Shani Mootoo explores ancestry, connection and belonging in her newest poetry collection Oh Witness Dey!. This book is a love letter to Trinidad, and a tribute to indentured Indian ancestors and their descendants. These poems take readers on a journey from the beginning of the cosmos to present day as Mootoo explores her history and searches for where she belongs.

In Mootoo’s journey to understanding her ancestry, she offers readers an overview of the history of colonialism. She interrogates the historical figures involved in colonizing the Caribbean and holds them accountable. These poems are bold and scathing as Mootoo asks the reader to consider the systems of oppression that have shaped humanity and our own complicity in them. This book discusses the impacts of colonialism, imperialism and capitalism on the world, and the author tries to make sense of history while reckoning with the realization that she wouldn’t be who she is today without colonialism.

This collection also meditates on the meaning of inheritance and authenticity. Indo-Caribbean people are often viewed as “not Indian enough” and our ancestry is often questioned. Mootoo reckons with this, too. To be proud of being Caribbean and simultaneously mourn the cultural connections you’ve lost is a complex feeling common among the Indo-Caribbean community, and Mootoo explores this with a loving vulnerability.

My favourite aspect of these poems is the way Mootoo calls attention to the small ways indenture has shaped our lives. This is something I notice in all the Indo-Caribbean poetry I read and I admire how each poet has a unique approach to addressing this. Searching ship registries for our ancestor’s names, losing our mother tongues, having misspelled last names, and feeling disconnected—these things are a part of our history and they are a part of us. Mootoo explores these ripple effects with earnestness and care, and gives love to her ancestors and herself.

This book deeply resonates with me as an Indo-Caribbean person. It’s a fantastic addition to the growing canon of literature by descendants of indentured Indian labourers. Highly recommend to readers who enjoy the works of Gaiutra Bahadur, Rajiv Mohabir, Shivanee Ramlochan, Danielle Boodoo-Fortuné, and Natasha Ramoutar.

This book is out today! Thank you Book*hug Press for providing me with an e-ARC to review.

Dating Dr. Dil by Nisha Sharma

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3.5

The Hunger and The Dusk vol. 1 by G. Willow Wilson

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3.25

The Hunger and the Dusk vol. 1 collects issues #1-6 of the series. This comic features a dying world where only humans and orcs remain. They are mortal enemies, but when a group of ancient humanoids known as the Vangol pose an even greater threat, the humans and orcs form an alliance to take on this new threat together. This alliance is fragile but it’s the only way to move forward. The survival of both groups lies in the hands of a commander of a band of humans and a high-ranking orc healer.

This story has an adventurous Game of Thrones/Dungeon & Dragons vibe which I enjoyed, and the vibrant art brings the characters, action and scenery to life. Unfortunately, everything else about the book fell flat for me. I wanted more worldbuilding and I feel like I don’t have a reason to care about the characters. And because I don’t care about the characters I also don’t care about the romance. There was an interesting moment where we learn about the Vangol, but it wasn’t fully explored. I know there’s only so much that can be done in six issues, but I was left feeling underwhelmed. This genre is so popular and overdone, and so far I feel like The Hunger and the Dusk isn’t bringing anything new to the table. Hopefully this will change as the story continues. I’m interested in reading the next volume to see if my opinion changes.

Thank you NetGalley and IDW Publishing for providing me with an e-ARC to review.

Dear God. Dear Bones. Dear Yellow. by Noor Hindi

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5.0

“I want my rage to elicit love and more love. I want people to stop asking if I love this country. No. Ask if it loves me.”

Noor Hindi, a Palestinian American poet and reporter, shares her rage and love with us in her debut collection Dear God. Dear Bones. Dear Yellow. These poems are simultaneously tender and full of rage as they challenge western imperialism and the notion of the American dream. Hindi shares how America has denied her and her family their Palestinian identity and heritage. The poems about her grandmother becoming an American citizen are particularly illuminating as immigration officers refuse to acknowledge Palestine as a country and force her grandmother to remove her headscarf. These microaggressions and violations are acts of violence. And what is America if not a land of violence?

Hindi writes about being a reporter and how reporting is an act of violence, too. This is something we’ve heard over the last five months from Bisan, Motaz, Hind, and Plestia over and over again. Palestinians share their pain with the hope that the world will listen, but when will it be enough? when will leaders draw the line and say enough? Palestinians are dying and most of those in power are doing nothing to stop it.

Hindi also writes about family, Arab womanhood, queerness, and Islamophobia. there is a thread of sadness and sometimes bitterness throughout these poems that tie them to the rest of the collection, and I think this amplifies her overall message of defiance. Not only does Hindi have to justify her Palestinian existence to a racist world that wants to erase her, she also faces the inherent violence of patriarchy and misogyny, too. Her defiance in the face of all this violence is a form of love for herself, her people, and her country. Her defiance is survival and resistance, and her words are a burning flame that cannot be extinguished. She spits in the face of imperialism, as we all should. Free Palestine 🇵🇸🍉

Hopeless in Hope by Wanda John-Kehewin

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4.25

Wanda John-Kehewin’s young adult novel Hopeless in Hope tells the story of 14 year old Eva. Eva often feels lonely and small because she’s bullied at school and her mom is an alcoholic. Her nohkum is the only person Eva can rely on, but when Nohkum is hospitalized, Eva struggles to believe that her mom is capable of taking care of her and her younger brother. After her mom makes a terrible mistake, Eva is put into a group home and is separated from her brother. Eva is overwhelmed by her emotions and anxiety, and wonders if she’ll ever be reunited with her family.

I like the way this book is written—the author gives readers a ton of insight into Eva’s thoughts and it reads like a diary. Eva cares deeply about her family and is protective of them, but she’s also rightfully angry at her circumstances. Eva craves connection and a peaceful life at home, but her mom keeps letting her down. With the help of her nohkum, Eva begins to understand her mom’s pain and the cycle of trauma present in their lives. Eva goes on a journey of forgiveness and acceptance, and it was heartwarming to see her growth and where these characters end up. I also loved the honest discussions of anxiety and depression and think there are several great messages in this book about the importance of taking care of your mental health.

I unintentionally read Brandi Morin’s Our Voice of Fire (highly recommend the audiobook!) simultaneously with this one, and was surprised by the ways they overlap. One is fictional and the other is not, but both books inform readers about the impact of intergenerational trauma, residential schools, and the foster care system on Indigenous communities. Brandi Morin’s memoir reinforced the discussions and emotions presented in Hopeless in Hope. While both books discuss these topics, they focus on the people rather than the trauma, and they demonstrate how it’s possible to rebuild your life and find hope after despair.

With compassion, care and love, Hopeless in Hope tells the story of a family finding their way back to each other. It provides space for complex feelings and is a great starting point for young readers to learn about the difficult topics within, while also showing the importance of family and having hope.

This book is out now! Thank you HighWater Press for sending me a copy to review.

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helenareadsbooks's reviews 655 reviews

helenareadsbooks's reviews
655 reviews