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feeffoof's review
5.0
What a beautiful read! Simple and quick to finish. Last chapter was a bit confusing because I didn't know what the word meant, but definitely leaves you wanting more.
ohsoreads's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-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
shiqick's review against another edition
gonna think about this for a long time....
chiyitam's review against another edition
4.0
A sliver of a book with a beautiful cover and well chosen font and jacket design.
The assignment of this book seems to be 'imagine if all the moral aspirations we have were personified', and it answers that very literally. It goes through each story in turn, Passion, Purpose, Success etc. Each entry is simple, and short enough that you can just enjoy the author's take without feeling like you've been whacked over the head with Aesop's Fables. The book starts with a scene of them all at a gathering, I wound up expecting that to be mirrored at the end. It does not. Because of how the simple idea was repeated over and over, I was left wanting for the book to elevate the simple construct at some point.
A very lovely book, that by no small measure also benefits from the well designed aesthetic of its material form.
The assignment of this book seems to be 'imagine if all the moral aspirations we have were personified', and it answers that very literally. It goes through each story in turn, Passion, Purpose, Success etc. Each entry is simple, and short enough that you can just enjoy the author's take without feeling like you've been whacked over the head with Aesop's Fables. The book starts with a scene of them all at a gathering, I wound up expecting that to be mirrored at the end. It does not. Because of how the simple idea was repeated over and over, I was left wanting for the book to elevate the simple construct at some point.
A very lovely book, that by no small measure also benefits from the well designed aesthetic of its material form.
froglore's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
nikkibon's review against another edition
5.0
A short but very interesting read. I like that it explores and humanizes all these different emotions/emotional states, and it’s helping me understand their connections in my own life. This is something I know I’ll be returning to from time to time, and I’m so excited to share this with others!
sonaksha's review against another edition
3.0
Loved reading this beautifully illustrated chapbook. While I may have picked it up for its stunning illustrations, I really enjoyed the style and idea behind it. Though it may have veered a bit much on the abstract side, wandering into an almost musing style reflection, there's still something that kept me reading and thinking about the way Alvin Pang perceives and describes qualities, emotions, ways of being.
heteroglossia's review against another edition
4.0
A really beautiful work personifying different emotional states. I love how there is an added humanity through the fact that Pang sometimes marries different elements. He not only isolates the different elements within us but creates a map of emotion that allows us to question and understand the multitude of selves that exist within us. I enjoyed sharing this piece with friends and seeing their reactions. Quite a universal piece of work. Clear but precise writing free from pretensions. Really really loved it.