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A review by sakisreads
Green Island by Shawna Yang Ryan
challenging
informative
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
I bought this on my trip in Taiwan, because I was desperate to get insight into Taiwan’s horrific history.
This book was definitely a slow burner so I definitely took far longer than I usually would have with a book, but it undoubtedly taught me lots. For such a small, stunning island, it is so heavily politicised 😳
I will say there were moments that dulled my interest (e.g. there were parts where we could’ve touched on the history without taking away from the fiction), but I still would recommend to people who are trying to understand a bit more of Taiwanese history. 3 out of 5 stars for me, thank you ✨
This book was definitely a slow burner so I definitely took far longer than I usually would have with a book, but it undoubtedly taught me lots. For such a small, stunning island, it is so heavily politicised 😳
I will say there were moments that dulled my interest (e.g. there were parts where we could’ve touched on the history without taking away from the fiction), but I still would recommend to people who are trying to understand a bit more of Taiwanese history. 3 out of 5 stars for me, thank you ✨
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Deportation, and Pandemic/Epidemic