A review by villiljos
Black Water Sister by Zen Cho

adventurous emotional reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

I didn't know anything about this book before diving in and so I had no expectations - and I loved it so much! The main character's tense relationship to her family and to her own sense of self plays around a powerful story of spirit work, ancestors and capitalistic gentrification. Having started doing a lot of spirit and ancestor work (from a very different cultural and ethnic background), I loved seeing all of the similarities the author describes within that work as well as the clear differences. The cultural context of the book is very specific to Malaysia, and at the same time, the struggles of the old world - folk stories, old buildings, spirits, respect for the wisdom that comes with age and experience - versus the new world - expansion, gentrification, sameness, capitalism - is universal enough that it's easy to relate, even as someone who knows very little about Malaysia. 

The main character is insistently focused on her own powerlessness and lack of understanding, which can get a little bit annoying at times. She has clear reasons for being resistant to what's happening, but it's a trope I personally am tired of. By the second half I just want to shake her and tell her to accept what's happening! But there is clear progress throughout the book, and the other characters are well written and relatable. 
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