The spaces between

[dolorosa_12]

18. Bought on a recommendation

Most of the books I read are bought on a recommendation — either via someone here or on Twitter talking about the book and me thinking I'd like it, or via Matthias, who reads a lot of review magazines and keeps an eye out for things I might like.

To pluck one at random that I bought on both the recommendation of both Matthias, and several authors on Twitter (including say_shannon and aliettedb), I'll go with Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan. Ngan draws on various East Asian histories and cultures in this story (she describes it as simply 'Asian-inspired'), and it was one of my favourite books read last year. Here's what I said about it in a previous blog post:

This book is set in a strictly hierarchical society, with three castes (the demonic Moon caste ruling over the partially demonic Steel and fully human Paper castes), an imperial court seething with intrigue, and simmering rebellions breaking out all over a vast empire. All this is presided over by the Demon King, a thoroughly nasty individual who, among other things, takes a tribute of sorts in the form of a group of Paper teenagers to be his concubines. While this is supposed to be a great honour, in reality it's an act of violence and dispossession, and the majority of these girls — including the protagonist, Lei — do not go willingly. However, all is not as it seems in the court of the Demon King, and from the midst of a group of what appears to be the most disempowered individuals — the 'Paper Girl' concubines — a revolution is brewing. I have a personal preference for stories about girls and women who suffer trauma, have their agency taken away from them, and carve out spaces of survival and hope in the ruins, so this was always going to appeal to me, and the fact that it features a f/f love story (with a happy ending!) was just icing on the cake to me. However, it probably goes without saying that a premise like Ngan's is going to depict and address sexual violence, and although this is mostly done in a fade-to-black kind of way, if that's something you'd prefer not to read I would advise you to give this book a miss.

19. Still can't stop talking about it.
20. Favorite cover.
21. Summer read.
22. Out of print.
23. Made to read at school.
24. Hooked me into reading.
25. Never finished it.
26. Should have sold more copies.
27. Want to be one of the characters.
28. Bought at my fave independent bookshop.
29. The one I have reread most often.
30. Would save if my house burned down.

Comments

[merit]

It is on my 'to read' list! Partly because I also have a preference for "stories about girls and women who suffer trauma, have their agency taken away from them, and carve out spaces of survival and hope in the ruins." It is very satisfying when it happens.

[dolorosa_12]

Ooh, cool! I hope you enjoy it — it was definitely one of my favourite books of last year, for exactly the reason you've mentioned. That's my favourite kind of story.