I have always wondered how others live a cross-cultural life. Whether it’s the culture you are born into or trying to understand a different one, this diverse topic continues to fascinate me. Imagine a girl who struggles to juggle her identity since she is half-Indian and half-Jewish. Sonia Nadhamuni is far from normal as she tries to be less than herself. But, what does that mean? Does it mean lying about her culture, fitting in with her new friends, or just giving vague answers when asked about her heritage? Sonia’s life is an absolute mess, but author Veera Hiranandani smooths out a path leading the reader into Sonia’s not so “half” life. “Maybe it would be easier just to be Indian and not have to explain the Jewish part.” This quote resonates with Sonia’s thoughts about herself. For most of the book, she has the mindset that she is either just Indian or just Jewish, not both. Her heritage was never a problem at her expensive private school, where the kids just knew each other and never asked questions. However, Sonia’s close to ‘perfect’ life came to a sudden end when her father lost his job. As a result, her mother had to work more hours, her dad had severe episodes, and worst of all, Sonia and her sister had to attend public school. I felt terrible for Sonia at first, especially when she had to transfer schools. Her life gets turned upside down– she has to adjust to the new surroundings and make new friends. A couple more chapters in, I noticed that Sonia was quite spoiled, and I started to sympathize with those around her. Once she starts at her new school, Sonia quickly finds herself wavering between a group of popular girls and kids who would consider themselves introverts. Kate, a popular white girl, has a controlling friendship with Sonia, while Alisha, a nerdy Black girl, has a heart of gold. After making the cheerleading team as an alternate, Sonia learns that to fit in she first needs to be true to herself. The Whole Story of Half a Girl is a fast-paced young adult novel encompassing the true nature of middle school, adorned with the hard truth of reality. Throughout the book, Hiranandani offers the question of one’s heritage and identity. This made me ponder my heritage, and I connected with Sonia in many ways. Still, while she tried explaining that she is American Indian, Indian from India, I started to smile, knowing that even I had to explain my heritage to my friends. All in all, The Whole Story of Half a Girl is a spellbinding book, and I couldn’t enjoy it more. The Whole Story of Half a Girl by Veera Hiranandani. Yearling Books, 2013. Buy the book here and help support Stone Soup in the process!
book review
The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea, Reviewed by April, 14
Every year, May is celebrated as AAPI Month in honor of the Asian American and Pacific Islanders who have contributed to the world. With popular reading platforms like Goodreads publishing lists of AAPI authors, the month has been a lovely whirlwind of new #ownvoices books topping my to-be-read list. Through it all, the one that has completely taken my breath away is a Korean-coded fantasy debut to the beat of Miyazaki’s Spirited Away. The gorgeous cover of Axie Oh’s The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea depicts Mina, a young girl whose role has never yet been the protagonist. The loveliest girl in her village is Shim Cheong, but Cheong’s beauty is as much of a blessing as it is a curse—every year, a girl bride is sacrificed to the Sea God in hopes of satiating the deadly storms that sweep the land. Legend says that only the Sea God’s true bride will calm the floods forever. Beautiful Cheong is set to be the annual sacrifice, but there is one problem: she loves Mina’s brother. To save her brother’s beloved, Mina jumps into the sea as a sacrifice instead, becoming the reckless heroine of her own story. In the watery depths, she enters the Spirit Realm, where spirits and creatures and gods abound. But nothing is as it seems. As Mina tries to figure out why the Sea God is causing so many storms in the human world, her soul is stolen. From there, Mina must venture through a world of magic and lost stories and vengeful gods to seek answers about the Sea God, lest she become a spirit forever. This book painted one of the lushest, most breathtaking settings I have ever had the pleasure to immerse myself in. Axie Oh brought the fascinating world of the Spirit Realm to life with such a detailed hand that I could feel the flurry of spirits, smell vendors’ candies and desserts, see the gilded palaces and gardens. I loved the Korean culture incorporated into the book, from the twist on the tale of Shim Cheong to the Red String of Fate. There was something about the aesthetic of the book that felt wholly comforting. Perhaps what I adored most were the themes. At first, I wasn’t sure how I felt about Mina; she seemed like yet another perfect Mary Sue heroine, the clean-cut selfless kind of girl about as real as a unicorn. As the book progressed, though, I began to see her flaws: her fear, her doubt, but her unwavering filial piety triumphing nevertheless. Mina stayed strong because of and for her family, which I deeply admired; it was steeped in the book’s Asian roots and ideologies, untarnished by romance or ulterior motives. Flashbacks to her grandmother’s wonder and storytelling ability were wonderfully written and executed. Even when Mina was struggling, she sought to comfort others and wove stories like her grandmother’s that were more magical than anything in the Spirit Realm. Mina was wise beyond her years and wielded her vulnerabilities like knives, which is the bravest thing of all. That said, there was romance in the book. Initially, I lamented the lack of chemistry between the main couple. After reading, however, I’ve come to view it as more of a meeting of souls than physical touch or grand acts. I think the two love interests’ personalities truly slotted together, their individual internal beauty translating into immense care for each other. There is a love triangle, but in its loosest definition—Oh explored romance in such an unconventional yet wholesome way. The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea featured the neglect of gods and the trenches of darkness between broken souls, but it also displayed the power that comes from weakness and how mere words can change the course of the world. It has earned its place as one of my comfort books and favorite books of all time. Oh has broken into the world of young adult fantasy with impeccable talent. I wish I had just one more page to spend with Mina and her friends and family, but in my heart, I know they ended up in exactly the right place. The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh. Feiwel & Friends, 2022. Buy the book here and help support Stone Soup in the process!
Look Both Ways: A Tale Told in Ten Blocks, Reviewed by Sita, 13
Jason Reynolds’ Look Both Ways: A Tale Told in Ten Blocks is, in its simplest form, a story about a walk home from school. But it is also a story about grief, growing up, facing your fears, chronic illness, divorce, bullying, and a school bus falling from the sky. The walk home is ten blocks, and each block is told from the perspective of a different kid on their walk home. Students at Latimer have a lot on their plate, with pressure at school and at home to be a certain way. The only time they can truly be themselves is on their walk home, and part of this is trying to figure out their relationship to their community. Although the premise sounds like it might set you up for quite a boring book, Look Both Ways is incredible. Every single child featured is completely different, yet they all are connected in one way or another. Each story revolves around connection and how it affects the children. Sometimes it is the connection between a child and their parents, sometimes it is a connection between peers who have endured similar hardships, sometimes it is good, and sometimes it is painful, but it is an integral part of each story, because the life of a middle schooler is all about connection. Middle school is a time of change, a machine whose input is drastically different from its output. It is one of the places that is guaranteed to produce a person that is wiser than they were when they first walked through those double doors. And this is because middle school students thrive on attachments. It is what influences their every action. All the things they do, all the things they say, it is all because of connection. Reynolds explores this point of view of adolescence by making readers of Look Both Ways realize why certain kids need to be funny, or be a bully, or steal, and why teens are the way that they are. Look Both Ways: A Tale Told in Ten Blocks by Jason Reynolds. Atheneum Books, 2020. Buy the book here and help support Stone Soup in the process!
