Take a photo of a barcode or cover
reflective
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting
Moderate: Child death, Suicide, Grief
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
This is a very melancholic novella about grief, mushrooms, and music. I think that for me, if I could have identified more with the main character I would have enjoyed it more. But, it was fairly enjoyable and weird, delving into some weird magical realism spaces where the line of reality and hallucinations from a mental breakdown are blurred.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Moderate: Toxic relationship
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Alcohol
Moderate: Gore
Minor: Pregnancy
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Does Song Yan really know her husband? Does she really know herself? These two questions define the narrative of Ghost Music. Author An Yu then utilizes magical realism to answer these questions to delightful effect. The talking mushrooms and a spectral music mentor gradually nudge Song Yan to rediscover the individuality that she hadn't realized she'd left behind as soon as her marriage began.
This was my first read by An Yu and I'm now eager to check out her other book, Braised Pork. Yu has a beautiful, sincere authorial voice that left me wanting more. Here are two of my favorite quotes from Ghost Music to (hopefully) demonstrate what I mean:
"...the heart is not a magical armour that can withstand anything; it is real and beating and capable of being wounded. Sometimes it can be as hard as a diamond and other times as frail as rice paper. I felt mine tear."
"Empathy is a liar. It seduces us with the impression of selflessness, yet whatever feelings we think we can fathom are confined by the extent of our own hearts. We are living on our own, in our separate bodies. That was something I didn’t know how to accept."
Many thanks to @netgalley and @groveatlantic for the advanced reader copy of Ghost Music in exchange for my honest review! All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This was my first read by An Yu and I'm now eager to check out her other book, Braised Pork. Yu has a beautiful, sincere authorial voice that left me wanting more. Here are two of my favorite quotes from Ghost Music to (hopefully) demonstrate what I mean:
"...the heart is not a magical armour that can withstand anything; it is real and beating and capable of being wounded. Sometimes it can be as hard as a diamond and other times as frail as rice paper. I felt mine tear."
"Empathy is a liar. It seduces us with the impression of selflessness, yet whatever feelings we think we can fathom are confined by the extent of our own hearts. We are living on our own, in our separate bodies. That was something I didn’t know how to accept."
Many thanks to @netgalley and @groveatlantic for the advanced reader copy of Ghost Music in exchange for my honest review! All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Suicide, Toxic relationship