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novabird's review against another edition
4.0
“I waited seven heartbeats.” With superb pacing and simple elegant prose Oyeyemi gives us a very natural unaffected look at difficult topics in, "Boy, Snow, Bird."
The crux of the novel I think can be found in this sentence;
This was nearly flawless writing. It showed the psychological development of Boy. It gave the vivid dynamics of mixed race families. It had wonderful dialogue. The plot had an amazing twist.
Having grown up and being asked questions about my ethnicity by people from different places in Canada and the US; Are you Native? Hawaiian? Japanese? Mongolian? Spanish? Ojibwa? I felt adrift, cut-off from my identity, even from my own biological family as a result. I thought they must be keeping something secret from me. People came up to me and spoke to me in foreign languages. Or people assuming that I am Metis said that I should apply for my Status Card. When I said, “No, I wasn’t ___________,” They would say with exasperation, “Well what are you then?” From past experience, I knew if I said I was White, that they would respond with things like, “Oh, you just don’t really know what you are,” and snicker or say nastier things than that.
I read, "Boy, Snow, Bird," with a rare hunger to search for the answers why my parents said things to me like, “Act like you are White,” or “Stop acting like a little savage,” when they disciplined me for my incorrect manners or behavior. Or when Native People came up to me and said, “Stop pretending that you are White.”
Over time, I became sensitive to people’s perception of me as being non-White. I am Caucasian; a DNA test provided that answer for me. Although, I still harbor thoughts about being a genetic throwback. And to tell the truth, I was both disappointed and relieved. I wanted something to validate why I was either made marginalized or held as something exotic/different.
Maybe there are many of us who have shared similar experiences; I have never encountered anything similar in anyone else. If you have, I would really like to hear from you.
Now that you know that I have a strong favorable bias towards, "Boy, Snow, Bird," I can tell you that I waited until I was done reading the book, before looking for a picture of the author or any particular information about Helen Oyeyemi. All I knew for certain was that she had an unusual last name and that for all I knew she could have taken on her husband’s last name or something else. It was satisfying to know that the author is an authentic representation of a Woman of Color. Isn’t it strange how much we attach an identity to how we look?
Thank you, Helen Oyeyemi for providing me with a greater context that looks behind the mirror to answer the reason why one always speaks to mirrors with, “Mirror, mirror in my hand, who is the fairest in the land?”
I cannot rate this exceptional book without being subjective. I am too close to the issues it raises and I still have a love/hate relationship with mirrors. So as a result, my objectivity is in doubt. Yet, it impacted me deeply on a personal level. All three of the main females have left their mark on me. This almost rates a 5 for me.
I hope that no-one thinks that I have culturally appropriated this book by holding my "Other," position.
The crux of the novel I think can be found in this sentence;
“Very few people can watch others endure humiliation without recognizing the part they play in increasing it.”
This was nearly flawless writing. It showed the psychological development of Boy. It gave the vivid dynamics of mixed race families. It had wonderful dialogue. The plot had an amazing twist.
Having grown up and being asked questions about my ethnicity by people from different places in Canada and the US; Are you Native? Hawaiian? Japanese? Mongolian? Spanish? Ojibwa? I felt adrift, cut-off from my identity, even from my own biological family as a result. I thought they must be keeping something secret from me. People came up to me and spoke to me in foreign languages. Or people assuming that I am Metis said that I should apply for my Status Card. When I said, “No, I wasn’t ___________,” They would say with exasperation, “Well what are you then?” From past experience, I knew if I said I was White, that they would respond with things like, “Oh, you just don’t really know what you are,” and snicker or say nastier things than that.
I read, "Boy, Snow, Bird," with a rare hunger to search for the answers why my parents said things to me like, “Act like you are White,” or “Stop acting like a little savage,” when they disciplined me for my incorrect manners or behavior. Or when Native People came up to me and said, “Stop pretending that you are White.”
Over time, I became sensitive to people’s perception of me as being non-White. I am Caucasian; a DNA test provided that answer for me. Although, I still harbor thoughts about being a genetic throwback. And to tell the truth, I was both disappointed and relieved. I wanted something to validate why I was either made marginalized or held as something exotic/different.
Maybe there are many of us who have shared similar experiences; I have never encountered anything similar in anyone else. If you have, I would really like to hear from you.
Now that you know that I have a strong favorable bias towards, "Boy, Snow, Bird," I can tell you that I waited until I was done reading the book, before looking for a picture of the author or any particular information about Helen Oyeyemi. All I knew for certain was that she had an unusual last name and that for all I knew she could have taken on her husband’s last name or something else. It was satisfying to know that the author is an authentic representation of a Woman of Color. Isn’t it strange how much we attach an identity to how we look?
Thank you, Helen Oyeyemi for providing me with a greater context that looks behind the mirror to answer the reason why one always speaks to mirrors with, “Mirror, mirror in my hand, who is the fairest in the land?”
I cannot rate this exceptional book without being subjective. I am too close to the issues it raises and I still have a love/hate relationship with mirrors. So as a result, my objectivity is in doubt. Yet, it impacted me deeply on a personal level. All three of the main females have left their mark on me. This almost rates a 5 for me.
I hope that no-one thinks that I have culturally appropriated this book by holding my "Other," position.
mrs1472's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
klparmley's review against another edition
3.0
I hate stories that stop in the middle. I was enjoying this until the end when it just.
meswauncyc's review against another edition
reflective
tense
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
3.75
knewberr's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
sierramiddleton's review against another edition
1.0
I think I just wasn’t in the right mind space for this book. I was confused for most of the book so skimmed through a lot.
kathleendayle's review against another edition
dark
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
In concept, SUCH a fascinating idea. In execution, poorly done. The story felt disjointed, and characters inadequately developed. Because there wasn’t enough differentiation in characters’ voices, I found it difficult to keep all the names and relationships straight. The plot twist felt like it came out of absolutely nowhere (but not in a good way). I wanted to like this book, wanted it to be a novel exploration of race and colorism entwined with a modern retelling of a classic fairy tale, but mostly I just felt confused the whole way through.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Racism, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Domestic abuse, Transphobia, Deadnaming, and Rape