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Unexpectedly poetic

“what rare peonies, irises, roses will I find? I wake with the sense that a too-tight joint has loosened, and that everything runs fluent with new life

“The study of botany was an education in looking. It made the ordinary world more intricate and finely detailed, as if I had acquired a magnifying glass that trebled the eye's capacity”

Did NOT expect this to be one of the best memoirs I’ve ever read………. Girrrlll…..

the two things keeping me going: 1. the tour de france coincidentally is happening now?? It's exciting reading this story while keeping up with the race live 2. this book came in my life amidst my manic plan to quit my job, move to france, go to pastry school, and eat my heart out!! c'est un signe?? Otherwise the reading experience is quite tedious with every overly descriptive sentence lol

haven’t enjoyed a book this much in so long 😭 tiktok girlies were absolutely correct

So sad but beautiful and captivating so far…I love how this author writes

So cringy I might drop—none of the characters feel real and the writing is sooo messy

Idk if I can finish this—characters feel very unrealistic and dialogue is weird (especially Melanie’s, no one actually talks like that in real life??). I’ll keep reading Bc I loved the author’s other book but idk about this one...

A bit hard to follow all of the locations, names, random concepts, etc. but even if I’m confused most of the time, it’s so beautifully written

I didn’t expect to love Twitchy’s chapter but here I am crying and reading about how this stupid boy died fighting his hardest in the most decorated unit in history for a country that doesn’t love him

“Those boys. If you hit one of hard enough, the other would feel it.” UGH MY HEART I LOVE THE JAPANTOWN BOYS.

“If I go to war for America, if I kill for America, if I support an America that doesn’t support me, am I supporting my oppressors? Am I killing their enemies so they can later kill me? I volunteered. I wanted to serve. But who am I serving, Dad? What am I doing here?”

I can’t believe Japanese internment isn’t taught in most schools. My blood boils reading these stories of concentration camps in America, knowing that many people don’t know this history. American history is such a shit show.

I love seeing each person through everyone else's eyes. "Because Keiko is REALLY tough. Not in the way that Frankie's tough. Not in the way that Mary or Bette is tough. She's kind of weathered, if you know what I mean. She's like one of those bonsai trees Mr. Hidekawa used to collect from the Sierras, all curved and windblown and beaten down by snow, but graceful and strong."

Colonialism is the worst stain on modern civilization and I will stand by that forever

Started off strong, a bit repetitive at this point, but still great nuggets of info!! And I love her perspective.

Paz’s story is captivating. I’m so sad that it was only the prologue.

ROOOOOONNAAANNNNN UGHHHHHHHHHHHH BABYYYY

I’m so hooked, I don’t want this to end

This feels very...data privacy-y....like this is a metaphor for how we should all denounce google and Facebook. It might not be!

THIS BOOK IS HELLA SAD WTF. also still so many loose ends at this point. What’s happening with his twin? His dad?

It’s still good, I’m still enjoying it, but this sudden romance with Morgan feels like insta love!

Extreme contrast—futuristic modernity and ancient antiquity, the result of all knowledge centralized and heavily controlled

Ok I must admit, the teleportation device is real cheesy. A helmet connected to a ton of wires? Kinda expect more from a world with alchemy and auto sphinxes

Santi and Wolfe are totally boning

AHHH MORGAN IS AN OBSCURISTTT

It feels predictable so far, but I’m enjoying it (the prof already set up as an antagonist, Jess will join the burners, torn between family and legality)

I’m really liking this so far! I squealed when Khalila was introduced

I’m really liking this so far! I squealed when Khalila was introduced

She literally grew up in those modernist co-ops that did little to ease poverty for Black communities