Reviews and Comments

I'm always impressed when someone can piece together early memories, in this case ages 3-7, into a coherent story. Of course in this one the historical traumas pierce through moments of early childhood, making them more clear and more painful.

The main story is like holding a small child's hand and listening to all they have to say. It's lovely and sad and hopeful. Some moments are beautiful and some terrifying. This quote stands out, right before a terrifying story of the power imbalance of being surrounded by occupying soldiers:

"Summer passed, erasing the last traces of wildflowers and green grass. Migrating birds appeared as though barrels of confetti had been poured across the sky and swirled in endless formations. I waved to them." (160)

But I think the beginning, being a teenager on a bus and being stopped at a checkpoint by soldiers, is most powerful for me. I don't know how anyone could read that and not desperately want to end apartheid. The fear, uncertainty, and entrapment in those hours of waiting under armed guard. This is immediately after watching a teenager beaten for reacting to the fear by giggling:

"We stand still like trees--no talking, no looking at one another, no asking questions, no requesting water or trips to the bathroom, no sitting or squatting. We no not know what we are waiting for or why we are waiting. The hours stretch like rubber bands that break and snap against our skins, measured by the ticking of boots, going and coming across the yard, in and out of the building. I keep my eyes on our main guard, . . .He looks at us as though we are only suitcases in his custody." (7)

This is all for riding a bus.

I think what I wanted from this book was more interweaving of the teenager's and child's perspective, more comparisons or maybe more complexity in the parallels. But I think it is meant to be a simple story and in a way, it is. There's not really judgement or analysis, the teenager is still in a way a child just witnessing.

An interesting experiment. It's almost a long form poem, about lives detached from society and somewhat entwined in rural ecology, disintegrating happily in isolation. There are some beautiful, memorable passages. I've never read anything like it!

I appreciate the detail of what everyday life actually is. Plastic bags on the back of the door accumulating, things you might get done someday. Gardens and wood rot and the progress of mud puddles.

I don't appreciate how apolitical and white-washed it is.

Do not read if you are OCD or at all anxious about mess, some of the details will get stuck in your head in a bad way.

This book is so needed. After a decade of nutritionists, occupational therapists, feeding therapists, etc not understanding ARFID, after searching for an understanding of what "picky eating" really means and only finding blogs, finally someone has published an accessible breakdown of sensory aversions and how to adjust recipes to accommodate them.

The first section of the book is unique and powerful, giving anyone living with sensory food aversions and anyone helping feed someone with aversions so many practical options to explore.

The recipes are inspiring, but sadly there are errors throughout. The first half, with tips and tricks about smell, color, and texture, is worth it on it's own even if the recipes need a lot of skill and adjustments to make them work.