piranesi was a book gifted to me when i left for university, and i’ve been procrastinating on it because of the style of the prose. even if it’s beautiful and lyrical, it feels like it’s trying to say many things at the same time, which i found too overwhelming at a time of great change.

a good six months later, i finally found the time to sit down and read this book, and was very happy to find that the prose wasn’t as inaccessible as it seems. the prose and diary-style entries transports you into the world of piranesi, who seems to be one of the only two remaining people in the House, a labyrinth filled with gorgeous architecture and many, many bodies of water. the only other person in the House is the Other, who piranesi considers his greatest friend, but we know very little about. as the book progresses and as piranesi continues to narrate his life through his entries, he slowly figures out that another person has made their way into the House, and he makes it his mission to discover how they entered, and what they want.

i came into piranesi with fairly high expectations because i love magical realism, and because it was highly praised by many people, including r.f. kuang. because of this, i believe my rating was heavily impacted by the high expectations i set for the story. though i did enjoy reading it, i did find the end fairly predictable and one-dimensional, which left me unsatisfied. of course, there is a lot to unpack in terms of theme and symbolism in the style of the prose itself, but i honestly was expecting a more intricate, dynamic reasoning behind why piranesi was in the House in the first place, and who the newcomer was.

in all, an enjoyable read, but not one that left me fully satisfied!

What You Are Looking For is in the Library by Michiko Aoyama

Go to review page

challenging hopeful reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

— on searching for life’s purpose (and realizing that the answer does not lie in capitalism, despite the entire book being about different characters finding jobs)

what are you looking for? she had asked me.
i think about it. a place for dreams that i don’t know what to do with? (75)

“what you’re looking for is in the library” is a book that i’ve been eyeing for an embarrassingly long time, but never had the time to pick up. funnily enough, i found that much of the book revolves around that exact premise: knowing that you want to do something, but telling yourself that there will always be a better time to do it.

the book, a compilation of short stories, follows many different characters in their journey of finding their purpose in life. from a young woman unhappy in her unfulfilling corporate job to a man who struggles to find meaning once he retires from his position at a major company, “what you’re looking for is in the library” shows that our search for purpose and identity is a never-ending task. however, despite that seemingly pessimistic message, each character manages to slowly discover what they’ve been truly yearning for in life when they check out a book recommended by the local librarian.

personally, my favorite part of the book was how random each character’s life-changing book recommendation was. it the sense that every book in a library, no matter how absurd or childish or “non-literary”, has the capability to change a person’s outlook on life. it’s a message that totally contradicts the common trend of elitism and moral evaluation of literature, and it’s a message i will continue to shout from the rooftops for as long as i exist.

“what you’re looking for is in the library” is a cozy, wonderfully simple read that holds your hand as you slowly discover what it truly means to live, and how to find purpose in your own terms.

★★★★★ | #eastasianliterature #translatedliterature #asianliterature

Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional medium-paced