Scan barcode
A review by elsary
Sang by Elina Pitkäkangas
adventurous
dark
inspiring
fast-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Full disclosure: this is a work book, but that does not take awya how much I simply LOVE the world of Sang. It's incredible.
I have recently realised that I love YA books enough to name them as one of my favourite genres, though if asked why, I couldn't give you a clear answer. maybe it's the fact that they often have relatable characters, or a gripping plot which keeps you engaged, or questions about good and bad - but increasingly with blurred lines and grayness. Sang has all of these, and also something more special. Something that comes through in every page and every line, something that makes the world of Fusang so alive and vivid, something that made me laugh and gasp and scream in agony.
A special mention for the queer rep - as I voiced it in a teams message sent to a colleague: "it's written perfectly in the way that like, it's definitely queer, but there's more to it too, but at the same time it's a story where you couldn't take the queerness away. I mean as a queer person myself I think it's important to have those stories that only revolve around the queerness because it's such a big part of you and those stories help figure out stuff, but just as important it is to have stories where the queerness is a big part of the story but not the only one. Like it's a fantasy adventure scifi story with queer characters, not a queer story with fantasy and scifi action if that makes sense?"
Absolutely one of the best books I've read this year.
I have recently realised that I love YA books enough to name them as one of my favourite genres, though if asked why, I couldn't give you a clear answer. maybe it's the fact that they often have relatable characters, or a gripping plot which keeps you engaged, or questions about good and bad - but increasingly with blurred lines and grayness. Sang has all of these, and also something more special. Something that comes through in every page and every line, something that makes the world of Fusang so alive and vivid, something that made me laugh and gasp and scream in agony.
A special mention for the queer rep - as I voiced it in a teams message sent to a colleague: "it's written perfectly in the way that like, it's definitely queer, but there's more to it too, but at the same time it's a story where you couldn't take the queerness away. I mean as a queer person myself I think it's important to have those stories that only revolve around the queerness because it's such a big part of you and those stories help figure out stuff, but just as important it is to have stories where the queerness is a big part of the story but not the only one. Like it's a fantasy adventure scifi story with queer characters, not a queer story with fantasy and scifi action if that makes sense?"
Absolutely one of the best books I've read this year.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence