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An 11-year-old chemistry enthusiast explores potions, pies and philately

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley

August 15, 2021 by denesteak 2 Comments

In March, Myanmar was descending into near-daily violence under a junta about a month in after the military ousted democratic leader Aung San Suu Kyi from power in a lightning-quick coup. Sixteen-hour days were common for our newsroom in Bangkok as we tried to navigate safety concerns for our reporting staff in Yangon, while dealing with a really intense news cycle. Any time off I had, I just couldn’t do anything “serious” — I stopped watching dramas and switched to 20-minute comedies. I re-downloaded a […]

‘I’m shadowed by doubt that I didn’t have it bad compared to others. But racial trauma is not a competitive sport.’

Minor Feelings: A Reckoning on Race and The Asian Condition by Cathy Park Hong

August 12, 2021 by denesteak 4 Comments

This will be a tough one to review. Cathy Park Hong’s Minor Feelings wasn’t just good – and it was unbelievably good. It was both recognizable – like a familiar friend who I just nodded along to as they spoke – and a revelation. She skillfully put into words a shade that has maybe always been super-imposed over my world view, feelings I never knew were nagging at me before. Her seven essays also covered so much ground that any review I write – and anything […]

Three friends, a revolution, and (for me) a look at our literary biases

Good True Thai by Sunisa Manning

January 4, 2021 by denesteak 2 Comments

Last year came and went with the stillness of a thrashing fish out of water — I certainly don’t need to recap what an astoundingly not-normal year 2020 was. We were all just doing our best, gasping for air while picking up new hobbies to distract ourselves from the pandemic, racial injustice, the world ending, etc. And this is where I let you non-Asia readers in on a secret: While the US and Europe played cat-and-mouse with the virus (seriously, does anyone really know what […]

A city whose fate can change as suddenly as the monsoon rain

Bangkok Wakes to Rain by Pitchaya Sudbanthad

December 17, 2019 by denesteak 2 Comments

From the very first pages describing Bangkok’s early evening crowd of school children, food vendors and no-shits-given receptionist that a character encounters as she walks into a condo building, I knew I was in for the real thing. Literally, Pitchaya Sudbanthad could have been describing my walk home after work. It’s even the details in the condo’s lobby that he gets right, like the random coffee venture that pops up to please management or the “pre-fabricated panels of exposed brick” and the trendy Scandi-but-really-Thai-imitation furniture […]

A world where only cats tell the truth!

Saga Volume 2 by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples

Saga Volume 3 by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples

Saga Volume 4 by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples

December 16, 2019 by denesteak Leave a Comment

Let me be clear — I read these ages ago. And I’m writing a review for them months after the fact. So this will not be the best/clearest/most coherent reviews for a truly awesome series, but I’ll do the best I can. Sage Volume Two introduces Marko’s parents… … who drop into the fleeing couple’s ship unannounced. Marko and his mother immediately take off to a different planet to retrieve their “babysitter”, the ghoul Isabel, while Alana is left with his dad — her now-father-in-law. It […]

Finally embarking on this “space opera” journey thanks to you guys

Saga Volume 1 by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples

August 18, 2019 by denesteak 4 Comments

CBR11bingo: And So It Begins It was a time of war. Isn’t it always. Volume 1 of Saga kicks off with Alana giving birth to a baby as Marko talks her through it. The two are lovers from two different worlds which have been warring for as long as anyone can remember — but politics is not at the forefront of the couple’s minds. They are more keenly aware of their newborn’s traits, like how she has Alana’s wings and Marko’s horns, but her eye colour […]

Lorenzo on McFadden Knocks it Out of the Park AgainMcFadden is a feminist. I deleted her book after reading two chapters of Do Not Disturb. Sick of this 'all men are bastards' propaganda.
ElCicco on Tom Joad needs a bathIs your mom reading Sanora Babb’s “Whose Names Are Unknown”? I just read about her recently. She’d worked for the Farm Security Admin during the...
Emmalita on Two Households, Both Alike in DignityI've just realized that I have never read All My Sons. I just copy pasted the plot of Death of a Salesman into my mental...
katie71483 on For such a warm title, this one left me coldSo frustrating!
Flimflamingo on When You Don’t Know What To Do, Sometimes a Cup of Tea Is the Right Place To Start.I read the title and was sure you were writing about Becky Chambers' Robot and Monk novellas. LOL. I have a feeling I'm adding this...

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