Reviews

We Measure the Earth with Our Bodies is a journey across the planet, time, generations. It was hard to remember at times that this wasn't a memoir because it felt so real and raw. It follows the story of the family of Llamo, her sister and her daughter following the occupation of Tibet and later expulsion of Tibetans, their life as refugees and immigrants. Amidst the current political climate of 2024, and knowing that the Tibetan cause has remained for decades, this was a hard novel to get through. I don't know if this book came with any clear answers about anything, it's hard to describe but it feels more like a book about feelings and a simple desire to tell a story that has gone unheard at best, ignored at worst. It's not an overly 'political' book; there is not in-depth discussion of Chinese politics, but it tells the story of what it means to be a refugee, to be separated from your home and prohibited to return, and what kind of impact that has - the generations of trauma, the loss of identity, the feeling of being adrift. It's a beautiful and heartbreaking novel.

courtney103's review against another edition

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emotional informative inspiring reflective sad slow-paced

4.25

kerickertful's review against another edition

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emotional sad medium-paced

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

3.0

I wanted more depth and detail.

cheskamay's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

alesun09's review against another edition

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emotional informative reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No

4.5

bookishkitkat's review against another edition

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3.5

The writing style started off really strong, but by the middle it got somewhat dry. The book was trying to accomplish a family saga alongside themes of occupation, displacement, repatriation, and colonization. However I wish the book did a better job of weaving the two together instead of flipping back and forth.

That being said, I really liked the themes of this novel, and found myself really invested in the characters.

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