ALEC FARMER WRITES – Cultures are founded upon the ancient practice of spoken histories. It was the task of great storytellers to keep the narratives of their people alive and pass them on to future generations. While these stories may have been told by their respective cultures for hundreds of…
ANGELINE KEK WRITES — There is a truth about the human experience that helps those of us who have embraced its lessons to walk around with an easier spring in our steps — the understanding that we are products of our pasts. Every thought, every choice, every path chosen big…
BRIANNA HIRAMI WRITES — Historians often skip over the pain that war leaves on the countless hearts of those who have lost their loved ones to senseless violence. Whether it is a soldier caught on the battlefield, a parent praying for their drafted child, or a refugee actively escaping a…
ELLA KELLEHER WRITES — Not every love affair has to target a person; a lucky few who travel the world get to experience falling deeply in love with a country in its entirety. Appreciating both the city life and the tranquility of the countryside requires dedication and a pleasant open-mindedness. David…
BRIANNA HIRAMI WRITES — The reality of losing a loved one is one of the most devastating feelings in the world. Even if they just pass away peacefully in their sleep, it’s a difficult and heartbreaking realization that they simply cease to exist. Now, imagine your loved one being murdered,…
ELLA KELLEHER WRITES — Is it possible that some relationships teeter on the edge of societal acceptance while others are too tame? Ranging from cosplay sex with an older, married woman to a couple that rarely touch each other, Misumi Kubo’s new novel explores five deeply intimate and intertwined stories…
BRIANNA HIRAMI WRITES — Nobody is shocked to hear that you will have many difficult relationships in life that may cause fights, breakups, and pettiness. There are many romance novels and reality T.V. shows that warn you about the strains that a person can have with a romantic partner, but…
BRIANNA HIRAMI WRITES – If you thought that your long-distance relationship was difficult, just imagine being on opposite sides of the universe and the only form of communication with your significant other are letters that fail to deliver 90% of the time. Kim Bo-Young writes four short tales in I’m…
ANGELINE KEK WRITES — Time — the blanket that softly but entirely enshrouds all sensations, memories, and beings. It is pointless to write about time, that’s the intellectual equivalent of shouting into an endless void. Undeniably, to be aware of one’s existence is to learn to be comfortable with time…
ALEC FARMER WRITES – How does one explore the complexities of modern China? The answer for many would be to look at trends and statistics. Numbers quantify the largest country in the world from the macro. However, it is easy to forget that these figures represent the real lives of…
BENJAMIN BARRETT WRITES — While United States immigration stories are frequent, it is rare that we are able to read about them in a fictional, entertaining, and emotionally evocative way. However, in his book Afterparties (2021), Anthony Veasna So does just that. Before his book was even released, So’s life was…
ANGELINE KEK WRITES — Cemented as one of the more influential novels in literary culture, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby has been, if anything, overly explored by critics and readers worldwide. Nghi Vo boldly disagrees — in fact, this exclusive social circle, novelist Nghi Vo insists, is missing someone…
BRIANNA HIRAMI WRITES — You may have been able to guess by the eerie-looking bunny presented in inverted colors on the cover that this tale is anything but light and happy. Bora Chung’s fascinating and unique short story collection, Cursed Bunny, displays the most disturbing truths about the nature of…
ALEC FARMER WRITES — Home does not denote a solely physical space. It represents memories, both good and bad. Experiences with family, friends, and passing acquaintances are associated with the place these events occurred in. For this reason, locations are special to someone because of their shared history. This duality between…
ELLA KELLEHER WRITES – Consider, for a moment, that food is not simply fuel, but rather each component to a meal contains a piece of living-giving energy. “Each grain [of rice]”, as author and translator Winifred Bird describes, “was thought to have a soul, and for many centuries people believed…
BRIANNA HIRAMI WRITES — Choi Jin-Young’s To The Warm Horizon (2021) captivates its readers by revealing the dark and difficult truth surrounding human nature. However, we come to understand that there is often love and glimpses of hope throughout periods of complete chaos. This page-turning novel starts off by briskly and…
