What a fantastic anthology of Black poetry that spans centuries! This book changed the way I thought and had a lot of wisdom, insight, and emotional moments. I quite enjoyed it!

I chose this book as part of the 2024 reading challenge for July, a book by an author born outside the Unites States, and it was also in the "New Fiction" area which I always peruse. This was an excellent read by the author who lives in Japan and who had this work translated. The chapters of the book were tales of life stories with life lessons and interconnections told in a very interesting, unique, and moving way. Every tale had a central figure, Mrs. Komachi. She was the local community center librarian with a penchant for felting and selecting just the right book for her patrons. Mrs. Komachi's felting materials were kept in a Honeydome cookie tin which was central to the book. I could continue to write more about how I liked this book, but suffice to say, it really made me think and reflect, and I will be looking for more books by this author if translated!

As I have read it, the Scarlet Letter is a fictional story inspired by historical events with major themes of religion, guilt, and human morals. Hester Prynne is publicly shamed for having a child outside her marriage and is forced to wear a red garment on her clothes as a constant reminder of her shame and guilt. Her daughter, Pearl, also serves as a reminder of her crime and plays a supernatural role in the story. It is revealed that Hester’s husband is not dead, but now goes by Roger Chillingworth and chooses to hide his identity, now becoming the village doctor. Hester had her affair with the Young Minister Mr. Dimmesdale but she keeps this fact a secret from the public during the course of her punishment. Despite this, Mr. Dimmesdale suffers by becoming physically weak and holding a hand over his heart, which conceals a (physical or metaphorical) letter A mark on his skin: the same letter sewn into Hester’s garment. Over time, Roger Chillingworth figures out that Mr. Dimmesdale is the man behind the crime and he begins to enjoy watching him suffer, causing him to become evil and connected to the devil (the minister does not realize this until Hester tells him). As years, progress, Mr. Dimmesdale's health continues to decline; Roger Chillingworth, who originally moved in with the minister to watch his health, becomes consumed by revenge and only worsens his state. After meeting in the woods and telling Mr. Dimmesdale of his "enemy", Hester and Mr. Dimmesdale devise a plan to travel to Europe (but soon realize they will never be able to escape the devil personified in Roger Chillingworth). In the climax event of the story, the Election Proceedings, Mr. Dimmesdale becomes revitalized (due to his motivation to speak the truth and the promise that his suffering will soon be over) and delivers an electrifying Election Sermon. As soon as the minister finished his sermon, all the energy left his body and he began to die. Wanting to die entirely truthful, he calls Pearl and Hester onto the scaffold and finally admits his part in the sin and his remorse for deceiving everyone over 7 years. He also reveals a literal Scarlet Letter "A" on his chest. After making a few final remarks to Hester, Pearl, and the general public, Mr. Dimmesdale dies on the scaffold, causing the public to go into shock. Roger Chillingworth dies within the same year and leaves Hester and Pearl with estates in both Europe and the colonies, causing the family to gain great wealth. The story ends with Hester returning to her New England cottage to live out the end of her life (continuing to wear the scarlet letter) and suggests that Pearl is living a happy married life in Europe with a newborn child. Overall, I thought the story was interesting, unique, and a great example of symbolism. The text even refers to talismans throughout the text and I believe they are a major part of the story's depth. The scaffold and scarlet letter are the most prevalent physical talismans, but Roger Chillingworth and Pearl serve as physical symbols for morals and virtue. I also think there is symbolism in the usage of reflections and alter personalities, though I’m not sure if it reflects different realms or the evil and pure sides of humans. Pearl is a very special case in the story, serving as a symbol in a variety of ways. I interpreted her as being a supernatural being who sends messages from Heaven and the universe (like a bridge or messenger between the spiritual and living world). At the same time, she is a deeply natural/wild being, known for being one with the forest and utilizing the color green. There is symbolism in her name, Pearl, as it usually represents purity, despite Pearl consistently being described as a physical representation of the Scarlet Letter. With Mr. Dimmesdale's death, Pearl is described as finally developing empathy and no longer tormenting her mother as a "messenger of anguish". To me, this implies that Pearl knew more than she was letting on, was a spiritual being with a mission to communicate spiritual messages, and was only able to be a fully functional member of society (for the time standards) when both parents were truthful and present in her life. In a way, Pearl carried the central themes of the text.

The comedy of garebare is hallarioss

This story is a sweet love story where the conflict is internal and the character needs to overcome herself. Very cute. Loved it!

I read it all by myself. I love the princesses!

I’m a HUGE Amanda Lovelace fan, so I came in with big expectations and was not disappointed. So great! Collection of 3 Fairytale inspired books in one. Not sure what the final one is inspired by but still great! I read Flower Crowns and Fearsome things right before this and it was lacking, so this restored my confidence in her works. Great read!

A thought provoking memoir in the condensed form of a graphic novel. The writing is concise yet captivating. I will be adding Bechdel's other graphic novels to my reading list.

Predictable, but a fun read. I didn't really love the way the point of view was done in the book, but I still enjoyed the characters.

My emotions and thoughts spiraled throughout the entire read. I don't know how to feel about this book. First of all I enjoyed it and fell in love with Lily, Atlas, and all the characters. Every single page peaked my interest. It was quite inspiring and led me to the acknowledgment of lessons that I've never learned before. The heartbreaks, surprises, and pure truth really hit me. The relationship with Lily and Alyssa was so wholesome. Although I'm pained with the way Lily and Ryle turned out, I'm glad Lily finally found Atlas. The difference between Ryle and Atlas became clear. Lily persevered through all difficulties that obscured her path and in the end she got what she deserved.