Katrin Figge
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Art & CultureDestinationsLifestylePeopleCity BeatFootballBook ReviewsOpinion
Katrin Figge
Articles, Thoughts, Musings

Book reviews

“I have always imagined paradise will be a kind of library.” – Jorge Luis Borges

Girls of Fate and Fury by Natasha Ngan
Girls of Fate and Fury by Natasha Ngan

Girls of Fate and Fury is the third and final installment in the Girls of Paper and Fire trilogy by Natasha Ngan – an adventurous tale of young women fighting oppression in the magical and Asian-inspired kingdom of Ikhara.

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booksKatrin FiggeMarch 29, 2022book review, girls of fate and fury, natasha ngan, LGBTQ fantasy
How We Disappeared by Jing-Jing Lee
How We Disappeared by Jing-Jing Lee

Jing-Jing Lee’s How We Disappeared is an emotional and heartbreaking read but it’s one of those books that truly matter. Wang Di’s time as a Comfort Woman is hard to stomach, yet I feel it is so essential to learn about the past.

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booksKatrin FiggeJanuary 12, 2022how we disappeared, books, book review, jing-jing lee, comfort women, singapore
Beautiful Country by Qian Julie Wang
Beautiful Country by Qian Julie Wang

In this memoir, Qian Julie Wang recalls her upbringing as an undocumented immigrant in America, which is riddled with poverty, fear and hardships, but also resilience and – ultimately – hope.

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booksKatrin FiggeJanuary 9, 2022book review, Qian Julie Wang, Beautiful Country, memoir, books
The Mountains Sing by Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai
The Mountains Sing by Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai

The Mountains Sing is a raw, honest and heart-wrenching tale that had me wipe away tears on almost every single page. And yet, it is a marvelous story, written in such an immersive and engaging way that it is impossible not to devour it.

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booksKatrin FiggeNovember 2, 2021book review, the mountains sing, vietnam war, literature, own voices, Vietnam, Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai
Total F*cking Godhead by Corbin Reiff
Total F*cking Godhead by Corbin Reiff

This book was another trip down memory lane. Since reading Dave Grohl’s autobiography, I have been stuck in the 90s and have no intention of leaving here anytime soon. Personally, I enjoyed reading it and couldn’t help but revisit the music again, and again, and again.

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booksKatrin FiggeOctober 29, 2021chris cornell, soundgarden, book review, books, biography, seattle, music
Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender
Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender

I enjoyed reading this book so much that I found myself unable (or perhaps unwilling) to move on to my next book because how could it ever compare to the marvelous world of Felix Love?

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Katrin FiggeSeptember 8, 2021book review, felix ever after, LGBTQ, Kacen Callender
The Witch's Heart by Genevieve Gornichec
The Witch's Heart by Genevieve Gornichec

Like the Greek mythology retellings I have read, it’s intriguing to see the story through the eyes of a woman; these recently published novels have offered a fresh perspective on ancient tales and put the spotlight on those who have long been voiceless.

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booksKatrin FiggeAugust 28, 2021book review, The Witch's Heart, Norse mythology, Genevieve Gornichec
The Passing Playbook by Isaac Fitzsimons
The Passing Playbook by Isaac Fitzsimons

“The Passing Playbook” (I love the title, by the way, it’s so clever!) is full of love and hope and joy, without avoiding the real problems and discrimination many transgender people unfortunately still have to face.

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booksKatrin FiggeAugust 20, 2021The Passing Playbook, Isaac Fitzsimons, book review, LGBTQ, book recommendations
Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid

I may be late to the Taylor Jenkins Reid party, but I’m ready to go all in. I honestly didn’t expect to like Daisy Jones & The Six as much as I did. Now I’m wondering: what was I thinking? Why WOULDN’T I like it?

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booksKatrin FiggeAugust 3, 2021Taylor Jenkins Reid, Daisy Jones & The Six, book review, books
Hana Khan Carries On by Uzma Jalaluddin
Hana Khan Carries On by Uzma Jalaluddin

Hana Khan Carries On has your typical rom-com ingredients, the very popular enemies-to-lovers trope, and yet offers a fresh perspective on the Muslim community in Canada. The author paints a vivid picture what life is like for first- and second generation immigrants.

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booksKatrin FiggeJuly 20, 2021Uzma Jalaluddin, Hana Khan Carries On, rom com, books, book review
Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid
Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid

I finished this book a few days ago, but I still don’t really know how I actually feel about it. But any novel that stays with you, that makes you think about it even after you have moved on to the next one, is already an accomplishment in my eyes.

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booksKatrin FiggeJuly 13, 2021book review, such a fun age, Kiley Reid, books
Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner
Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner

Michelle Zauner delivers a memoir about growing up in Oregon as a half American, half Korean child and teenager, her struggle with finding her own identity, losing her mother to cancer, and the one thing that has always brought them together: Korean food.

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booksKatrin FiggeJune 21, 2021book review, Michelle Zauner, Crying in H Mart, books
They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera
They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera

OK, confession time: I’m a crybaby when it comes to reading sad, tragic, beautiful books. And with this novel, well, I shouldn’t have been surprised – it’s right there in the title, duh!

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booksKatrin FiggeJune 10, 2021book review, Adam Silvera, They both die at the end, YA literature
The Perfect World of Miwako Sumida by Clarissa Goenawan
The Perfect World of Miwako Sumida by Clarissa Goenawan

Clarissa Goenawan is a gifted writer, but “The Perfect World of Miwako Sumida” didn’t draw me in as much her debut novel “Rainbirds”. However, I deeply appreciate the way she approaches and tackles serious issues.

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booksKatrin FiggeJune 1, 2021Clarissa Goenawan, The Perfect World of Miwako Sumida, Japanese literature, book review
First Person Singular by Haruki Murakami
First Person Singular by Haruki Murakami

Murakami’s short stories range from nostalgic memories of adolescence to dreamlike encounters and include many of the author’s typical elements: his musings on music, philosophy and the mysterious.

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booksKatrin FiggeMay 29, 2021book review, Haruki Murakami, First Person Singular, Japanese literature
Yolk by Mary H.K. Choi
Yolk by Mary H.K. Choi

This is the first novel by Mary H.K. Choi I have read, and all I can think is, WHY? Why haven’t I heard of her before? I’m most definitely going to add her other books to my wishlist.

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booksKatrin FiggeMay 24, 2021Yolk, Mary Choi, book review, books
These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong
These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong

This retelling of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet takes its readers to a dazzling Shanghai in the 1920s, where the heirs of rival gangs join forces to fight a new enemy.

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booksKatrin FiggeMay 17, 2021These Violent Delights, Chloe Gong, books, book review, fantasy novel
Know My Name by Chanel Miller
Know My Name by Chanel Miller

I wish we lived in a world where this memoir would never have to be written. But the reality unfortunately looks quite different. That is why I am grateful that Chanel Miller had the courage to write this book – and she is such a gifted writer.

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booksKatrin FiggeMay 12, 2021Chanel Miller, Know my name, book review, memoir
Dial A for Aunties by Jesse Q. Sutanto
Dial A for Aunties by Jesse Q. Sutanto

Reading “Dial A for Aunties” felt like going on a rollercoaster, with many surprising twists and turns and breathtaking loops. When I finished the ride, I felt good and filled with adrenaline, immediately wanting to queue again.

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booksKatrin FiggeMay 10, 2021dial a for aunties, Jesse Sutanto, book review
Strange Weather in Tokyo by Hiromi Kawakami
Strange Weather in Tokyo by Hiromi Kawakami

It’s true that the plot is simple and perhaps not particularly exciting, but I enjoyed its quiet approach to the universal theme of love. The beauty of the novel is in the small and subtle details.

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booksKatrin FiggeMay 7, 2021Hiromi Kawakami, book review, literature, Japanese literature
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