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azrah786 's review for:
Down in the Sea of Angels
by Khan Wong
[This review can also be found on my BLOG]
**I received a copy of the book from Angry Robot Books in exchange for an honest review**
CW: violence, blood, suicide, trafficking, racist language/attitudes, xenophobia, sexual harassment/assault, sexual content, drug use, death, confinement, kidnapping, injury, fire/fire injury
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Wong has written a compelling story rooted in collective liberation and social justice following 3 individuals in San Francisco, each from a different century in time.
We’re first introduced to Maida Sun in the year 2106, a young woman with the ability to read the history of objects that she comes into contact with which not only allows her to uncover a nefarious government plot but the reading of a jade tea cup also connects her to two of its previous keepers. These are Li Nuan, a young indentured girl forced to work in a brothel in Chinatown during the early 20th century and Nathan, an up and coming tech-designer in the early 2000s who gets a rude awakening when he finds out his line of work is associated with forced child labour. The link between the three of them is one which helps them each to see through their own journeys and strive for a better future.
It is a story threefold where each perspective is beautifully tied together but also stands out on its own, not just not just because of how well Wong captured each of their voices and emotions but also because each timeline had its own distinctive vibe.
As someone who really enjoys reading about speculative futures I was fascinated by the one posed in Maida’s time where both natural and manmade disasters as well as an event known as the Bloom that activated psionic powers in certain people, has brought about a much changed world. It has that typical dystopian feel and while there were some info dumpy moments here and there and the timespan for the plot seemed a little too quick to be realistic, I was immediately drawn in by all the tension of what was happening as well as seeing Maida become actively involved in saving a community that has given her somewhere to belong.
Just as captivating was the storyline following Li Nuan, no doubt the most distressing and the one I was most emotionally invested in. Her perspective shed some light on the history of slavery and racism at the time and was all about courageously fighting first-hand for freedom.
Nathan’s side of the story was the most relaxed as it had the least amount of direct action but it was still engaging all the same. He is definitely of a much more sheltered/privileged background but he is the character that poses as a mirror to the reader and today’s world. The commentary that his narrative brings about with regards to reflecting on personal choices and the steps we as individuals can take to help the wider community was just as significant.
The history of the jade tea cup is also pieced together over the course of the book and I liked that by the end it cemented itself as more of a symbol of the idea that we can all learn from the past and reflect on the future in order to help shape a better today.
Final Rating – 4/5 Stars
**I received a copy of the book from Angry Robot Books in exchange for an honest review**
CW: violence, blood, suicide, trafficking, racist language/attitudes, xenophobia, sexual harassment/assault, sexual content, drug use, death, confinement, kidnapping, injury, fire/fire injury
--
Wong has written a compelling story rooted in collective liberation and social justice following 3 individuals in San Francisco, each from a different century in time.
We’re first introduced to Maida Sun in the year 2106, a young woman with the ability to read the history of objects that she comes into contact with which not only allows her to uncover a nefarious government plot but the reading of a jade tea cup also connects her to two of its previous keepers. These are Li Nuan, a young indentured girl forced to work in a brothel in Chinatown during the early 20th century and Nathan, an up and coming tech-designer in the early 2000s who gets a rude awakening when he finds out his line of work is associated with forced child labour. The link between the three of them is one which helps them each to see through their own journeys and strive for a better future.
It is a story threefold where each perspective is beautifully tied together but also stands out on its own, not just not just because of how well Wong captured each of their voices and emotions but also because each timeline had its own distinctive vibe.
As someone who really enjoys reading about speculative futures I was fascinated by the one posed in Maida’s time where both natural and manmade disasters as well as an event known as the Bloom that activated psionic powers in certain people, has brought about a much changed world. It has that typical dystopian feel and while there were some info dumpy moments here and there and the timespan for the plot seemed a little too quick to be realistic, I was immediately drawn in by all the tension of what was happening as well as seeing Maida become actively involved in saving a community that has given her somewhere to belong.
Just as captivating was the storyline following Li Nuan, no doubt the most distressing and the one I was most emotionally invested in. Her perspective shed some light on the history of slavery and racism at the time and was all about courageously fighting first-hand for freedom.
Nathan’s side of the story was the most relaxed as it had the least amount of direct action but it was still engaging all the same. He is definitely of a much more sheltered/privileged background but he is the character that poses as a mirror to the reader and today’s world. The commentary that his narrative brings about with regards to reflecting on personal choices and the steps we as individuals can take to help the wider community was just as significant.
The history of the jade tea cup is also pieced together over the course of the book and I liked that by the end it cemented itself as more of a symbol of the idea that we can all learn from the past and reflect on the future in order to help shape a better today.
Final Rating – 4/5 Stars
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Slavery, Xenophobia, Trafficking, Sexual harassment
Moderate: Confinement, Death, Drug use, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Suicide