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A review by whatyoutolkienabout
This Place is Still Beautiful by XiXi Tian
5.0
As always thank you for Netgalley, Penguin and Xixi Tian for giving me access to this book.
I will start by saying I gave in to something I rarely do and let the cover draw me in. It is stunningly beautiful and when I read the synopsis I was sure I would love this book. Thankfully I was not wrong.
This is a debut novel by Xixi Tian and what a debut it is. Following the Asian-American Flanagan sisters, Annalie and Margaret, seventeen and eighteen respectively as they deal with a horrible racist attack on their own property. Told through both Annalie’s and Margaret’s point of view we learn how these two sisters and the family all deal with the attack strikingly differently.
With such a vile, but unfortunately very prevalent, topic as racism Tian masterfully deals with this tough topic showing how each family member and those around them is affected differently. While racism is one of the driving factors in the novel that isn’t all the novel deals with, we have friendships, heartache, family and seeing two young adults not only navigate the normal ups and downs of life but trying to find their place with their communities and family as well.
In terms of the writing it is beautiful and easy to follow meaning you can easily lose yourself reading and falling into just one more chapter. The cast of characters are well created and grounded, each built up with their own flaws and virtues (well a few might not have virtues but I don’t want to spoil anything). I thoroughly enjoyed this book although it brought home how some people still wish to judge someone purely for their family or skin tone and reminds us that actions have consequences, as they should, although I feel like I would have liked more confirmation of what did happen to those responsible the ending wrapped everything up and I hope we have more novels from Xixi Tian in the future.
I will start by saying I gave in to something I rarely do and let the cover draw me in. It is stunningly beautiful and when I read the synopsis I was sure I would love this book. Thankfully I was not wrong.
This is a debut novel by Xixi Tian and what a debut it is. Following the Asian-American Flanagan sisters, Annalie and Margaret, seventeen and eighteen respectively as they deal with a horrible racist attack on their own property. Told through both Annalie’s and Margaret’s point of view we learn how these two sisters and the family all deal with the attack strikingly differently.
With such a vile, but unfortunately very prevalent, topic as racism Tian masterfully deals with this tough topic showing how each family member and those around them is affected differently. While racism is one of the driving factors in the novel that isn’t all the novel deals with, we have friendships, heartache, family and seeing two young adults not only navigate the normal ups and downs of life but trying to find their place with their communities and family as well.
In terms of the writing it is beautiful and easy to follow meaning you can easily lose yourself reading and falling into just one more chapter. The cast of characters are well created and grounded, each built up with their own flaws and virtues (well a few might not have virtues but I don’t want to spoil anything). I thoroughly enjoyed this book although it brought home how some people still wish to judge someone purely for their family or skin tone and reminds us that actions have consequences, as they should, although I feel like I would have liked more confirmation of what did happen to those responsible the ending wrapped everything up and I hope we have more novels from Xixi Tian in the future.