Beautiful colors and brushwork, but some of the art felt a bit caricature-y. Also, I’m not sure I understand any of the story. Very little context or time spent explaining the world or the conflict.

The Painter's Daughters by Emily Howes

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dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Historical fiction tends to be my comfort read, and I dove headfirst into this one. Howes tells the story of the two daughters of English portrait painter, Thomas Gainsborough. From a young age, Peggy watches over her older sister, Molly, who suffers from mental illness and has spells where she isn’t herself. But nothing can be kept secret for that long as more people are invited into their inner circle, and the small world Peggy grew up in steadily expands.

With colorful, observant writing, Howes explores the forbidden, and all that’s hidden underneath a pretty surface. I especially enjoyed her writing about the act of painting, and the small details that might escape other peoples’ notice. In a novel where not much happens, Howes makes the story feel unrelenting as we wait for the pin to drop. The crescendo is dramatic and scintillating, exploring what one might do to protect someone they love.

A stunning debut, and I look forward to more from Howes!

Content Warnings

Ship of Fates by Caitlin Chung

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adventurous mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

Content Warnings

Somewhere Sisters: A Story of Adoption, Identity, and the Meaning of Family by Erika Hayasaki

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challenging emotional hopeful informative medium-paced

4.5

Deeply researched, SOMEWHERE SISTERS examines transracial adoption through the story of Ha and Isabella, Vietnamese twins who were separated as babies—one adopted by a family in the United States, and one adopted by their aunt and her partner in Vietnam.

Hayasaki structures the book chronologically, following the girls as they grow up in vastly different environments, until they meet and live together as teens. Interspersed between their story are chapters examining different aspects of transracial adoption and twin studies. Isabella and Ha’s stories are told mostly in their own words, from years of interviews conducted by the author. We also follow the story of Isabella’s adopted sister Olivia, and I found all three of their voices to be compelling and unique. Hayasaki’s own perspective is very lightly felt, though I appreciated the moments where her story helped bring context to the narrative. The balance between intimate storytelling and analytical sections was perfect.

The similarities between Isabella and Ha’s feelings and experiences growing up, even as they lived thousands of miles apart, was astounding. Coupled with intriguing stories from twin studies done around the world, I found it hard to stop reading. The endless push and pull between nature and nurture in scientific debates/studies around twins, and the odd coincidences in peoples’ lives, really make you wonder about what connects us. This is a work of empathetic, curious journalism that is informative and insightful, yet will leave you with a lot to mull over. Highly recommend!

Content Warnings

Sunrise: Radiant Stories by Erika Kobayashi

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dark mysterious reflective medium-paced

3.5

Content Warnings

All My Mother's Lovers by Ilana Masad

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emotional funny hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

Content Warnings

Here by Richard McGuire

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funny reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? N/A
Strong character development? N/A
Loveable characters? N/A
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

Exploring life through the lens of a single room in a home, over thousands of years. Gorgeous artwork and clever layout choices. Makes you think about the echoes of time and history. Somewhat meditative.

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bookmaddie's reviews 1104 reviews

bookmaddie's reviews
1104 reviews