karrative's review
informative
reflective
slow-paced
3.0
Spoiler
I was a bit of a muppet and didn't realise this actually is a memoir all the way untill the acknowledgements and so I kept reading it, enjoying some bits, but thinking - alright but where is the story? In particular, I made comparisons in my head to Jessica Andrews's books who semi-autobiographical are actual novels and in that context Small bodies of water kept looking worse. Obviously, now I see the book is a different genre so the lack of storyline checks out. What I think this reads like is a narrated Pinterest board filled with pictures of nature and food and quotes from all the many pieces of work referenced here. The writing is very sensual, focuses on colours and sensations, has that way of writing about bodies that is quite popular in the similarily vinnetty style of books by women - 'we pushed our boides further up the track'. OVerall, it is an offering of series of memories and knickknack from the authors life loosely focused on the sense of belonging. However, I personally didn't connect to it on an emotional level so it wasn't my favourite.nonahreads's review
5.0
This book was so absolutely beautiful, the writing and Nina's melodic way of describing places, colours and foods, made me feel at home and safe. I don't really know what else to say apart from YES.
_kairhone_'s review
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Colonisation and Racism