2024 Book Reviews
1. Little Gods (Meng Jin)
A lyrical exploration of grief, identity, and migration, Little Gods follows Su Lan, an enigmatic physicist, and her daughter, as they unravel her mysterious past across China and the United States.
“Grief is a way of knowing the past exists, that it lived and lives still, in you.”
I found this to be an interesting dynamic between a science-minded mother with a different language and culture from her American daughter. It was easy for me to relate to the characters, coming from an immigrant household myself. Things are often left unspoken because they are either too painful or impossible to translate.
2. The Three-Body Problem (Cixin Liu)
In this mind-bending sci-fi epic, humanity encounters an impending alien invasion from the Trisolarans, forcing Earth to navigate political upheaval, moral dilemmas, and the complex dynamics of interstellar communication.
“"When you’re able to look at the universe from an outsider’s perspective, you realize how small and insignificant we are."“
This was a fascinating story but difficult to start. I found it hard to immerse myself in book 1 of this trilogy due to the time jumps, character names, and technical decriptions. It was worth it though as the story just kept growing and evolving.
3. The Dark Forest (Cixin Liu)
As Earth faces imminent danger from the Trisolarans, the novel examines humanity's survival strategies, focusing on the terrifying "Dark Forest" theory that shapes intergalactic diplomacy.
“"Survival is the paramount rule of civilization. Everything else, no matter how lofty, serves this purpose.""
Probably my favorite book of the trilogy. It is a playful (?) look at the Dark Forest theory, a hypothesis that explains why there is no evidence of extraterrestrial life, despite the high probability of its existence. Worth the read for sure! You’ll be confused though if you don’t read the first book.
4. Death’s End (Cixin Liu)
The conclusion of the Three-Body trilogy expands into cosmic scales, blending human drama with high-concept science fiction as Earth grapples with existential threats and the mysteries of the universe.
"A single law of nature can shatter a civilization."
A beautiful ending to a weird journey the author takes you on. I think about this often.
5. The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store (James McBride)
This richly layered novel weaves a tale of community, faith, and redemption through the story of an interracial neighborhood's struggles and triumphs in 20th-century Pennsylvania.
"We don’t always get to choose who we love or who saves us."
Didn’t care for this very much. It was “fine”. An interesting enough story that highlights the necessity of community for immigrants and people of color in America.
6. Margo’s Got Money Troubles (Georgia Clark)
This witty and heartfelt tale follows Margo, whose financial woes lead her on a journey of self-discovery and unexpected relationships, offering a humorous yet poignant look at modern life.
Dumb book I read over the summer at the beach. It’s entertaining I guess but not worth recommending. I think it’s being turned into a show or movie on Apple TV.
7. Dawn (Octavia E. Butler)
The first book in the Lilith’s Brood series, Dawn explores humanity’s survival and adaptation after a near-extinction event, as aliens offer salvation with a price that questions humanity's autonomy and essence.
"It is not the strongest who survive, nor the most intelligent, but those who can adapt to change."
Weird weird weird. The whole trilogy is about unbalanced power dynamics between an alien race and humanity.
8. Light from Other Stars (Erika Swyler)
A coming-of-age story with a speculative twist, this novel delves into love, loss, and the power of science, as a girl grapples with her father’s experiments and their unintended consequences on time and memory.
"The things we love can bend the very fabric of time, leaving their marks even as we move forward."
Also weird but not in a creepy way. Light time dilation and physics chatter but mostly a fictional story about a young girl growing up in a small town.
9. Adulthood Rites (Octavia E. Butler)
The second book in Lilith’s Brood continues the story of human-alien coexistence, focusing on Akin, a human-alien hybrid child, as he struggles to bridge the gap between two species with conflicting desires.
Ah part 2 of the weird Alien-power-dynamic trilogy. Not as good as the first novel but easy enough to follow along.
10. Imago (Octavia E. Butler)
In the final book of Lilith’s Brood, Jodahs, a hybrid capable of genetic transformation, must navigate the complexities of identity and coexistence to ensure the future of humanity and its alien counterparts.
At this point I read this third novel to reach an end to the trilogy. This was the most difficult for me to get through mostly because I did not care by this point.
11. Sum: Tales from the Afterlives (David Eagleman)
This imaginative collection presents forty short tales, each offering a different vision of the afterlife, blending whimsy, philosophy, and profound existential reflections.
"You will find that the afterlife is not about answers, but about questions that linger even after eternity."
Delightful! I read this in an afternoon and thoroughly enjoyed it. It’s written almost like a little game of ridiculous situations that seem silly but have no reason not to be a potential version of the afterlife.
12. Wish You Were Here (Sanaz Toossi)
This poignant play explores the lives of five Iranian women navigating love, friendship, and self-discovery against the backdrop of Iran’s tumultuous sociopolitical landscape in the early 1970s.
"Even in waiting, we must find ways to live fully, to fight for joy."
Back to my comfort zone with this last play by Iranian American playwright. It was a quick and easy read if you allow yourself to be immersed by this culture and the conflict that arises in embracing cultural revolution while holding on to what it means to be Iranian. I related to this writing and found it endearing as a Palestinian American constantly trying to find balance in being both Arab and American.
