Five Things: October 26

Ugh, I can’t believe it’s already late October. Fall is my favorite season, and it always flies by so quickly. 😦 Anyway, enjoy some more things!

Pachinko by Min Jin Lee

This book has been on my to-read list for several years, but I kept putting it off because I worried it would be too depressing. I finally tackled it during our Pittsburgh trip and was so glad I did.

Pachinko tells the story of four generations of a Korean family living in Japan. I love a book about family and history (everyone go read Roots and Girl Woman Other right now), and this is no exception. Reading about a decision someone makes and slowly understanding the ways it affects their descendants as the story unfolds? Chef's kiss, sign me up.

I especially appreciated the use of an omniscient narrator. I tend to read stories that follow one character at a time, but I loved being able to jump into multiple characters’ headspaces in a single interaction and therefore more deeply understand the dynamics at play.

Please go read Pachinko if you haven’t already. For what it's worth, I wouldn’t call it depressing. Sitting with the discrimination and oppression the family experiences is heavy, but I came away from the book feeling hope and awe.

Idlewild by James Frankie Thomas

The protagonists of Idlewild are Fay and Nell, two inseparable students attending a Quaker school in New York City in 2001/2002. Fay is obsessed with gay men and homoeroticism; Nell is a lesbian obsessed with Fay. The plot kicks off when they meet two underclassmen boys who mirror their dynamics. I fear this description looks boring on paper, but I can't say much more without giving the book away.

The author escalates tension and writes complicated characters so effectively that reading the book put me through the emotional wringer. This is particularly true of the chapters written from Fay's perspective. She prides herself on her ability to control others, and her confidence in that skill leads her to several dangerous situations that had me stressed out on her behalf. I've been thinking about Fay since I finished the book; I've rarely felt such simultaneous annoyance and pity for a character.

Do you like messy character dynamics? Are you unafraid of cringing while reading? Are you a fan of queer lit? Then this is the book for you.

And the River Drags Her Down by Jihyun Yun

Soojin inherited the ability to resurrect the dead from the women in her family (only to be used on animals, her mother made clear before dying in a car accident). Struggling with depression and loneliness following the drowning of her sister Mirae, Soojin breaks the rules and uses this gift to bring Mirae back. However, it soon becomes clear Mirae is not the same. She now has additional powers and a thirst to avenge the deaths of herself and her mother. When mysterious murders and dangerous floods overwhelm her town, Soojin must find the courage to put Mirae back to rest.

This is a horror story incorporating Korean folklore. I'd say it's more gory than scary – definitely not a calming book to read before bed. I loved the way the river is a character in its own right. I also appreciated the message about the importance of respecting and accepting death. Check it out if you're not bothered by body horror.

“Life as the Spectacle” by Seerat Sohi

This profile of Olivia Miles stings a little bit as it was written before the Lynx got swept in the first round of the WNBA playoffs. Rough timing aside, I still enjoyed reading more about the athlete and her thought process.

The piece also talks about the ways Minnesota has embraced her. One reason for this is the timing of her arrival to the Lynx – Minnesotans were wiped after Operation Metro Surge, and the electrifying rookie gave us hope and renewed pride in our state. This certainly feels true from my personal experience.

Now excuse me while I stare into the distance thinking about how abruptly our season ended and listening to “Holocene” by Bon Iver for the 500^th time. (For a side tangent on my playoff feelings, scroll to the bottom of the article for a footnote that's not actually a footnote due to technical difficulties.)

Olivia Rodrigo - expectations (feat. Chappell Roan) (Official Music Video)

When I saw gifsets on Tumblr of a music video with both Olivia Rodrigo and Chappell Roan, I thought, "oh, I should watch that later." When I learned that David Byrne was in it, I dropped what I was doing and pulled up YouTube. It's a cute video, and I like the song! The rhymes in the chorus make my brain happy.

Bonus sixth thing: But like, is Rocky Horror ACTUALLY transphobic? by cecilily

As I was writing my Rocky Horror piece, I wrestled with whether or not to acknowledge criticisms of the movie/show. Many people consider Frank N Furter to be a transmisogynistic caricature and are troubled by the movie's depiction of blurry sexual consent. It doesn't help that creator Richard O'Brien is on the record saying terrible things about trans women. I worried not bringing it up would be dismissive of people's concerns or look like I was intentionally hiding this opinion, but in the end I decided to keep the post's focus on my relationship with gender and queerness (and, of course, Tim Curry).

While I was looking for song clips to embed in the piece and pondering this matter, the algorithm gifted me this video that helped me clarify my thoughts. If you want to know more about this aspect of Rocky Horror, I'd recommend taking a look.

OK, now as for the WNBA playoffs – when I saw we would play the Liberty, I didn’t expect us to make it to the next round. As others have stated in greater detail, it’s a bad matchup. However! I also didn’t expect us to get completely swept, and that hurts more than expected. I assumed I would be able to go to one last home game at Target Center, but alas. I am enjoying the finals though. I don't have a particular favorite between the Dream and the Valkyries, but I think I'm rooting for the Dream. Finally, I’m trying to avoid the discourse about next year's roster (changes will happen when they happen, so why worry now?). All I'll say is that, yes, we probably need to make some changes to be playoff contenders next year, and I'm having trouble accepting that fact. I loved the dynamics of our team this year! Can’t the power of good vibes save the day?! Oh well. In Cheryl we trust.