ellaisntreading's reviews
276 reviews

i really liked the different perspectives and experiences within (and outside) the Deaf community, and also the Deaf culture and ASL lessons interspersed throughout - I live in the UK so ASL is obviously not as relevant to me but there was still a lot to take away from the book. 

some plot points and characters felt underdeveloped or could have been handled better (Kayla and BASL, February’s communication). i’ve seen other people not like the lack of speech marks and abrupt ending, so something to note, but these did feel intentional on the author’s part to convey D/deaf experiences. 

one thing i really liked about this was how travis doesn't have all the answers and openly struggles with their identity and presentation, especially concerning other people's perception, which i found relatable.

the writing style is conversational and easy to read. it is personal and obviously quite specific as a memoir but does also consider a lot of wider issues like being non-binary vs 'properly' trans, the gender binary and its effects on everyone, and intersections between race, gender and class. overall a short and accessible non-fiction/memoir which i recommend!

this is slow paced and there's not a huge amount of action until the end. i did have to push through in some parts, but i'm glad i did! i learnt a lot about sámi culture and way of life, and also their mistreatment which is a big focus of the book. there are lots of other themes in here like climate change and its impact, mental health, police negligence etc. 

there's also a time jump: the first ~100 pages are set when elsa is 9 then the rest is about 10 years later. i thought i wouldn't like it but i think it worked to get more attached to the characters and understand their situation better.

p.s. there's a film adaptation of this if you're interested!

very fast paced and lots of characters but it worked for me. unlike a lot of other graphic novels, i was satisfied with the ending and felt like it ended at the right time for the story (although i wouldn't have minded more of the world and magic). there's loads of great representation across disability, gender/sexuality and race. the artwork is cool - quite a simple style but i loved how colour is used and the palette in general.

very introspective with one of my favourite sub-genres: grief horror. also has loads of other themes in it like climate change, colonialism, and feeling disconnected from her mi'kmaq culture. the writing was so lush and full of imagery but one where you have to read slowly and go over words to fully understand it. i was so immersed in the atmosphere and the structure was really cool (each chapter started with a description of the paintings rita was doing). the ending was quite rushed and abrupt though, i wanted a bit more time to take in the transformation that happens. definitely going to be rereading this!

loved this sm! it was a great character study and i loved seeing kaikeyi grow up and develop relationships and her magic, which was so interesting but i liked the limits on it. the whole book is a JOURNEY - the ending was so emotional and kind of devastating, but also slightly hopeful and i like that kaikeyi made real change within the confines of her story in the original (although it sometimes felt like the author was having a hard time trying to negotiate between the original character and her character here). this is everything i love about myth retellings: expansive but also so character focused. also the asexual rep was great to see!

can't believe it took me so long to get a copy of this and read it! had so much fun reading this and loved the well-researched setting, plot and dynamic between the crew

the ending omg

very engaging despite the slow pace and lack of action until the end, due to the immersive atmosphere and multiple perspectives/storylines. i wanted a bit more time with the ending to resolve storylines and make the events more emotional/impactful. i've now read 7/10 of silvia moreno-garcia's books and will be reading more!