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gus_reads's review against another edition
4.0
The summary of my review would be this:
- Soraya Palmer MASTERS the construction of realistic characters and relationship (family, friendships, romance)
- I am thankful for the opportunity to learn about Caribbean culture, and the struggles of first and second generation immigrants.
- Soraya Palmer writes beautifully about folklore/collective tales. I loved both that part of the book and the family drama, but for most of the story it was confusing for me how they worked together.
Thank you NetGalley and Serpent's Tail for the eARC. I wish Soraya Palmer all the success that she wishes for. I hope that she keeps writing and sharing her view of the world.
That being said, let me go into details:
- In many stories that include representation (racial, gender, queer) it feels kind of artificial: either too dramatic (devastating stories about suffering, many times based on true facts, but still, a bit of "pain porn") or too cheesy ("we can all EASILY love each other and accept ourselves!!!"). But this story is different. Soraya integrates the issues related to sensitive and underrepresented topics (gender, sexuality, trauma, mental health) with other parts of the personality of the characters and their stories. That's what make them so real to me. No person is only a category. I don't know, I really liked that - and it made me suffer a lot to, tbh. Many times I was tempted to research how much of the story was based on the author's life because, despite the magical realism, it all felt so true.
- As an outsider (I'm a woman, but white and European) I felt that I could learn a lot about Caribbean culture, not so much regarding the cultural facts (which you can always look up on Wikipedia or something) but the culture, the way of thinking and the struggles. However, it was always clear to me that I will never be able to speak on their behalf or fully understand what it's like to be in their skin. It is not (and will never be) my place to judge. The story made me feel not pity, but respect, empathy and compassion. I'm saying this because I believe it's hard to find the right way to cause that balanced effect on readers.
- Really, the mental health rep *chef kiss*
- Some dialogues are like phonetic transcriptions of the Caribbean/Trinidad way of speaking. As a person whose native language is not English, sometimes it was hard for me to fully understand what they meant. I believe it's important to keep the dialogues that way, but maybe it'd be helpful to include some footnotes, at least the first times, so that the reader can keep up with the story.
- The book grows on you and sometimes the reading experience is hard. The first part is good, the second... a bit less interesting and many times confusing, BUT THEN you reach the third part and you cannot stop reading because it all makes sense and you just want everyone to be happy or at least, at ease. Honestly I felt so connected to all of the characters, specially Beatrice and Sasha/Ash.
- Overall the book is fast-paced. Despite being emotionally charged, the story focuses on actions and not looooong descriptions or internal monologues. The thoughts and feelings of characters are described in a succinct way. However, Anansi tales are intertwined with the narration, which can be less interesting for readers who prefer more realistic novels. These tales do make sense as part of the story, but they are quite metaphoric and I'm really bad at deciphering metaphors.
- This books is NOT for everyone and you will need to be prepared to get in touch with your feelings and own traumas. PLEASE check the trigger warnings!! (TW: family abuse, homophobia, transphobia, violence -in all its forms-, death of a relative, suicide, abortion)
I honestly considered DNF this books many times, but when I stopped reading for a day or two, I kept thinking about the characters. I wanted to know more about them, I wanted to see if there was hope for them. I'm glad I kept reading.
- Soraya Palmer MASTERS the construction of realistic characters and relationship (family, friendships, romance)
- I am thankful for the opportunity to learn about Caribbean culture, and the struggles of first and second generation immigrants.
- Soraya Palmer writes beautifully about folklore/collective tales. I loved both that part of the book and the family drama, but for most of the story it was confusing for me how they worked together.
Thank you NetGalley and Serpent's Tail for the eARC. I wish Soraya Palmer all the success that she wishes for. I hope that she keeps writing and sharing her view of the world.
That being said, let me go into details:
- In many stories that include representation (racial, gender, queer) it feels kind of artificial: either too dramatic (devastating stories about suffering, many times based on true facts, but still, a bit of "pain porn") or too cheesy ("we can all EASILY love each other and accept ourselves!!!"). But this story is different. Soraya integrates the issues related to sensitive and underrepresented topics (gender, sexuality, trauma, mental health) with other parts of the personality of the characters and their stories. That's what make them so real to me. No person is only a category. I don't know, I really liked that - and it made me suffer a lot to, tbh. Many times I was tempted to research how much of the story was based on the author's life because, despite the magical realism, it all felt so true.
- As an outsider (I'm a woman, but white and European) I felt that I could learn a lot about Caribbean culture, not so much regarding the cultural facts (which you can always look up on Wikipedia or something) but the culture, the way of thinking and the struggles. However, it was always clear to me that I will never be able to speak on their behalf or fully understand what it's like to be in their skin. It is not (and will never be) my place to judge. The story made me feel not pity, but respect, empathy and compassion. I'm saying this because I believe it's hard to find the right way to cause that balanced effect on readers.
- Really, the mental health rep *chef kiss*
- Some dialogues are like phonetic transcriptions of the Caribbean/Trinidad way of speaking. As a person whose native language is not English, sometimes it was hard for me to fully understand what they meant. I believe it's important to keep the dialogues that way, but maybe it'd be helpful to include some footnotes, at least the first times, so that the reader can keep up with the story.
- The book grows on you and sometimes the reading experience is hard. The first part is good, the second... a bit less interesting and many times confusing, BUT THEN you reach the third part and you cannot stop reading because it all makes sense and you just want everyone to be happy or at least, at ease. Honestly I felt so connected to all of the characters, specially Beatrice and Sasha/Ash.
- Overall the book is fast-paced. Despite being emotionally charged, the story focuses on actions and not looooong descriptions or internal monologues. The thoughts and feelings of characters are described in a succinct way. However, Anansi tales are intertwined with the narration, which can be less interesting for readers who prefer more realistic novels. These tales do make sense as part of the story, but they are quite metaphoric and I'm really bad at deciphering metaphors.
- This books is NOT for everyone and you will need to be prepared to get in touch with your feelings and own traumas. PLEASE check the trigger warnings!! (TW: family abuse, homophobia, transphobia, violence -in all its forms-, death of a relative, suicide, abortion)
I honestly considered DNF this books many times, but when I stopped reading for a day or two, I kept thinking about the characters. I wanted to know more about them, I wanted to see if there was hope for them. I'm glad I kept reading.
ktopreads's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
cmqsf's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
sad
medium-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
3.5
booksamongstfriends's review against another edition
4.0
Human Origins felt like a masterclass in the art of generational storytelling and the appreciation of the power and weight of our words. The words that we choose to pass down, the secrets we keep, promises we make, folktales we share, and lies we protect. Especially the words that go unspoken.
Though this book is told from the perspectives of two sisters, Zora and Sasha, it centers around a broken family bonded by ever changing tales and storytelling. A pregnant mother with an unfaithful husband, a father who wants to be seen the way he tells, a daughter that doesn’t feel seen, and a sister that’s growing out of touch. With themes of magical realism, infidelity, abuse, sexuality, and much more, this book has a lot to take in. As you read and discover stories can be tools of healing you recognize they are also tools of manipulation. While reading this book, I couldn’t help but to think of two sayings: your parents had a life before you and the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.
Key takeaway / Lessons:
• Live in the moment of inevitability
• We don’t always know
Though this book is told from the perspectives of two sisters, Zora and Sasha, it centers around a broken family bonded by ever changing tales and storytelling. A pregnant mother with an unfaithful husband, a father who wants to be seen the way he tells, a daughter that doesn’t feel seen, and a sister that’s growing out of touch. With themes of magical realism, infidelity, abuse, sexuality, and much more, this book has a lot to take in. As you read and discover stories can be tools of healing you recognize they are also tools of manipulation. While reading this book, I couldn’t help but to think of two sayings: your parents had a life before you and the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.
Key takeaway / Lessons:
• Live in the moment of inevitability
• We don’t always know
endraia's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.25
theeuphoriczat's review against another edition
4.0
I have to start by saying that this is one of those books that I need to read at my own pace and reading during a read along (which required me to follow a schedule) did not help. I did manage to finish this book hours before writing this review but I am 100% sure that I will be reading the book again very soon.
This book begins by introducing us to Zora and Sasha who live in Brooklyn with their Caribbean parents. The childhood is filled with stories of conquests, magical realism, gods & goddess and Caribbean pride told to them by their parents and family. As they continue to grow into teenagers, they begin to realise that things at home as not as great as they thought, with their father's infidelity and their mother's pregnancy. Their parent's relationship continues to break down in their teens, with they father living with another woman on another continent. But infidelity aside, Zora and Sasha grow as people, with Zora constantly escaping into the worlds she create and Sasha developing her sexual identity and relationships.
As the story progresses we the girls slowly float apart until their mother's cancer diagnosis forces them back together as a family. Having multiple perspectives and an almost unreliable omniscient and omnipresent narrator who seems to have come out of one of the stories that the characters tell was very intriguing. It reminded me of Vagabonds! by Eloghosa Osunde.
One of my favourite things about this book was how Soraya was able to weave in specific themes into this book, such as infidelity, sexual & sexuality exploration, motherhood and community. I would really love if Soraya came out with a collection of short stories, especially those that were mentioned in this book.
I think the major thing that didn't work for me with this book is how clunky it sometimes got and how it seemed to jump from one plot point to the next (sure it might be in the brilliance of how seamless the writing between the story world and real world was) but it was confusing to me. I would have loved if this book was a short story collection and maybe the porter family story be an overarching plot that ties everything together in the end.
Nonetheless, I think this is a solid book. You will love this book if you love a good inter-generational saga, magical realism, or haunting familial gothic stories. Also if you are a fan of Ayanna Lloyd Banwo, Eloghosa Osunde or Zadie Smith then this is one that you will enjoy.
This book begins by introducing us to Zora and Sasha who live in Brooklyn with their Caribbean parents. The childhood is filled with stories of conquests, magical realism, gods & goddess and Caribbean pride told to them by their parents and family. As they continue to grow into teenagers, they begin to realise that things at home as not as great as they thought, with their father's infidelity and their mother's pregnancy. Their parent's relationship continues to break down in their teens, with they father living with another woman on another continent. But infidelity aside, Zora and Sasha grow as people, with Zora constantly escaping into the worlds she create and Sasha developing her sexual identity and relationships.
As the story progresses we the girls slowly float apart until their mother's cancer diagnosis forces them back together as a family. Having multiple perspectives and an almost unreliable omniscient and omnipresent narrator who seems to have come out of one of the stories that the characters tell was very intriguing. It reminded me of Vagabonds! by Eloghosa Osunde.
One of my favourite things about this book was how Soraya was able to weave in specific themes into this book, such as infidelity, sexual & sexuality exploration, motherhood and community. I would really love if Soraya came out with a collection of short stories, especially those that were mentioned in this book.
I think the major thing that didn't work for me with this book is how clunky it sometimes got and how it seemed to jump from one plot point to the next (sure it might be in the brilliance of how seamless the writing between the story world and real world was) but it was confusing to me. I would have loved if this book was a short story collection and maybe the porter family story be an overarching plot that ties everything together in the end.
Nonetheless, I think this is a solid book. You will love this book if you love a good inter-generational saga, magical realism, or haunting familial gothic stories. Also if you are a fan of Ayanna Lloyd Banwo, Eloghosa Osunde or Zadie Smith then this is one that you will enjoy.
lotte_898's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
bloodmaarked's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Homophobia, Abortion, Cancer, Death of parent, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Rape, and Transphobia
Moderate: Body horror, Medical content, Grief, Drug use, Colonisation, Dysphoria, and Cursing
punkgremlin's review against another edition
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0