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The Astonishing Color of After by Emily X.R. Pan
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In The Astonishing Color of After, did you enjoy ...
... the deep personal transformation and self-discovery of a young protagonist?
Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng
If you were moved by Leigh's journey through grief and discovery in The Astonishing Color of After, you'll find Lydia's story in Everything I Never Told You equally profound. Both novels follow young women navigating the aftermath of a family tragedy, unraveling secrets, and slowly discovering their own identities amid cultural expectations and family pressures.
... the exploration of memory and identity through non-linear storytelling?
Please Look After Mom by Kyung-sook Shin
If you appreciated how The Astonishing Color of After weaves past and present, reality and memory, you'll be captivated by Please Look After Mom. The book unspools a family's search for their missing mother through shifting timelines and perspectives, echoing Leigh's journey through memories and dreams to understand her mother and herself.
... the use of poetic, evocative language to capture emotion and atmosphere?
Bone Gap by Laura Ruby
If Emily X.R. Pan's lyrical prose and vivid imagery lingered with you, Bone Gap will enchant you as well. Laura Ruby crafts a magical realist world brimming with lush, sensory detail and haunting metaphors, much like Leigh's vision of her mother as a crimson bird.
... the authentic and nuanced representation of Asian identity and diaspora?
Patron Saints of Nothing by Randy Ribay
If you valued the Taiwanese cultural elements and the exploration of family heritage in The Astonishing Color of After, you'll be drawn to Patron Saints of Nothing. Randy Ribay's novel follows Jay, a Filipino-American teen, on a journey to the Philippines to uncover the truth about his cousin's death, grappling with questions of identity, family, and justice.
... the intense emotional impact and catharsis of stories about loss and healing?
Bridge of Clay by Markus Zusak
If the raw, aching grief and ultimate hope in The Astonishing Color of After resonated with you, Bridge of Clay offers a similarly powerful emotional journey. Zusak's novel explores a family's pain and resilience after tragedy, culminating in moments of heartbreak and hard-won healing.
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