, the book left me wanting to watch interviews with Nadia Owusu, but it didn't cohere as a body of work.
Conversely, I think some memoirs feel like an (understandable) reaction to years of the author being told, “Your life is so interesting!” These books, while still occasionally enjoyable, often feel like a collection of events that happened to the author.
“Aftershocks” falls into the latter category.
Without question, Nadia Owusu’s life has been characterized by fascinating, singular experiences, and I feel grateful that we get to learn about them at all, but this book reads more like an incomplete autobiography than a memoir.
By attempting to be “about” so many things—grief, race, family, and mental health—“Aftershocks” seems uncertain of a reason for its existence. That is not to say that Owusu is uncertain; she writes with confidence and an admirable vulnerability. Instead, the book itself feels uncertain. The nonsequential storytelling does not develop any clear themes, and it instead begins to feel like multiple competing drafts of the same chapters.
Unfortunately, the central metaphor of earthquakes and aftershocks feels more like a recurrent interruption than a unifying rhetorical device. It feels underdeveloped, like the image is supposed to act as shorthand for interiority we never actually get to see.
In the end, the book left me wanting to watch interviews with Nadia Owusu, but it didn't cohere as a body of work.
duparker's review against another edition
3.0
Enjoyable and Interesting
Both those words describe this book, and they also don't. The memoir part of the book is enjoyable, but the cultural history and world view shared is interesting. The memoir isn't fascinating or moving, it is fine. The cultural history isn't unenjoyable, but it isn't something that is pleasing to read. 3.5 Stars
Both those words describe this book, and they also don't. The memoir part of the book is enjoyable, but the cultural history and world view shared is interesting. The memoir isn't fascinating or moving, it is fine. The cultural history isn't unenjoyable, but it isn't something that is pleasing to read. 3.5 Stars
robynfaryna's review against another edition
5.0
Wow. Fantastic. Poetic. Stunning. Moving. Tragic. This memoir is amazing. A beautiful and heartbreaking memoir about race, life, love, family and womanhood.
smardanbeigi's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
3.0