The Book I Read in Feb '25

I've been building on my consistency and structure at the gym, so I'm chalking up the lack of consistency in reading to the balancing of the scales of my life - as only a true libra could. It can be hard to be a beast in the gym and a beast in bed (where I usually read before sleep). Shoutout to my community book club for being the only reason I did finish a book in February - Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng.

Celeste Ng wrote Little Fires Everywhere. A tv show I very much enjoyed, but a book I never read. As such, my excitement for a dramatic read was pretty high. Immediately it became clear to me - this is not a book I would have chosen to read in the year 2025 with ding dong Donald as the President.

I barely classify this as 'dystopian' - as the current climate in America as it relates to diversity is tenuous and becoming more dangerous for those being "othered" whether they be immigrants or non-white. This book did inspire me to find ways to create a "voice" and become more involved in my community in order to be aware of and create change. To ignore and continue with life as it stands currently is something I will not do. I felt stirred up the most when in the story the acts of the activist group were ignored and the fear of repercussions caused people to censor themselves or to turn on those people they knew.

The ending of this story felt out of place with the mother's character. I found the reading of the stories was powerful, but disagreed with the mom choosing to be actively reading them (over playing a recording) when she knew it would lead to her arrest/death. Reaching out to her son only to then put herself in a position to be gone from his life by her own choice. There was a fault in the writing of the character that this felt out of place in the story and lacked the emotional impact that it was surely written to invoke. I was not a fan of the ending. 

In the future I am not opposed to reading Celeste Ng, but I am not running out to find her next one nor am I hitting the girls up to tell them to drop everything and read this.

May we all continue to read, expand our minds, and be uncensored with our opinions. 

Another Book I Liked (based on similar themes):

- Snow Falling on Cedars by David Guterson: Set in Seattle post WW2. Follows the themes of racism against those labeled as Asian American. A murder trial between two fishermen.