The cutthroat world of publishing, a Korean-American family searching for answers and a female physician in 15th-century China: Literature continues to spark conversations about diversity, stereotypes and rich cultural history.
Yellowface
By R. F. Kuang
June and Athena attended Yale together. They weren’t best friends but shared a dorm and some classes. Years later they find themselves reconnecting in D.C. While June published one book to a minimal audience, beautiful Athena Liu continues to write bestseller after bestseller. It bewilders June why this successful woman would befriend her, but Athena makes a concerted effort to maintain the relationship. Secretly drowning in jealousy, June cannot resist sharing Athena’s spotlight. One evening after too many drinks, the women find themselves in Athena’s apartment. A shocking accident occurs and Athena is dead. June witnesses this tragedy – and she also witnesses Athena’s latest manuscript lying nonchalantly on her desk. June swipes the unfinished masterpiece and calls 911. After properly mourning her friend, she completes the novel. June’s agent creates a frenzy and it shoots to the top of the rankings. Now Athena’s ghost is stalking her, and June must decide how long she can tolerate this elaborate scheme. Narrated in first person, this story focuses on diversity, racism and the horrors of the social media mob mentality. Reader, you will not put this one down.
Lady Tan’s Circle of Women
By Lisa See
Yunxian is a child when her mother passes and she is sent to be raised by her paternal grandparents. As her father travels to work for the Imperial Dynasty, her grandmother prepares her to be a female healer, as she herself is famously known. Yunxian is devastated when she is matched for marriage and must leave the family residence. As women rarely venture from their compound, she misses her loved ones and especially her closest friend, Meiling, daughter of the midwife. In her new home, the Garden of Fragrant Delights, Yunxian is lonely and conceals her special talents. She must be the elite wife her mother-in-law expects. Yearning to care for others while she awaits the birth of a son, Yunxian finds ways to treat the numerous women in their home and teach her daughters many traditions. This magnificent work of fiction takes the reader to the Ming Dynasty during the 15th century. A novel of friendship, family and motherhood, it shines a light on the true story of a remarkable female physician who practiced Chinese medicine. A fascinating record of history.
Happiness Falls
By Angie Kim
The pandemic wasn’t easy for anyone – but not calling the police right away was the biggest mistake of Mia’s life. She’s home from college, slightly bored and perpetually annoyed with her family. Her twin, John, antagonizes her constantly while her younger brother, Eugene, needs a lot of support due to his combined diagnosis of autism and a rare genetic disorder called Angelman Syndrome. One day Eugene returns home after an outing with their father Adam to River Falls Park. Eugene is surprisingly alone and agitated. His clothes are dirty, and he has blood under his fingernails. Normally over-analytical, Mia ignores what is right in front of her. John and their mom get home from work and Eugene, who cannot verbally communicate, becomes more distraught throughout the day. Her father is missing, and his family will do anything to find him. As detectives and experts get involved, Mia dives into online sleuthing to track his last location and every lead they can decipher. Deeply immersed in the world of linguistics, they slowly uncover emotional and scientific clues that ultimately shape this fast-paced mystery.
#WORTHWATCHING: “Always Be My Maybe” on Netflix. Laugh-out-loud romantic comedy about childhood sweethearts who reconnect after 15 years. Starring outspoken, talented and hilarious comedian Ali Wong.
