Name: Briar's Reviews's review of Shadow Child by Rahna Reiko Rizzuto
Item: Shadow Child
Rating: 2
Author: Briar's Reviews

Rahna Reiko Rizzuto

For fans of Tayari Jones and Ruth Ozeki, from National Book Critics Circle Award finalist Rizzuto comes a haunting and suspenseful literary tale set in 1970s New York City and World War II-era Japan, about three strong women, the dangerous ties of family and identity, and the long shadow our histories can cast. Twin sisters Hana and Kei grew up in a tiny Hawaiian town in the 1950s and 1960s, so close they shared the same nickname. Raised in dreamlike isolation by their loving but unstable mother, they were fatherless, mixed-race, and utterly inseparable, devoted to one another. But when their cherished threesome with Mama is broken, and then further shattered by a violent, nearly fatal betrayal that neither young woman can forgive, it seems their bond may be severed forever--until, six years later, Kei arrives on Hana's lonely Manhattan doorstep with a secret that will change everything. Told in interwoven narratives that glide seamlessly between the gritty streets of New York, the lush and dangerous landscape of Hawaii, and the horrors of the Japanese internment camps and the bombing of Hiroshima, SHADOW CHILD is set against an epic sweep of history. Volcanos, tsunamis, abandonment, racism, and war form the urgent, unforgettable backdrop of this intimate, evocative, and deeply moving story of motherhood, sisterhood, and second chances.

Shadow Child

Briar's Reviews

Shadow Child by Rahna Reiko Rizzuto is a beautifully written tale about the struggles of a set of twins.

When I sat down and started this book, I was absolutely floored. The writing style was so stunningly beautiful, I couldn't help but metaphorically describe it as fine wine. Rahna has a wonderful sense of story and her word choice is magnificent. I didn't want to put the book down.

But then I got to the meat and plot of this story.

I didn't fully know what was going on and my questions weren't answered. So many parts of this story were hinted at but then just fell through. There's also four different story lines going on so it required a lot of brain power to keep track of what was going on. On top of that, Koko is a nickname of both girls, so those sections had me using extra brain power to try to figure out if this was one or both girls or neither. 

I liked learning about their Mother's back story, but I didn't think she was the main protagonist of this story. I was far more interested in the twins' stories than hers. While their Mother's narrative was interesting to follow, I just didn't care as much. I wanted to know what was going on now since there was a lot more drama during the present time in the story. Hana and Kei had such a thrilling narrative that I needed that story more.

This book felt more like a novel I'd read in an English class than one I would enjoy in my hobby reading. I seriously want someone to pick apart this novel and explain it to me. Is there a reason why we didn't get all of the information about what happened? Is there a reason why we needed to know so much about the Mother and not the girls? I'd absolutely love if the author even explained the themes. I think I'd appreciate this book more if I could pick it apart and analyze it.

Honestly, I have the feeling that there is a piece of this book missing somewhere. The two halves of this book don't intertwine perfectly and it just gives me this strange feeling. The story isn't finished so I don't totally feel satisfied. While I think the writing is beautiful and Rayna's talent is obvious, I'm not one for cliffhangers or non-endings. I need to know what happened, so I don't feel strongly about this book.

Overall, this book is interesting. I'd love to see it in an English class setting or have a BookTuber explain all the ins and outs so I can appreciate it more.

Two out of five stars.

I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.

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Shadow Child by Rahna Reiko Rizzuto

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Shadow Child by Rahna Reiko Rizzuto