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perditorian's review
challenging
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Islamophobia and Xenophobia
Moderate: Death of parent, Grief, Police brutality, Suicide, and Self harm
mishys2's review
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
TW: Self harm, suicide
A beautifully written story about a family’s journey for survival. To escape a country that was no longer safe and tread across treacherous waters to a newfound land they could call home.
This story starts off hopeful but it’s far from it. We follow their journey from Pakistan, as they escape by boat to Nauru and finally to Australia. The real story is what happens in between. Their journey, their fight for survival, and all the risks they took to reach new land.
We are shown are side that’s not often talked about. What actually goes on in these refugee camps. How they are treated and if they even make it out alive.
That racism is real and alive in Australia. As much as it’s a multicultural country, we are far from the accepting and moving country we should be. The terrible treatment given to refugees, the zero support network, and reliant on volunteers to help.
Firuzeh and her family are faced with countless struggles from living on bread and dry chicken to rejection letters to the xenophobic and racist people they meet. They really are just trying to start a new life but people can be so cruel.
We also get a glimpse into the family dynamic of a family that praises their only son over their daughter. A son that gets to play soccer, have treats and hang with friends. While their daughter is stuck at home doing homework and chores.
The daughter who is haunted by her dead friend. The friend who didn’t make it across the waters. Who talks to her in her dreams and saves her from her nightmares.
The story itself was heartbreaking indeed. We see two parents struggling to make ends meet. The division they placed between brother and sister. The rage that was bubbling inside a little girl.
The lyrical prose is something to get used too, and the lack of quotations marks often left me confused with who was speaking. Aside from that, there were random chapters of side characters (that had quotation marks?) that didn’t really add anything to the rest of the story. However, I loved the setting of Melbourne and use of Aussie slang.
If you like poetic-like prose and a touch of magical realism. A story of a struggling family just trying to survive. Then this ones for you.
Thank you Netgalley and Erewhon Books for providing me with this arc in exchange for my honest review.
A beautifully written story about a family’s journey for survival. To escape a country that was no longer safe and tread across treacherous waters to a newfound land they could call home.
This story starts off hopeful but it’s far from it. We follow their journey from Pakistan, as they escape by boat to Nauru and finally to Australia. The real story is what happens in between. Their journey, their fight for survival, and all the risks they took to reach new land.
We are shown are side that’s not often talked about. What actually goes on in these refugee camps. How they are treated and if they even make it out alive.
That racism is real and alive in Australia. As much as it’s a multicultural country, we are far from the accepting and moving country we should be. The terrible treatment given to refugees, the zero support network, and reliant on volunteers to help.
Firuzeh and her family are faced with countless struggles from living on bread and dry chicken to rejection letters to the xenophobic and racist people they meet. They really are just trying to start a new life but people can be so cruel.
We also get a glimpse into the family dynamic of a family that praises their only son over their daughter. A son that gets to play soccer, have treats and hang with friends. While their daughter is stuck at home doing homework and chores.
The daughter who is haunted by her dead friend. The friend who didn’t make it across the waters. Who talks to her in her dreams and saves her from her nightmares.
The story itself was heartbreaking indeed. We see two parents struggling to make ends meet. The division they placed between brother and sister. The rage that was bubbling inside a little girl.
The lyrical prose is something to get used too, and the lack of quotations marks often left me confused with who was speaking. Aside from that, there were random chapters of side characters (that had quotation marks?) that didn’t really add anything to the rest of the story. However, I loved the setting of Melbourne and use of Aussie slang.
If you like poetic-like prose and a touch of magical realism. A story of a struggling family just trying to survive. Then this ones for you.
Thank you Netgalley and Erewhon Books for providing me with this arc in exchange for my honest review.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide, Suicide attempt, Death, Death of parent, and Self harm
mvvelde's review
dark
hopeful
informative
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
On Fragile Waves tells the riveting and raw refugee journey of an Afghan family of four: Omid, Bahar, Nour and Firuzeh Daizangi.
So much praise for this book! I really enjoyed the imagery as scenery changed from one country or geographical area to the next--and not just as in places but also in that of figments of imagination of Firuzeh and Nour. Throughout the grueling voyage towards becoming permanent refugees, Yu places bits and pieces of two different tales are told by mother or father to the children. I saw this incorporation of mysticism as something so realistic and inherent to parental nature.--that is: these tales are used to draw on the courage or other characteristics the characters within had, and to be used as encouragement for the difficulties Firuzeh and Nour were facing. In addition, I was glad to read from the position of different characters. For that of Firuzeh especially, it was lovely to read her self reflection. For others, such as the Nauru refugee camp workers, I much appreciated the juxtaposition of such a perspective next to that of the asylum seekers themselves. It highlighted the frivolity of the workers complaints about their own lives...they have jobs and loved ones and choose to be separate for days by choice, whilst the migrants have only each other, poor quality of food, etc. The former complains about the nature of the job. The latter are just happy that their loved ones are alive. For me, this added depth and meaning to the story, but also allowed me to connect better with Firuzeh and her family as characters.
I enjoyed Yu's style of writing, though I will admit that it took a few pages and occasional re-reading to get used to. For me, it seemed like a mirror of the chaos that existing within the reality of migrating. Words coming from here and there; interjections--not only of words but of actions--as others speak...it was as if it the writing symbolized the abrupt changes in the scenery and the people in and surrounding the lives of Firuzeh and her family.
Lastly, a thank you to Erewhon Books and NetGalley for the free eARC. It was truly a pleasure to read.
5 stars for On Fragile Waves!
So much praise for this book! I really enjoyed the imagery as scenery changed from one country or geographical area to the next--and not just as in places but also in that of figments of imagination of Firuzeh and Nour. Throughout the grueling voyage towards becoming permanent refugees, Yu places bits and pieces of two different tales are told by mother or father to the children. I saw this incorporation of mysticism as something so realistic and inherent to parental nature.--that is: these tales are used to draw on the courage or other characteristics the characters within had, and to be used as encouragement for the difficulties Firuzeh and Nour were facing. In addition, I was glad to read from the position of different characters. For that of Firuzeh especially, it was lovely to read her self reflection. For others, such as the Nauru refugee camp workers, I much appreciated the juxtaposition of such a perspective next to that of the asylum seekers themselves. It highlighted the frivolity of the workers complaints about their own lives...they have jobs and loved ones and choose to be separate for days by choice, whilst the migrants have only each other, poor quality of food, etc. The former complains about the nature of the job. The latter are just happy that their loved ones are alive. For me, this added depth and meaning to the story, but also allowed me to connect better with Firuzeh and her family as characters.
I enjoyed Yu's style of writing, though I will admit that it took a few pages and occasional re-reading to get used to. For me, it seemed like a mirror of the chaos that existing within the reality of migrating. Words coming from here and there; interjections--not only of words but of actions--as others speak...it was as if it the writing symbolized the abrupt changes in the scenery and the people in and surrounding the lives of Firuzeh and her family.
Lastly, a thank you to Erewhon Books and NetGalley for the free eARC. It was truly a pleasure to read.
5 stars for On Fragile Waves!
Content Warnings
Minor: Suicide, Death of parent, and Suicide attempt
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