BIPOC author

The Prophets, by Robert Jones Jr.

2 Comments / Book review, Reviews / By

A cotton plantation in the deep South does not seem a likely place for a tender romance. But amidst all of the horror and hardship, Isaiah has Samuel and Samuel has Isaiah. Separated from the rest of the slaves by their roles working in the barn with the animals, the two men have created a place of refuge, intimacy and hope for themselves. Their relationship is acknowledged but mostly ignored by the rest of the plantation. Until that is, a fellow slave seeks to gain the Master’s favour by preaching the gospel.
Suddenly, Samuel and Isaiah’s love, which was once so pure, is seen as sinful and a danger to the harmony of the wider plantation. As the enslaved begin to turn on one another, the two men’s future on the plantation becomes more and more uncertain. Read More »

Two Trees Make a Forest, by Jessica J. Lee

Leave a Comment / Book review, Reviews / By

After unearthing a hidden memoir of her grandfather’s life, Jessica J. Lee was determined to learn more about her family’s history. So she journeyed to Taiwan in search of answers. Taiwan is an island of extremes: from towering mountains to dense rainforests and barren escarpments. But its political history is also fraught with obstacles, mystery and tension.
Seeking to piece together her family’s past, as they moved from China to Taiwan, and then further on to Canada, Jessica not only has to navigate the tumultuous terrain of Taiwan, but also the treacherous and uncertain world of memory and language. Read More »

Five Little Indians, by Michelle Good

Leave a Comment / Book review, Reviews / By

Five children, Kenny, Lucy, Clara, Howie and Maisie, taken from their families at a very young age, to a remote church-run residential school. After years of horrible treatment, abuse and malnutrition, they are simply released into the world at age 18. Without any skills, qualifications or life experience, the young people find their way to the seedy world of Downtown Eastside Vancouver. Their paths cross over the decades as they all strive to survive and find a place within this world that doesn’t want them.

Fuelled by rage, Clara finds her way into the dangerous world of the American Indian Movement. Maisie internalises all of her past pain but keeps putting herself in dangerous situations. Famous among the children for his daring escapes from the residential school, Kenny can’t stop running. Moving from job to job, trying to outrun his memories and find a life. Lucy finds peace in motherhood, but struggles with a compulsive disorder, fuelled by the years of cleaning at the school. After beating one of his tormentors almost to death, Howie serves some time in prison, before being released and trying to re-enter society once again. Read More »

Around the World in 80 Trains: A 45,000-Mile Adventure, by Monisha Rajesh

Leave a Comment / Book review, Reviews / By

When British journalist Monisha Rajesh announced her plan to travel around the globe on 80 trains, it seemed like a crazy idea. But with much organisation and planning, it wasn’t long before she had plotted a journey of 45,000 miles, nearly twice the circumference of the world. This route would take her on some of the most famous and infamous trains in the world.
From the vastness of the Trans-Mongolian railway to the cloud-skimming heights of the Qinghai-Tibet railway and the luxurious Simplon Orient Express. With many other less salubrious and diverse trains as well. With just a backpack and her fiancé Jem in tow, Monisha spent seven months hopping on and off trains and meeting some truly remarkable characters along the way. Read More »

Homegoing, by Yaa Gyasi

Leave a Comment / Book review, Reviews / By

Effia and Esi are sisters, but they have never met. Born in Ghana, on Africa’s Gold Coast, they are destined for very different futures. One will be sold into slavery and journey to America. The other will become the wife of a white man, a slave trader. The consequences of these very different fates will be felt through the generations. This is their story and the story of those who came after them. Read More »

Everything, Everything, by Nicola Yoon

Leave a Comment / Book review, Reviews / By

Live life in a bubble? Or risk everything for love?
Maddy is allergic to everything. For as long as she can remember, she has lived in the safe bubble of her house. Her only contacts with the outside world are her mother, her nurse and her tutor. She is perfectly content with her safe routine until Olly and his family move in next door. Through her connection with Olly, Maddy will start to question what it means to really live, and what she is prepared to risk to have the life she wants. Read More »

Unbowed: One Woman’s Story, by Wangari Maathai

Leave a Comment / Book review, Reviews / By

Wangari Maathai was born in 1940 in a small village in the highlands of Northern Kenya. Even from a young age, she stood out amongst her peers, as she pursued her education with determination. When the opportunity arose for a scholarship at an American university, through President Kennedy’s Airlift Program, she jumped at the chance. Upon returning to Kenya with her Master’s degree, she became the first woman in her country to earn a PhD and to later head a university department. During her time at the university, she was steadfast and determined in her pursuit of equal rights and pay for herself and her fellow female employees. This was to set her on a path she never foresaw or looked for. Read More »

The Shadow King, by Maaza Mengiste

Leave a Comment / Book review, Reviews / By

The threat of invasion looms over Ethiopia in 1935 as Mussolini masses his forces at the borders. Oblivious to all of this, recently orphaned Hirut is struggling to adapt to her new life as a maid. She will not remain sheltered for long, however, as her new employer is a general in the Emperor’s army and is mustering his men.
The women accompany the army, tasked with cooking, tending to the wounded and burying the dead. But they long to do more to help defend their homeland. As the Emperor flees the country, morale is low, but Hirut comes up with a plan to boost everyone’s fighting spirit. Little does she know that she will need all of her strength and spirit to overcome what the war has in store for her. Read More »