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Atomweight: A Novel
When nineteen-year-old Aki throws her first punch, the respectable ‘good girl’ discovers she’s a fighter. But who is she trying to beat?
Good girl, good student, good daughter: Aki has always done what her loving but demanding multiracial family expects. Far from her Vancouver home, she adjusts to life in London—studies, friends and a relationship with a wealthy but closeted Asian woman. Life is demanding, but Aki is coping until a violent incident triggers an unexpected response in the young Japanese-Latina woman. When she discovers that brutal bar-fighting relieves her stress, she begins a dangerous dual existence—obedient and accommodating by day and brawling by night.
This is a novel about the need to reconcile competing cultures, traditions and values that also explores issues of sexual identity and violence.
Good girl, good student, good daughter: Aki has always done what her loving but demanding multiracial family expects. Far from her Vancouver home, she adjusts to life in London—studies, friends and a relationship with a wealthy but closeted Asian woman. Life is demanding, but Aki is coping until a violent incident triggers an unexpected response in the young Japanese-Latina woman. When she discovers that brutal bar-fighting relieves her stress, she begins a dangerous dual existence—obedient and accommodating by day and brawling by night.
This is a novel about the need to reconcile competing cultures, traditions and values that also explores issues of sexual identity and violence.
256 pages, Paperback
Published May 6, 2023
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93 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
July 4, 2023
I saw this at my local bookstore and I grabbed it immediately as it had been on my to-read list for some time.
I read this in one sitting at the beach and it was truly mesmerizing. Sasagawa does an exemplary job of forging out characters through their relationships with others. It was such a fantastic read and it was so interesting to see how Sasagawa managed to turn the protagonist into antagonist without doing so explicitly.
You get to see the rhythm and life of the protagonist (Aki) with such force and beauty, but also through internal, interpersonal, and societal conflicts. You read the book without ever knowing what will happen next, and there was never a point I wanted to guess either. There was so much beauty in every single word chosen, and I spent much of my time thinking about what the first draft must have looked like to get to where it is now. I was in awe.
If you are looking for an interesting read that is easy and dissectible - look no further. This is a fantastic book to get into if you have had a break from reading, it introduces you into the world of what it means to be a talented writer. Atom Weight exceeded my expectations, and did so with beauty. Sasagawa knows how to breathe a life into you that you didn’t think could exist.
I read this in one sitting at the beach and it was truly mesmerizing. Sasagawa does an exemplary job of forging out characters through their relationships with others. It was such a fantastic read and it was so interesting to see how Sasagawa managed to turn the protagonist into antagonist without doing so explicitly.
You get to see the rhythm and life of the protagonist (Aki) with such force and beauty, but also through internal, interpersonal, and societal conflicts. You read the book without ever knowing what will happen next, and there was never a point I wanted to guess either. There was so much beauty in every single word chosen, and I spent much of my time thinking about what the first draft must have looked like to get to where it is now. I was in awe.
If you are looking for an interesting read that is easy and dissectible - look no further. This is a fantastic book to get into if you have had a break from reading, it introduces you into the world of what it means to be a talented writer. Atom Weight exceeded my expectations, and did so with beauty. Sasagawa knows how to breathe a life into you that you didn’t think could exist.
September 28, 2023
Looking forward to hearing the author at Starfest. This book gave me mots to think about. Aki’s transformation and self discovery was a challenge.
December 31, 2023
3.5 that I’m being generous to for cancon purposes. this was an easy read, the writing style was pretty straightforward. I liked the main character, Aki, a lot. I was really intrigued by the concept of a young woman who gets into fighting as a way of exerting control, but I was def expecting more of an organized fighting situation rather than self guided vigilante type bar fights. still thought it was good, but I think I enjoyed the parts where Aki was with her family the most, especially the Sunshine Coast vacation. Overall an interesting coming of age novel that i would recommend to friends.
October 11, 2023
This is a very engaging and well-plotted coming-of-age story. It follows a familiar pattern, with nothing much in the way of surprises.
The writing is disappointingly in the style of "And then I did this. And then she said that. And then I felt this. And then I talked to her about that." With the exception of one unnecessary spoilerish flash-forward at the beginning, the narration runs in a straight chronological line.
The writing is disappointingly in the style of "And then I did this. And then she said that. And then I felt this. And then I talked to her about that." With the exception of one unnecessary spoilerish flash-forward at the beginning, the narration runs in a straight chronological line.
November 19, 2023
Really enjoyed this debut novel, which tackles queerness, being mixed race (yay) and identity. Aki, the main character, is 19 years old and has moved to London from Vancouver to attend the London School of Economics. She comes out and begins to try to figure out who she is.
Aki also gets into bar fights. Do you remember when you were a young woman and a gross creepy man touched you at the bar? Well, Aki fights back. The depiction of young female rage in this book was fascinating to me.
Aki also gets into bar fights. Do you remember when you were a young woman and a gross creepy man touched you at the bar? Well, Aki fights back. The depiction of young female rage in this book was fascinating to me.
October 7, 2024
Atomweight is an engaging coming of age story of Aki who has always lived up to her parents' optics expectations. She attends university overseas in britain (from canada) and finds destructive ways to become who she actually is. She is extremely fortunate to have committed friends and access to family resources. At the end of this story I'm curious about how less family affluence would have altered the story.
February 5, 2025
There are many ways to describe a novel, but the word that first came to my mind after reading Atomweight was: disruptive. Although many of the themes are familiar, Sasagawa explores their complexity through unique characters and unexpected angles. Time and again, I was surprised and challenged by this novel. Atomweight disrupts the conversation about class, identity, belonging, the way we rage against the world and why, and how to find peace.
February 28, 2025
2.5! would love to read more from this author but this felt very much like a first draft, particularly the dialogue and descriptions of Aki’s emotional landscape. The friendships and relationship progressions had me hooked, which is why I continued reading.
September 22, 2024
Really liked the book but the cover really needs a revamp
November 11, 2024
😬 (also yikes the last sentence????)
February 3, 2025
Couldn't finish. So bad
June 4, 2024
No straight person has ever…
How did the book make me feel/think?
Atomweight is a riveting debut that delves into the tumultuous life of Aki, a queer young woman besieged by the harrowing fear of abandonment.
It is a raw and unflinching exploration of the fight for self-acceptance in a world where sexuality can unjustly eclipse one’s entire being.
Sasagawa masterfully captures the essence of Aki’s struggle, painting a vivid picture of a life marred by violence (emotional + physical) and promiscuity — a desperate attempt to reconcile her identity amidst parental expectations and societal pressures.
The story navigates the complexities of cultural divides, where love must wear a mask, and people bury their true selves under layers of despair. Aki’s confrontation with misogyny, racism, and the insidious nature of self-gaslighting is a testament to the courage required to transform mere tolerance into unconditional love.
Atomweight is sometimes a shocking and violent tale, yet it is undeniably compelling. It beckons readers to open their hearts to a truth where individual sexuality is sacred, and love — free from the constraints of whomever it is directed towards — is the ultimate measure of our humanity.
Sasagawa’s novel is not just a story but an inducement toward empathy and understanding, challenging us to see love not as a threat but as the essence of our existence. It is a powerful reminder the true battle lies in overcoming the fears that divide us and embracing the love that unites us.
WRITTEN: 7 May 2024
How did the book make me feel/think?
Atomweight is a riveting debut that delves into the tumultuous life of Aki, a queer young woman besieged by the harrowing fear of abandonment.
It is a raw and unflinching exploration of the fight for self-acceptance in a world where sexuality can unjustly eclipse one’s entire being.
Sasagawa masterfully captures the essence of Aki’s struggle, painting a vivid picture of a life marred by violence (emotional + physical) and promiscuity — a desperate attempt to reconcile her identity amidst parental expectations and societal pressures.
The story navigates the complexities of cultural divides, where love must wear a mask, and people bury their true selves under layers of despair. Aki’s confrontation with misogyny, racism, and the insidious nature of self-gaslighting is a testament to the courage required to transform mere tolerance into unconditional love.
Atomweight is sometimes a shocking and violent tale, yet it is undeniably compelling. It beckons readers to open their hearts to a truth where individual sexuality is sacred, and love — free from the constraints of whomever it is directed towards — is the ultimate measure of our humanity.
Sasagawa’s novel is not just a story but an inducement toward empathy and understanding, challenging us to see love not as a threat but as the essence of our existence. It is a powerful reminder the true battle lies in overcoming the fears that divide us and embracing the love that unites us.
WRITTEN: 7 May 2024
December 23, 2023
I‘m not going to lie, I couldn‘t really connect to the main character Aki nor the story itself. It felt too rushed and lacked realistic character development in my opinion. However, I got to be in an interview with the author and Emi appears to be a genuinely nuanced and kind person, with a lot of stories to tell - so I‘m neither upset nor confused that many others did indeed connect to the story. Maybe it just wasn‘t for me.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews