lepasseportlitteraire's reviews
108 reviews

Questi capelli by Djaimilia Pereira de Almeida

2.75

In questo piccolo libro, Djaimilia Pereira de Almeida esplora la realtà di vivere tra due identità (europea e africana, portoghese e angolana) attraverso la sua esperienza con i capelli. In questo libro, la storia è raccontata da Mila, figlia di una madre angolana nera e di un padre portoghese bianco, con capelli che la gente commenta spesso e dà costantemente la propria opinione su come trattarli: i capelli sono una rappresentazione di molto più che semplici capelli.

Ho iniziato questo libro aspettandomi qualcosa di simile a un'autobiografia, e credo sia per questo che sono rimasta un po' delusa, non tanto dal contenuto, quanto piuttosto dalla struttura e dallo stile. In effetti, il libro non segue una struttura chiara e mi è sembrato un po' confuso, il che credo sia una scelta consapevole dell'autrice, che in un'intervista ha anche spiegato che voleva che il libro fosse un'esperienza per  i/le lettori/trici simile a "sfogliare un album di fotografie". 

Se siete amant* del flusso di coscienza, questo è il libro che fa per voi. Se non lo siete, ma volete conoscere le esperienze di una donna nera di origini miste in Europa, credo che questo libro possa fare al caso vostro, infatti é piuttosto breve e se riuscite a fare astrazione dello stile, come ho fatto io, lo finirete comunque sapendo di aver imparato qualcosa e ampliato la vostra mente. Ma non aspettatevi una profonda analisi sociale e/o una decostruzione del razzismo in Europa, è più che altro un resoconto di esperienze personali.

Beneath the Lion's Gaze by Maaza Mengiste

challenging dark emotional informative sad tense fast-paced

3.5

In this touching novel, we follow an Ethiopian family during the violent 70’a revolution. A family with their components so different from each other, but all affected by one tragic event after the other.

I found that it provides a well-balanced narrative, resulting in a book that is both historically informative and plot-driven.

However, while I enjoyed the reading and do recommend it, there were some aspects of the novel that bothered me and which are the reason this will not enter my best reads of this year.

First of all, the alternate POV is a little too quick to my taste, and I felt we do not get enough time with each character: I think it is one of that books that deserved to be longer. Moreover, many secondary characters deserved more space and their storylines were quickly explained and closed in just a couple of lines. Finally, I felt that the POV is mainly masculine, and the women in the story did not get as much storyteller time as the men. 

Still, it is a relevant book that will emotionally engage you, all in a historical setting that does not get much space in literature.

Black and Female by Tsitsi Dangarembga

challenging informative reflective fast-paced

4.0

If like me you are trying to read more diverse feminist literature, then this is a must-read to add to your list.

« Black and Female » it’s a collection of three essays by author, playwright, and film-maker Tsitsi Dangarembga. In these three enlightening and heartfelt essays she explores her relationships towards race and gender, covering different aspects of her own experience.

She explores her traumatic memories of life with a foster family, then the difficulties of being a young female Zimbabwean published author, and exposes how the intersection of history, gender, and race affect not only her life but those of many others, in a very tangible way. 

With this book, she gives us a perfect balance between personal experience and general analysis of today's society and the legacy of colonialism. It is short but stirring, and the proof you do not need to write a 500 pages essay to hit your target. I would say short but (more than) effective.

Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo

fast-paced

3.75

Two sisters who don’t know each other, living in two different countries, will be reunited under unfortunate events: they look the same, but they couldn’t be more unlike. While discovering the secret lives of their father they were not aware of, they will also come to know each other and learn about their distinct lives, which will ultimately help them understand their father double life between the USA and the Dominican Republic, between them two.

Even if I’m not a big reader of YA, I found this one enjoyable, with a nice rhythm mainly as a result of the alternate point of view between the two sisters and their opposite lives. In addition to this, the author explores some themes such as forgiveness, sisterhood, and grieving graciously, without falling into cliches or extreme oversimplifications, which can sometimes be the case for other authors with a mainly teenager audience.

The only aspect of the book which still has me confused is the form of the novel itself: while I understand Acevedo’s writing has its roots in poetry, I still don’t see why the book was in verses. I’m not a poetry fan, so there’s no doubt this is why I was a little bothered by the form of the novel itself, but I also didn’t find it brought anything to the novel.

Cher connard by Virginie Despentes

4.0

Melma rosa by Fernanda Trías

2.5

Questa lettura è stata piuttosto deludente e purtroppo non ha soddisfatto le mie aspettative.

Innanzitutto, la struttura stessa del romanzo è stata confusa, poiché, a mio parere, non ha sfruttato bene i flashback temporali, lasciando molte spiegazioni degli eventi attuali piuttosto vaghe.

Questo ha influito sullo sviluppo dei personaggi, lasciando incompiute alcune storie in un modo che ho trovato frustrante. Inoltre, ho notato che non c'è stato praticamente alcuno sviluppo dei personaggi.

Infine, pensavo che la storia stessa di un disastro ambientale che colpisce un villaggio immaginario sulla costa uruguaiana avrebbe potuto porre le basi per un approfondimento potenzialmente interessante sulla disuguaglianza ambientale. Tuttavia, questo aspetto non è stato esplorato dall'autorice, il che mi è sembrato un'occasione mancata.

The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida by Shehan Karunatilaka

4.5

Maali Almeida, a Sri Lankan closeted queer, gambler and war photographer, wakes up dead one day. While he does not understand nor accept the reality of it at first, he them embark on a journey filled up of ghosts and demons (both literal ones as well as metaphorical ones) in order to retrace how he died, while also trying to comunicate with his loved ones in an attempt to give his past life meaning.

The writing of Shenan Karunatilaka is absolutely captivating as he imagines an afterlife which mimics the real world: the variety of inhabitants of the afterlife are just as complicated as they were in real life, and driven by their own desires and interests. All of this will make Maali journey intricated, and it will make him question his own motives and desires. Will he be able to reach the light before his seven moons run out?

Ghost Music by An Yu

3.0

Ghost Music is the second novel by Chinese author An Yu.
 I enjoyed this reading, especially the insight on how love in a relationship can slowly fade away, and how one's identity can fade as well into the other person's needs and necessities

However, there were some elements of the novel structure that left me a little perplexed and slightly ruined what was otherwise an enjoyable reading. Notably, I felt that the few elements of magical realism are not fully exploited and do not fit into the story. They could have worked if only they were enhanced more, and made more present.
Concerning the plot itself, there was one part of the plot in particular that appeared disjointed from the rest of the story, creating a sort of a second separate plot that comes together at the end, but in a forced way.

Cursed Bunny by Bora Chung

4.0

Let me tell you, this short stories collection by South Korean author Bora Chung will MESS your brain.

I enjoyed the writing and the coherence of the short stories, while being independent of one another and very unique, they still present some common themes as well as a cohesive narrative style. 

Do not expect anything cute, these short stories are disturbing from the beginning till the end, and honestly, even if I finished this read so long ago and just now writing the review, some images from the book live rent-free in my head - and nightmares. 

Bora Chung not only plays with the human mind, but also with society's constructions and stereotypes, specifically about women, while also proving a master of shaping reality to create imaginative, weird, and disturbing new ones.

La perra by Pilar Quintana

3.75

 This is my second Pilar Quintana book, and just like the first one it was crude and quite disturbing, giving an insight into the inner troubles of the human mind and emotions.
Damaris, living with her longtime husband on the coast of Colombia, decides one day to adopt a rescue dog, which quickly becomes the child she never had.  However, when the dog escapes and unexpectedly comes back home, their relationship begins to deteriorate as Damaris struggles with attachment issues and jealousy, all leading to a surprising unfolding of events.

 I enjoyed the writing and the bald description of human nature. Without holding back on the ugliness, Pilar Quintana manages to paint an image of human emotions, showing how they can completely overcome logic and take over people's lives.