Young Adult Fiction: A Thousands Steps into Night by Traci Chee

It was a few years ago that I finished Traci Chee's Sea of Ink and Gold series, so I was excited to see that she was publishing another young adult fantasy book, A Thousand Steps into Night. In a world full of magical and dangerous creatures, vengeful demons, and powerful gods, one girl attempts to find her way back to the home where she never quite felt like she belonged.

The Situation: Being the daughter of an innkeeper, 17 year-old Miuko has never expected much from her life. Being part of the servant class, as well as a female, Miuko is expected to do little more than help her father manage the inn, one day get married, and hopefully produce a son that will eventually take over the business. To make matters more difficult, Miuko has always been a little too loud, too clumsy, and not beautiful enough to hope for much in the way of marriage. It is on a night when she is making her way back home that she is cursed, and slowly begins to transform into a deadly demon. Now, the life she never expected much from has suddenly given her too much to handle.

The Problem: Before the curse, Miuko was mostly ignored and cast aside. Now she has the attention of humans and beasts alike, and it is bringing her nothing but trouble. But with that trouble has also come incredible, though dangerous power. As Miuko makes the long journey to hopefully remove the curse before the transformation is complete, she will meet a mischievous magpie spirit, a horse that seems to be able to understand the speech and moods of humans, a demon hunter, helpful priests, terrifying gods, and a demon prince who wants to destroy her plans, as well as her world as she knows it. It certainly is not the life Miuko thought she would have, but she is not sure if she would trade it for her old one.

Genre, Themes, History: This is a young adult fantasy novel set in an unknown time, and in an unknown world...or at least unknown to us. It is a world where magpie spirits can shapeshift (only when no one is looking) to resemble humans, and then just as easily take the form of a bird so it can fly away from danger. In this world, girls like Miuko cannot go anywhere unless they are escorted by their husbands, or a male relative. There is also an unspoken rule regarding females riding horses, and owning property is certainly out of the question. On her adventure, Miuko will enjoy the freedom and power she has received, though dangers are around every corner. It is a Japanese-influenced fantasy for which Chee drew inspiration from a trip to Japan.

My Verdict: What I love about Chee's writing is the fast-paced adventure...and I do mean fast. There is never a dull moment, though there is often a frustrating one. Chee's characters are never perfect, and often relatable on some level, though that can lead to scenes and decisions that result in readers rolling their eyes or gritting their teeth. And the sharp changes in the story's direction can often feel arbitrary, or even unnecessary, and seemingly out of nowhere. There is one big shift that takes place in this book that honestly baffled me and was hard for me to recover from (I won't spoil it, but when it happens you will know what I am talking about). But with all of the chaos, Chee brings everything back together almost effortlessly.

Favorite Moment: *spoiler alert* In the book there is an adorable cat-like creature that is too dangerous to let roam around like a normal cat. I was happy when Miuko was finally able to find it a suitable home.

Favorite Character: Geiki, the sly magpie spirit, is annoying but helpful, and funny. And Afaina, the God of Stars, may take the form of a giant being covered in eyes that lives in the water, but his manner of speaking, moving, and even looking at something was something I wish I could have enjoyed for longer than he appears on the page. 

Recommended Reading: For another, longer adventure, I recommend Chee's Sea of Ink and Gold series.

Young Adult Fiction: Anatomy by Dana Schwartz

Anyone who has studied Mary Shelley's Frankenstein has certainly heard of graverobbers who would steal freshly buried corpses and deliver them to physicians, for a price. This practice comes together with an unlikely romance in Anatomy: A Love Story by Dana Schwartz. 

The Situation: Hazel Sinnett wants to be a surgeon more than anything. Certainly more than she wishes to marry and 'settle down' as she is expected to. In 1817 Scotland, a woman in Hazel's position need only marry someone suitable, have his children, and run his household. Having any ambitions outside of that is discouraged, frowned upon, and often openly thwarted. But Hazel is determined, and not only reads everything she can about the human body, but she even manages to sneak into a lecture by the well-known Dr. William Beecham. The young man who helps her may not be familiar with surgery, but Jack Currer is familiar with corpses. By day he earns his money at a local theatre, but at night he is one of the city's resurrectionists, making a living by unearthing corpses and delivering them to those who wish to study real human bodies.

The Problem: Hazel knows her road to becoming a surgeon will not be a smooth one. Females are not allowed to attend the classes at the Royal Edinburgh Anatomist's Society, and after a failed attempt at attending anyway, Hazel is able to strike a deal with Dr. Beecham himself. Only problem is she must now study on her own, and like every other would-be physician, she needs real bodies to learn on. Thankfully, her new acquaintance, Jack, is happy to help, and Hazel must admit that she does enjoy spending time with him. Jack is nothing like the refined gentleman she normally spends time with, and she should know better than to entertain any idea of a future with such a person, especially since it is common knowledge she will eventually marry the future Viscount Almont. Plus, young resurrectionists like Jack have recently started disappearing, proving that his line of work is dangerous in more ways than one.

Genre, Themes, History: This is a young adult fiction book set in early 19th-century Scotland, mostly in and around Edinburgh. Hazel is a young woman who is fascinated with all things science and anatomy, but being a woman has kept her from being taken seriously. Jack, on the other hand, cannot afford to be ambitious. His work at the theatre also provides him a humble place to live, but when business drops off after a strange illness takes over the area, Jack must lean on graverobbing more than ever. The two heroes come from very different worlds, and when Hazel realizes that the poor are being preyed upon so parts of their bodies can be used in service to the rich, she makes the mistake of believing those around her care enough to do something about it. The book combines the grotesque with a love story, while also adding elements of mystery and fantasy.

My Verdict: This book starts off strong. Opening up with a graveyard scene certainly set the stage for what was to come. There is mystery, some gore, even an occasional limb goes missing. And then there is Hazel in the middle of all of it. Her fascination with anatomy and surgery is what makes her story and her journey so fascinating. Of course, her ambition gets her in trouble, as does her naivete, which will cause many readers to simply shake their heads as they turn the page. Unfortunately, as the book progresses, and Hazel and Jack become more comfortable in each others' presence, the story seems to lose steam. It all remains delightfully unpredictable, but by the end, it is not necessarily interesting, and there are several issues that go unresolved. 

Favorite Moment: When a young man at the Royal Edinburgh Anatomist's Society attempts to intimidate Hazel, she stands up to him in the best (and possibly the grossest) way.

Favorite Character: Hazel's maid Iona is helpful and faithful to a fault. Hazel herself is not helpless, but she would have had a much harder time without Iona by her side.

Recommended Reading: Schwartz mentions the book The Lady and Her Monsters by Roseanne Montillo in her acknowledgements, which is a wonderful book for learning more about the world of Mary Shelley and the gruesome practice of stealing corpses for studying physicians. 

Nonfiction: South to America by Imani Perry

Being a native of Texas, and with family all over the state, as well as scattered in parts of Alabama and Florida, it felt natural to be drawn to a book that explores the history of the southern part of the U.S. In South to America: A Journey Below the Mason-Dixon to Understand the Soul of the Nation by Imani Perry, it is not only the history of the south that is explored, but also its link to our understanding of what it means to be American.

Genre, Themes, History: This is a nonfiction book in which the author focuses on both specific as well as general areas of the southern U.S, looking at both the history of and her own personal experiences with each location. Perry begins with Appalachia, continues through Alabama and the Black Belt, and concludes the book in the Bahamas and Havana. Across three sections, 17 chapters, and a conclusion, Perry takes a deep look at the history we know, the history most of us do not know, what everyday life is like for some of the local residents, and how her own story and family have been affected by the areas. Since the American South has center stage, slavery and racism stay at the front of the discussion, but so do economics, class, politics, education, and the arts. 

My Verdict: This book is certainly worth reading, but there are some readers that are going to have a hard time. Perry takes subjects that are obviously difficult, acknowledges those difficulties, and then pushes forward anyway. None of the chapters follow a script, but they are all eye-opening and interesting, and they never read like the history out of a textbook (which is kind of the point). Stories we have all heard before are presented in a new and different light, and with better and more engaging details. Perry's personal stories not only allow for a different point of view, but also allow for a different kind of engagement from the reader, if that makes sense. And as another woman of color who often travels alone, I can appreciate the adventures she often finds when making her way through an unfamiliar city. Also, those who love a good deep dive into seemingly random subjects will appreciate this book. 

Favorite Chapter: Though I have never been to the Bahamas or Cuba, I loved the final chapter "Paraiso: The Bahamas and Havana."

Favorite Quote: "Of course the lost-cause narratives of 'happy slaves' on plantations were false. But it is true that the culture made by enslaved people insisted upon joy. It was not a naive childish satisfaction. No, it was, it is, the joy of a voice that could soar one moment and growl the next, giggle and holler. It's the joy of dancing in a whip-scarred, food-deprived, achy body. The joy of love, of the binding between souls across the borders of flesh and the rules of society. It was a refusal to be rendered entirely in the image of White Americans, even when completely beaten down." - from "Soul of the South: The Black Belt"

Recommended Reading: I recommend Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson every chance I get, so I am doing so again now.  

Science Fiction: How High We Go in the Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu

Stories that take place in a dystopian or uncertain future have been popular for quite some time. With the world the way it is currently, it was only a matter of time before even more plots involving a deadly virus appeared. How High We Go in the Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu combines a deadly pandemic and the effects of climate change to paint a grim future that is also full of possibilities.

The Situation: In a not-so-distant future, Cliff, a grieving archeologist, takes a trip to the Arctic Circle. The journey will serve two purposes: Not only will he get to visit the site where his daughter died, but he also has the opportunity to continue her work. The team made a recent discovery in the melting permafrost, one the Cliff already knows could be potentially dangerous. The preserved remains of a young girl have been found, but when she is unearthed, so is the virus that killed her. When one crew member gets sick, it is no big deal. When another one gets sick, the team is concerned. Cliff must acknowledge what has been at the back of his mind since he arrived at the site, knowing the world now has a new issue to face.

The Problem: Over the next few years, this new virus makes its way across the globe, killing millions, and changing the way we live. At first, only children are affected, and in one city, a theme park is erected for the terminally ill, though the biggest attraction has a grim purpose. Funeral homes and mortuaries must change the way they operate, if only because there is now an incredible amount of bodies to bury and cremate. Death and grief are now big business as demand outpaces supply, but unemployment continues to climb as those who entered the workforce as the virus took hold are left somewhat adrift. The pandemic and its effects linger for decades, and humanity is drastically altered. As the earth itself begins to change as well, plans are made to find a home beyond our planet, though even that plan has its complications. 

Genre, Themes, History: This is a science fiction novel that is set in various locations around the world, beginning around the year 2030 and continuing into 2105. During that time, a virus that had previously been frozen in the Arctic Circle slowly infects human beings around the world. The virus often leaves its victims in a coma, but that is after it transforms the body's organs into resembling each other. Lungs suddenly have brain tissue; the liver takes the form of a heart. Organ transplants can buy some time, but demand is high. The novel closely resembles a collection of short stories, as each chapter focuses on a different character, in a different location, at a different time. But each one is connected, with many characters appearing in other chapters. The virus, along with climate change, pushes humanity to achieve the impossible, if only because they have no other choice.

My Verdict: I was somewhat wary of picking up a book that focuses on the effects of a pandemic...particularly one that would take place less than a decade from now. But what I found is that the choice of telling the story through loosely connected chapters and characters worked out well. It allowed for big jumps in time, and lets the reader see how different geographic regions are effected. Also, as someone with a terrible memory, being able to see the name of a character and remember their story from four or five chapters ago feels like the author is allowing the reader to check in with an old friend. This can provide necessary closure, and makes the overall story much richer. Some may feel like details are missed or questions are left unanswered, which I certainly understand, but it is worth it to stick with this one to the end. 

Favorite Moment: *spoiler alert* After some have left on a spaceship to find a home beyond Earth, they receive news that humanity was able to cure the virus and move forward.

Favorite Character: Snortorious P.I.G. is a pig in a research lab that developed the ability to speak. Of course, this comes with serious issues, but for the most part, Snortorious is a pleasure to work with. Just his name alone makes me smile.

Recommended Reading: Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel also explores a world where a deadly virus has wiped out most of humanity. 

Contemporary Fiction: Olga Dies Dreaming by Xochitl Gonzalez

Discovering new authors and storytellers is always a joy, and there has been a fair amount of hype around Olga Dies Dreaming by Xochitl Gonzalez. Reading the synopsis, it is easy to understand why: Two siblings, successful in their respective careers, have their own secret struggles, and must confront their complicated relationship with their mother in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria. 

The Situation: It is 2017, and Olga Acevedo is doing incredibly well for herself. She has grown her business as a wedding planner to the elite and has the money and reputation to show for it. Her older brother, Prieto, is not doing badly himself, as a popular congressman representing their quickly gentrifying neighborhood in Brooklyn. The two of them were raised by their grandmother after their mother left them to pursue her dreams of activism. For her, leaving her children behind was an act of love, as she left to fight for the people of Puerto Rico. From the outside, it would seem that both Olga and Prieto have overcome that early trauma of being abandoned, as well as their father's death. But Olga has to admit to herself, when reflecting on the many secrets she keeps, that she is not a great person.

The Problem: Although she never lets them know where she is or how to find her, the siblings' mother does write to her children. She challenges her daughter's life decisions, claiming that Olga is wasting her potential, and Olga agrees. She is not entirely okay with herself, with her myriad of secrets as constant reminders of the person she has become. Prieto has his own secrets, some of which may come to light after he receives some startling news. Then Hurricane Maria ravages the island of Puerto Rico, and Olga and Prieto's mother is once again a force in their lives. The woman may not have been around, physically, for decades. But she manages to influence them, and a few around them, from thousands of miles away, all in the effort to liberate the Puerto Rican people. Olga and Prieto will have to decide who they want to be, and what it really means to chase the American dream.

Genre, Themes, History: This is a novel set primarily in mid-to-late 2017, just before and after Hurricane Maria hit the island of Puerto Rico. Olga has not gotten married herself, though she is well-skilled at planning the weddings of others, mostly the incredibly rich. Her divorced brother, Prieto, has a successful political career representing Brooklyn. For some, he is the popular Puerto Rican congressmen fighting for his own neighborhood. For others, he is like every other politician, and not as authentic as he would like everyone to believe. The book explores complex family relationships, particularly between siblings, and between children and their estranged mother. There is also a fair amount of politics involved, as the narrative takes a close look at gentrification, and the history of the relationship between the U.S. and Puerto Rico, giving special focus to the events during the 2017 hurricane season. 

My Verdict: This book was not quite what I was expecting, and that turned out to be a good thing. The author has married a romantic plotline with a political one, while also bringing in other heavy issues that somehow do not weigh down the overall story. Olga plans weddings - really nice and expensive ones - but nothing about the story is overly sappy or sentimental. And while the issue of her and Prieto being left behind by their mother is certainly a big one, it is not everything, and the siblings are able to be more than characters with abandonment issues. It is a book that could have been much longer, but Gonzalez fit in an incredible amount of story into less than 400 pages. And it is a story that is never boring, always entertaining (and interesting), and often surprising.

Favorite Moment: There is an early scene where Olga is walking through Brooklyn, and it is filled with all of the sights (like a small coffee shop), sounds, and smells that remind me of what it is like to walk through an older, familiar neighborhood.

Favorite Character: Every family needs someone like Tia Lola. There are things about her that her family has always wondered, Olga and Prieto included, but she feels no need to supply them with the answers. She lives her life on her own terms, but is also the supportive aunt who will always show up for the children that aren't even hers. 

Recommended Reading: I recommend Let Me Hear a Rhyme by Tiffany D. Jackson, a young adult book that is another love letter to Brooklyn.  

Nonfiction: A Killer by Design by Ann Wolbert Burgess

As someone who enjoys the occasional true crime podcast and book as much as the next person, I was excited to pick up A Killer by Design: Murderers, Mindhunters, and My Quest to Decipher the Criminal Mind by Ann Wolbert Burgess. Instead of following the crimes and story of a specific serial killer, this book goes behind the profiling process, as told by a woman who made a career of perfecting the process.

Genre, Themes, History: This is a nonfiction book that explores Burgess' time as part of the Behavioral Science Unit, or BSU, with the FBI. It was her exhaustive research that focused on rape victims that led the FBI to reach out to her. She would help in creating the BSU, a team of individuals who specialized in profiling suspects for some of the countries most heinous and disturbing crimes. Some well-known serial rapists and killers are mentioned, including David Berkowitz ("Son of Sam"), Dennis Rader ("The BTK Killer"), Henry Louis Wallace ("The Taco Bell Strangler"), and even Ted Kaczynski ("The Unabomber"). During her time with the BSU, Burgess would help the team in creating a research-based approach to identifying serial killers, hopefully getting them identified, caught, and convicted as soon as possible, leaving them little opportunity to continue their killing spree. As Burgess moves through history, lessons are learned and their process changes with each killer they help catch.

My Verdict: In the author's note, Burgess makes a point to say that the book will discuss sensitive topics such as murder, sexual assault, abuse, sexism, racism, and mental health. Some of the stories are difficult to read, and the people who committed the crimes are discussed in detail, along with the atrocities they committed, adding a depth to the events that many people may not want or need. Most lovers of true crime will be fine, maybe even fascinated, though that fascination is something Burgess has learned to be careful with. I appreciate that she touches on the idea of a person having a "favorite" serial killer, and just how fascinated and infatuated people can be with the topic. For Burgess, her research started with the victims, and they are the reason why she continues her work. And her storytelling is just as impressive as her career.

Favorite Chapter: The entire book is interesting, but I found "Chapter 15: Ego Will be Your Downfall" to be particularly fascinating, as it chronicles how authorities were able to find the Unabomber by appealing to his need for attention.

Recommended Reading: I have recommended it several times, and I'll do so again: I'll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara is an engaging account of the search for the Golden State Killer.

Historical Fiction: Beasts of a Little Land by Juhea Kim

Any novel that attempts to have many interlocking storylines and points of view always piques my interest. This was certainly the case with Beasts of a Little Land by Juhea Kim. Set during Korea's fight for independence and the struggles of World War II, the book follows the stories and fates of a handful of characters, each with their own goals, and ideas of how the world should be.

The Situation: It is 1917, and a poor hunter is saved from death by the very people who are oppressing his country. But a gift from one of the Japanese hunters will set the hunter's son on a course that none of them could have forseen. In another part of the country, a young girl is sold by her family to a courtesan school, and Jade almost surprises herself by being willing to go. While she takes to the lessons, and even finds a friend in Lotus, the owners impetuous and somewhat incorrigible daughter, times are difficult, and one event finds her being moved to another school. It is here that Jade will meet JungHo, and the two of them will continue to cross paths over the next few decades, even as struggles and war happen around them.

The Problem: As Jade grows into a great beauty, eventually carving out a wonderful career for herself, JungHo does everything he can to become worthy of her love. But their country is fighting for its independence from Japan, and the struggle is a difficult one. JungHo agrees to assist a wealthy advocate for the revolution, while Jade attaches herself to a young rickshaw driver, while also avoiding the intense attentions of a Japanese soldier. When war breaks out outside of the countries borders, things go from difficult to dire, and not everyone will make it to the other side alive. JungHo continues to have one focus, and that is the earn Jade's affection, but even that is proving to be a fight that may cost him everything. 

Genre, Themes, History: This is a historical fiction novel set in Korea between the years 1917-1965. At the start, the country is in a struggle for independence from Japan. By the end, its resources have been used to aid the Japanese in their attempt to take over China, as well as in the fighting during WWII. This is the backdrop to the interweaving stories of Jade and JungHo, as well as a myriad of other characters. Across four parts, each chapter contains its own sections that often switch between the different characters, often revealing secrets and ambitions that others know nothing about. Despite the character's issues and problems, there is a sense of everything being controlled by fate, as well as the idea that everyone is where they are, at any moment of time, for a specific reason. 

My Verdict: I know I have pointed this out many times before, but creating a story that is told by many different characters as their lives intersect with each other is no easy task, so I always admire anyone who manages to pull it off. Kim has written such a story, and placed it during a time of extreme hardship and difficulty. And the characters are not flat, not even the more minor ones. It was difficult for me to not become invested in the fate of each person, even the ones I did not care for or like. I wanted to know what happened to each of them, and what their fate meant for the more central characters, since even the smallest instance seemed to have an effect on someone's future. It is a carefully crafted story that most any historical fiction lover will enjoy.

Favorite Moment: *spoiler alert* Luna is Lotus' older sister, and has been dealt a difficult fate. Though she mostly keeps to herself, she secures the future she had hoped for her young daughter. 

Favorite Character: Jade is not perfect, but she makes her own decisions and chooses her own way, no matter what other people may believe she should do (which would often mostly benefit them, and not her). 

Recommended Reading: Though not a historical fiction novel, I recommend Star of the North by D.B. John, which takes place partly in North Korea.