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Memoirs of Loss and Love: Everywhere I Look and Crying in H-Mart

24 Jul

Everywhere I Look
by Ona Gritz
Ona Gritz is a former Young Adult Librarian at Hoboken Public Library and we are always excited when she comes back to visit and debut one of her new works such as her new memoir, Everywhere I Look which she discussed with us in May. All though the memoir is newly available, it is a piece that Gritz had been working on for many years. It details her relationship with her older sister, whose life was sadly ended too soon by a horrible crime. Gritz explores and uncovers a variety of family secrets that allow her to have a fuller picture of her sister and their relationship. This story has a moving bittersweet quality, but also manages Ona’s goal of celebrating the life of her sister, even if it was cut short so briefly. The book is being added to our local author collection. Fans of true crime, memoirs, and those interested in complex family dramas will enjoy this work. You can also check out additional books by Gritz including her other new work, a YA Novel, The Space You Left Behind which was published this June and her memoir On the Whole, about raising a baby boy while dealing with her own disability.

Crying in H-Mart
by Michelle Zauner
Crying in H-Mart is the moving and at times also quite funny memoir about Michelle’s Zauner, the woman behind musical act, Japanese Breakfast, and her relationship to her mom, a Korean immigrant who passed away from cancer (they emigrated with Michelle’s American dad from Korea when Michelle was nine months old). H-Mart is the Korean Grocery Store Chain, that sells all the delicious ingredients Zauner’s mother would use to recreate the food of her homeland. Food and her music are the two of the main ways that Zauner uses to celebrate and grieve for her mom. I enjoyed Crying in H-Mart as an audiobook which was read by Zauner. She mentions that some of her relatives had done narration work and to me she must have inherited some of these talents since she did an excellent job telling her engaging story. Even if you are not familiar with her music, her story still has a lot of heart and universal appeal of the bittersweet love and guilt combo that fuels many mother/daughter relationship. I do recommend though if you enjoyed the story checking out Japanese Breakfast’s debut, Psychopomp which has enjoyable pop rock melodies and songs which bring in some autobiographical elements of this period in Zauner’s life and her loss; it is a picture of her mom on the album cover.

Written by:
Aimee Harris
Information and Digital Services Manager

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Romeo and Juliette Retold: These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong

17 Jul

Romeo & Juliette. Those who hear those names instantly know of Shakespeare romantic tragedy. There are countless movies about it with different takes and of course books with their own variation on the tale, including changes in the ending. In many ways, the play itself has become its own genre in terms of  the trope of star-crossed lovers. Many books will have similar themes to the play, but with their own set of characters and situations that differ but take inspiration from the source material. 

These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong is one such tale. Taking place in a 1920s inspired Shanghai, it tells the story of Juliette Cai and Roma Montagov, both heirs to rival gangs, the Scarlets and the White Flowers. Juliette is a former flapper, who has returned to assume her role as heiress as head of the Scarlet Gang, whose power is higher than the law. Both the Scarlets and the White Flowers have fought for generations and the key player behind every move is the White Flowers heir, Roma. Both Juliette and Roma have a shared history as each other’s first loves that ended in betrayal. Things change when a mysterious contagion begins to make itself known and the stability of both gangs begins to crumble. Now Juliette and Roma must set their differences aside and work together before their gangs and the city are destroyed.

Gong weaves a bloody and fantastic narrative with great protagonists who are compelling as they are fun to read about.  The book also has several nods to its inspiration while still coming off as its own story as well, touching on various themes and topics that are woven quite well throughout the narrative. The mystery that makes up the primary plot of the novel is well paced and one that readers will either try to guess along the way or figure out immediately. 

There are many political references made through the book as well in regards to some of the things Shanghai was facing in reality during the 1920s, things the author handles very well and gives the readers something to think on in regards to history. 

Overall, the book is a thrilling read that will have you reaching for the sequel as soon as you reach the ending. These Violent Delights is available now along with its sequel, Our Violent Ends.

You can read several past Shakespeare inspired posts here and here and here.

Written by:
Lauren Lapinski
Information and Digital Services Library Assistant

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