Stated in the title, Older Sister, Not Necessarily Related, the theme of sisterhood runs through the book. The Korean salutation unni, older sister, is used to address her elder stepsister, but it also reflects her multiple roles as younger sister to her unni, and older sister to her younger sister named Bora [edit: previously mistaken as a salutation of …
Grape Juice, Kimchi, Bibimbap
In what ways can the identity of a transracial, transnational adoptee be complicated? What is the power of telling one’s story in a memoir? Can food give access to one’s identity, sense of belonging, and narrative voice? This week is dedicated to Older Sister, Not Necessarily Related by Jenny Heijun Wills. Her debut memoir has won the …
Feed The Hungry Beast That Is Your Heart
This week focuses on food, which will be a recurring theme in relation to family, home, and belonging. It is a continuation of the previous post, and the topic of food is central to Butter Honey Pig Bread – even the title is dedicated to food items. Specifically, this piece investigates the significance of food …
Into Butter Honey Pig Bread
What compels us to continue leafing through a book? Surely it is a big feat to suspend disbelief of space and time. It is not unlike arriving at a new neighbourhood, unsure of whether we have a place to be, hesitant to get acquainted with the neighbours… Case in point: Francesca Ekwuyasi’s debut novel Butter Honey …