Margaret Atwood talked about this short story collection on a show I watched early on when the COVID 19 quarantine began. Atwood did not lead me astray. How to Pronounce Knife is one of the best short story collections I've read in a very long time. The stories are about Laotian refugees and experiences they have while living in another country, learning the language and culture.
The writing style is very straight forward. I enjoyed all fourteen short stories; some more than others. Each one offered something. Some of them delightful and funny, others sad and tug at the heartstrings. Themes of struggle, frustration, misunderstandings, loneliness, poverty and hard work tie this collection together.
This is a fantastic debut and I think Souvankham Thammavongsa is a writer to watch out for.
Bookworm Rating: đđđđđ±
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for a copy of this book for an honest review.
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