julesybug's review
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Short, Vigorous Roots uproots you from yourself and places you into the shoes of those who have experienced immigration. These essays, written by multigenerational immigrant authors from across the world, are deeply moving, emotional, and raw, and bring humanity to the experience of immigration. This book was powerful and intimate, reckoning with belonging and becoming, adapting and persevering, and the concept of place and "home". This title reminds us that there is a world beyond our own countries, filled with the complexities of different lives, cultures, perspectives, experiences, languages, and people. I would recommend this book to anyone looking to understand immigration or to improve their cultural humility skills.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Deportation, Physical abuse, Colonisation, and Antisemitism
nkmustdie's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
readingwithk's review
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Like all anthologies, some stories worked more for me than others. Overall, this was a really compelling collection filled with humanity, culture, and heartbreak. A really important look into what it means to be a migrant in today's ever-changing world.
megan_jessop's review
5.0
Mark Budman and Susan O’Neill gathered this collection of flash fiction stories with nothing short of intention. These moving tales of the migrant experience are full of hope, resilience, and the rawness that comes when the definition of home for both families and individuals is nuanced and at times, even unknown. Reading is one of the greatest tools for empathy and Short, Vigorous Roots is sure to place readers into the shoes of the stories’ protagonists and give them new insights and perspectives. As editor, Budman, writes in the introduction, “The forty stories…are not designed to change or reinforce your opinion on immigration and immigrants. They are open windows into different worlds, windows you might have missed before you took this slim book into your hands.” These stories, written in 1000 words or less are powerful snapshots written by first- and second-generation immigrant contributors that remind us of the power of the written words and what can happen when we dare to see things through another person’s eyes.
stevesbookstuff's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.0
I've not read “flash fiction“ before, at least in book form. This book is a collection of 40 very short stories (1000 words or less) by first- or second-generation immigrants, loosely on the topic of immigration. It can easily be read in one sitting. It's a mixed bag but some of the stories seem to be sticking with me.
I read an advanced copy - it's available Feb. 1.
If you're interested, my full review is here: https://tinyurl.com/y5hn39xd
I read an advanced copy - it's available Feb. 1.
If you're interested, my full review is here: https://tinyurl.com/y5hn39xd
lovelybookshelf's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
Flash fiction is quickly becoming one of my favorite formats! The ability of these authors to make a lasting impact on the reader in such a ridiculously small number of words will never stop surprising me. Edited by Mark Budman and Susan O'Neill, Short, Vigorous Roots is a powerful collection of contemporary flash fiction written by first- and second-generation immigrant writers.
Some of these stories are realistic and make you forget you're reading fiction, not memoir, like "Crossing the Line" by James Corpora. Others have touches of magical realism, stretching your imagination and your heart, like "Throwing Down Roots" by Amit Majmudar. The authors explore a multitude of feelings and experiences that come with being a migrant, including traditions, language, and a sense of "home." And somehow, this slim book (around 160 pages) ended up with an impressively huge variety of perspectives.
This beautiful moment of hospitality in "Chasing Gods" by Edvin Subašić especially pulled at me:
"The day our German sponsors greet us, we are welcomed in their home with warm friendly smiles, fresh homemade Apfelkuchen and hot coffee on the table. I stand still mid-step and picture the moment again, eight years later, in a story I'm writing. The unbearable love toward fellow humans—its awkwardness, its undeniable existence—and the years of war propel me into future."
"Hilsa in Hog Plum Sauce" by Sayantika Mandal is the last story in the collection, and it was the perfect closer. It honed in on the essence of what gets passed down from generation to generation and why those things—no matter how simple—are so important to us.
Short, Vigorous Roots releases on March 1, 2022 from Ooligan Press, a student-run trade press that prioritizes literary equity and inclusion. This beautiful collection of flash fiction is one you do not want to miss!
Some of these stories are realistic and make you forget you're reading fiction, not memoir, like "Crossing the Line" by James Corpora. Others have touches of magical realism, stretching your imagination and your heart, like "Throwing Down Roots" by Amit Majmudar. The authors explore a multitude of feelings and experiences that come with being a migrant, including traditions, language, and a sense of "home." And somehow, this slim book (around 160 pages) ended up with an impressively huge variety of perspectives.
This beautiful moment of hospitality in "Chasing Gods" by Edvin Subašić especially pulled at me:
"The day our German sponsors greet us, we are welcomed in their home with warm friendly smiles, fresh homemade Apfelkuchen and hot coffee on the table. I stand still mid-step and picture the moment again, eight years later, in a story I'm writing. The unbearable love toward fellow humans—its awkwardness, its undeniable existence—and the years of war propel me into future."
"Hilsa in Hog Plum Sauce" by Sayantika Mandal is the last story in the collection, and it was the perfect closer. It honed in on the essence of what gets passed down from generation to generation and why those things—no matter how simple—are so important to us.
Short, Vigorous Roots releases on March 1, 2022 from Ooligan Press, a student-run trade press that prioritizes literary equity and inclusion. This beautiful collection of flash fiction is one you do not want to miss!
hmcendree's review
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
This is a wonderful collection of short stories reflecting a wide variety of life experiences. Each author has a unique voice and perspective in sharing the universal story of a migrant person.
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