STARFISH BY AKEMI DAWN BOWMAN // book review

starfish by akemi dawn bowman

pages: 353

published by: simon pulse on 26 september 2017

genres: contemporary, young adult, mental health, mental illness, romance

rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Kiko Himura has always had a hard time saying exactly what she’s thinking. With a mother who makes her feel unremarkable and a half-Japanese heritage she doesn’t quite understand, Kiko prefers to keep her head down, certain that once she makes it into her dream art school, Prism, her real life will begin.

But then Kiko doesn’t get into Prism, at the same time her abusive uncle moves back in with her family. So when she receives an invitation from her childhood friend to leave her small town and tour art schools on the west coast, Kiko jumps at the opportunity in spite of the anxieties and fears that attempt to hold her back. And now that she is finally free to be her own person outside the constricting walls of her home life, Kiko learns life-changing truths about herself, her past, and how to be brave.

From debut author Akemi Dawn Bowman comes a luminous, heartbreaking story of identity, family, and the beauty that emerges when we embrace our true selves.

we follow the main character, kiko who is biracial (japanese-american) her dream is to get into an art school so she could leave the house and her mother. kiko’s mother is not the best mother out there, to say the least. she constantly criticises kiko for her appearance and she cares more about herself than kiko.

i never thought i would relate so much to kiko before reading starfish. the insecurities kiko has about her appearance makes me so sad because that’s what i sometimes think too. i really liked the parts where kiko wants to say something but she always ends up saying something else, because that’s so relatable too lmao.

‘I’ve always felt like I desperately needed to say my feelings out loud – to form the words and get them out of me, because they’ve always felt like dark clouds in my head that contaminate everything around them.‘

and i personally think that kiko’s anxiety was written really well. i related to it SO MUCH it felt like i was reading something that could possibly happen to me.

the writing was so beautiful and i was immediately sucked into the book. i couldn’t put the book down, like i need to know what happens and if kiko is okay or not. i think by the end of the book, i was really emotionally invested in the plot and the characters haha. one of my favourite things about the book is how bowman describes the drawings kiko does. it’s so lyrical and profound—i just love them so much!!

‘I draw a girl without a face, drawing somebody else’s face onto her own reflection.‘

this was definitely a character driven book. i loved reading about kiko as she tries new things and steps out of her comfort zone. i was rooting for her throughout the book and was genuinely so freaking happy at the ending because she’s finally in a better place.

‘The painting isn’t about the starfish. It’s about the girl who wants to venture out into the ocean, away from the starfish, so she can feel like she matters.‘

the friendships in this book were amazing too!! i loved kiko’s friendship with emery because she’s constantly encouraging kiko, which was so heartwarming to read about. i appreaciated the fact that kiko didn’t want to use jamie as a crutch, but instead wants to wait until she’s feeling better about herself before she admits her feelings for him. their relationship was so hopeful and adorable!!!

anyways, this entire book is both emotional and filled with hope. i know this review is probably all over the place and really short but! you hAVE TO READ THIS BOOK. that’s all i want to say really—GO READ IT, YOU WON’T REGRET IT.

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ohmygod, i took forever to write this review it’s a surprise i’m actually able to post it. i love this book so much, more than my shitty review can say hahaha. and this book felt so personal because kiko’s struggles were so real. i think i’m just going to stop here. oh and, GO READ STARFISH!!!

have you read starfish? if so, what did you think about it? what are some of your favorite books that feature mental health?