Humans have many sins to atone for

The sins accumulate just in the course of this month of reading. Japan, Russia, and USA ruin Korea. China ruins itself. The catholic church ruins young, unwed pregnant woman and steals their babies (pro-life indeed). White people think it’s ok to ruin other human beings by owning them as property. Ultimately it takes a light-hearted murder mystery to recover.

Do Not Say We Have Nothing, by Madeleine Thien

I’ve never had any cause to wonder about the 20th century history of China. My ignorance is vast: I didn’t know how or when communist China was formed, I knew nothing at all about “land redistributions” that followed this formation, nor of the Cultural Revolution and the harsh punishments inflicted on intellectuals, political opponents, and perceived counter-revolutionaries. I am now much better informed. Do Not Say We Have Nothing, follows the intertwined lives of two related families who struggle to live through the Cultural Revolution, and of their children, gifted musicians, living within the times leading up to Tiananmen Square. There are many layers to the story that I can’t even begin to do justice to. The book is long and weighty, it requires you to be attentive in order to absorb all of the detail, and you will learn a lot of extremely unpleasant things about Communist China’s formation and history. In the end, I thought the book was worth it. 9/10

The Island of Sea Women, by Lisa See

This book takes place on Korean island of Jeju, home to the Haenyeo, a group of women divers who work in the sea to harvest food for their livelihood. It is the story of two of these women who start out as best friends, growing up and learning to dive together, until an unforgivable act of betrayal destroys their friendship. Whether it is truly unforgiveable is the central theme of the book: to understand everything is to forgive. It will take you right until the end to decide if this is true.

Meanwhile, the backdrop is Jeju struggling to maintain its culture under Japanese occupation until the end of WWII, when Russia and USA take over, one fighting to enforce communism and the other fighting to end it. In the middle, thousands of Jeju people are horrifyingly massacred. I’ll say, along with Britain, these countries seem inclined to willfully ruin other countries for almost nothing. Don’t be put off, this is a fantastic book, the best so far this year (and it’s already November), 10/10 and I’d give it an 11 if I could.

Small Things Like These, by Claire Keegan

A very short novella that packs a big punch. An unassuming Irish coal merchant picks up on some oddities while delivering coal to a local convent. He figures out that the convent is actually a Magdalene Laundry, an institution run by the catholic church to house fallen (pregnant) women, who suffer abuses at the hands of the nuns and have their babies sold off to the highest bidder. This man finds it in his heart to rescue one young woman, and the book ends with that small message of hope.

In reality, much like Canada’s shame of residential schools, the unmarked graves of 155 women were found at one such laundry, the last of which closed in 1993 (1993!!!!!). Shame on you yet again, catholic church. 9/10

Harriet Tubman: Live in Concert, by Bob the Drag Queen

This is a very odd book. I regrettably purchased a copy (an expensive hard cover!) because a) the Reading Glasses podcast I occasionally listen to recommended it and b) Bob the Drag Queen was cast as a traitor in Season 3 of The Traitors US, my new super-shamey indulgence! Somehow, in a manner that I quickly forgot because it frankly doesn’t matter at all to the story, Harriet Tubman and her crew are reanimated in the present day and Bob, who may or may not be writing autobiographically, decides to produce a musical show of her life. So very odd. I give it 4 for teaching me some previously unknown things about Harriett Tubman, and overall it therefore gets a 4.5/10.

Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone, by Benjamin Stevenson

In the course of trying to solve a murder mystery, Ernest Cunningham reveals how everyone in his family has killed someone. His brother, stepsister, wife, father, mother, sister-in-law, uncle, stepfather, aunt, and even himself. It’s a fun book after a world of heavy drama. Stevenson uses the equivalent of what’s known as breaking the fourth wall in film, to entertaining effect. If you need something light and easy, this is a perfectly find choice. 7/10.