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A review by chandler_lane
Others Were Emeralds by Lang Leav
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
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? Yes
4.0
This was a really fantastic book. It sounded interesting and I was expecting to like it but it shocked me as to the reasons why.
The characters are so loveable and their actions are very nuanced and well-thought out. I expected the book's main thematic problem to be about racism and immigration. That ideas was woven throughout the context of the lives of all our characters but what was really the main focus was more of a coming of age story that dealt with insecurities and identity at a young age.
I've heard it said before that we don't realize how much trauma can also come from our friends in our early life, not just family, and I feel like Lang Leav did a great job exploring how all this input of information and experience gets jumbled around and processed in our adolescent minds. The title of the book is take from a part of the story where she's talking about all these emerging new ideas being like jewels in the mind. Some are diamonds and others were emeralds.
The story follows Ai and her set of friends and new boyfriend as they go through the last years of high school and the growing racism towards Asians in Australia that leads to a fateful event in all of their lives.
Some characters are pure and loving. Others are vindictive and conniving. Some quiet but profound and others bold and sturdy. I really was amazed at how well the book explored early teen friendships and how formative those moments and interactions can be.
Most of Lang Leav's other books, from what I've seen, our books of poetry and I think you could really tell with this book. Her writing is very pretty and very poetic.
The characters are so loveable and their actions are very nuanced and well-thought out. I expected the book's main thematic problem to be about racism and immigration. That ideas was woven throughout the context of the lives of all our characters but what was really the main focus was more of a coming of age story that dealt with insecurities and identity at a young age.
I've heard it said before that we don't realize how much trauma can also come from our friends in our early life, not just family, and I feel like Lang Leav did a great job exploring how all this input of information and experience gets jumbled around and processed in our adolescent minds. The title of the book is take from a part of the story where she's talking about all these emerging new ideas being like jewels in the mind. Some are diamonds and others were emeralds.
The story follows Ai and her set of friends and new boyfriend as they go through the last years of high school and the growing racism towards Asians in Australia that leads to a fateful event in all of their lives.
Some characters are pure and loving. Others are vindictive and conniving. Some quiet but profound and others bold and sturdy. I really was amazed at how well the book explored early teen friendships and how formative those moments and interactions can be.
Most of Lang Leav's other books, from what I've seen, our books of poetry and I think you could really tell with this book. Her writing is very pretty and very poetic.