Category: First Impressions
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θΆ FIRST IMPRESSIONS θΆ REVIEW OF BOOKS & FILMS [FIRST IMPRESSIONS] “Metamorphosis and Memory in Dorothy Tse’s City Like Water” by Jonathan Han Dorothy Tse (author), Natascha Bruce (translator). City Like Water, Graywolf Press, 2026. 112 pgs. Dorothy Tseβs City…
![[FIRST IMPRESSIONS] “Metamorphosis and Memory in Dorothy Tse’s πΆππ‘π¦ πΏπππ πππ‘ππ” by Jonathan Han](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/city-like-water-dorothy-tse-cha-an-asian-literary-journal.jpg?w=1000)
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θΆ FIRST IMPRESSIONS θΆ REVIEW OF BOOKS & FILMS [FIRST IMPRESSIONS] βOf Mirth-merchants and Humour Literature: Ankit Raj Ojhaβs The Bare Bones Book of Humourβ by Pradip Mondal Ankit Raj Ojha (editor), The Bare Bones Book of Humour, Bare Bones…
![[FIRST IMPRESSIONS] βOf Mirth-merchants and Humour Literature: Ankit Raj Ojhaβs πβπ π΅πππ π΅ππππ π΅πππ ππ π»π’πππ’πβ by Pradip Mondal](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/https-__barebonespublishing.in_product_the-bare-bones-book-of-humour_.png?w=1024)
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θΆ FIRST IMPRESSIONS θΆ REVIEW OF BOOKS & FILMS [FIRST IMPRESSIONS] βLai Wenβs Tiananmen Square: A Coming-of-Age Dramedy Culminating in a Historic Massacreβ by Kevin McGeary Lai Wen, Tiananmen Square: A Novel, Spiegel & Grau, 2024. 528 pgs. βIn China,…
![[FIRST IMPRESSIONS] βLai Wenβs πππππππππ πππ’πππ: A Coming-of-Age Dramedy Culminating in a Historic Massacreβ by Kevin McGeary](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/lai-wen-tiananmen-square-a-novel-spiegel-grau.jpg?w=667)
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θΆ FIRST IMPRESSIONS θΆ REVIEW OF BOOKS & FILMS [FIRST IMPRESSIONS] βWhat We Keep: Memory, Migration, and Survival in M Lin’s The Memory Museumβ by Susan Blumberg-Kason M Lin, The Memory Museum, Graywolf Press. 2026. 272 pgs. Nostalgia is a…
![[FIRST IMPRESSIONS] “What We Keep: Memory, Migration, and Survival in M Lin’s πβπ ππππππ¦ ππ’π ππ’π” by Susan Blumberg-Kason](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/memory-museum-m-lin-cha-asian.jpg?w=1000)
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θΆ FIRST IMPRESSIONS θΆ REVIEW OF BOOKS & FILMS [FIRST IMPRESSIONS] βOn Grief, Diaspora, and Grace Loh Prasad’s The Translatorβs Daughterβby Rebekah Chan Click HERE to read all entries in Chaon Translator’s Daughter. Grace Loh Prasad, The Translatorβs Daughter, The Ohio State University Press,…
![[FIRST IMPRESSIONS] βOn Grief, Diaspora, and Grace Loh Prasad’s πβπ πππππ πππ‘ππβπ π·ππ’πβπ‘ππβ by Rebekah Chan](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/the-translators-daughter.jpg?w=880)
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θΆ FIRST IMPRESSIONS θΆ REVIEW OF BOOKS & FILMS [FIRST IMPRESSIONS] “Circumnavigation Without Glory: Lav Diazβs Magellan and the Violence of Discovery” by Oliver Farry Click HERE to read all entries in Cha on Magellan. Lav Diaz (director), Magellan, 2025. 165 min. Lav Diazβs Magellan…
![[FIRST IMPRESSIONS] “Circumnavigation Without Glory: Lav Diazβs ππππππππ and the Violence of Discovery” by Oliver Farry](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/review-22history-as-painting-lav-diazs-magellan22-by-alicia-izharuddin.png?w=795)
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θΆ FIRST IMPRESSIONS θΆ REVIEW OF BOOKS & FILMS [FIRST IMPRESSIONS] βShining Through: The Loboc Childrenβs Choir in King Palisocβs Song of the Firefliesβ by Bryan Elijah Trajano King Palisoc (director), Song of the Fireflies, 2025. 110 min. Song of…
![[FIRST IMPRESSIONS] βShining Through: The Loboc Childrenβs Choir in King Palisocβs ππππ ππ π‘βπ πΉππππππππ β by Bryan Elijah TrajanoΒ](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/https-icff.catitle-itemsong-of-the-fireflies.webp?w=432)
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θΆ FIRST IMPRESSIONS θΆ REVIEW OF BOOKS & FILMS [FIRST IMPRESSIONS] “Guan Huβs Black Dog: Olympic Ambition Meets Provincial Reality” by Oliver Farry Guan Hu (director), Black Dog ηι΅, 2024. 110 min. Guan Huβs canine drama delineates a quixotic episode…
![[FIRST IMPRESSIONS] “Guan Huβs π΅ππππ π·ππ: Olympic Ambition Meets Provincial Reality” by Oliver Farry](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/black-dog-e78b97e998b5.jpg?w=945)
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θΆ FIRST IMPRESSIONS θΆ REVIEW OF BOOKS & FILMS [FIRST IMPRESSIONS] “Dreams Without Dreamers: Bi Ganβs Beautifully Perverse Resurrection” by Oliver Farry Bi Gan (director), Resurrection ηιζΆδ»£, 2025. 156 mins. Bi Ganβs third film is a splendid-looking enigma in the…
![[FIRST IMPRESSIONS] “Dreams Without Dreamers: Bi Ganβs Beautifully Perverse π
ππ π’πππππ‘πππ” by Oliver Farry](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/resurrection.png?w=960)
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θΆ Click HERE for all First Impressions entries. Illustration by Ruby van der Hoeven We are constantly seeking submissions for π π’π«π¬π ππ¦π©π«ππ¬π¬π’π¨π§π¬, a section of Cha: An Asian Literary Journal devoted to compact reviews of books and films (300β800 words;…
![[CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS] First Impressions](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/first-impressions-banner.png?w=1024)
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θΆ FIRST IMPRESSIONS θΆ REVIEW OF BOOKS & FILMS [FIRST IMPRESSIONS] “On the Verge with Claire Lee: Where Objects Become Literature” by Susan Blumberg-Kason ClickΒ HERE to readΒ all entries inΒ ChaonΒ On the Verge. Claire Lee, On the Verge, Independently published, 2025. 120…
![[FIRST IMPRESSIONS] “ππ π‘βπ πππππ with Claire Lee: Where Objects Become Literature” by Susan Blumberg-Kason](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/on-the-verge_claire-lee.png?w=1024)
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θΆ FIRST IMPRESSIONS θΆ REVIEW OF BOOKS & FILMS [FIRST IMPRESSIONS] βWhen Technology Becomes a Tool to Erase History: Prabda Yoonβs Transmissions of Unwanted Pastsβ by Lorence Lozano Prabda Yoon (director), Transmissions of Unwanted Pasts, 2019. 24 min. Prabda Yoon…
![[FIRST IMPRESSIONS] βWhen Technology Becomes a Tool to Erase History: Prabda Yoonβs πππππ πππ π ππππ ππ πππ€πππ‘ππ πππ π‘π β by Lorence Lozano](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/f09d9187f09d919ff09d918ef09d919bf09d91a0f09d919af09d9196f09d91a0f09d91a0f09d9196f09d919cf09d919bf09d91a0-f09d919cf09d9193-f09d9188f09d919bf09d91a4f09d918ef09d919bf09d91a1f09d9192f09d919.webp?w=724)
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θΆ FIRST IMPRESSIONS θΆ REVIEW OF BOOKS & FILMS [FIRST IMPRESSIONS] βWhere Do We Belong? On Language, Migration, & Teresa Wongβs All Our Ordinary Stories” by Rebekah Chan Teresa Wong, All Our Ordinary Stories, Arsenal Pulp Press, 2024. 240 pgs.…
![[FIRST IMPRESSIONS] βWhere Do We Belong? On Language, Migration, and Teresa Wongβs π΄ππ ππ’π ππππππππ¦ ππ‘πππππ β by Rebekah Chan](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/arsenal-pulp-press-our-ordinary-stories.jpg?w=1024)
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θΆ FIRST IMPRESSIONS θΆ REVIEW OF BOOKS & FILMS [FIRST IMPRESSIONS] βEtienne PΓ©rierβs Bridge to the Sun and Extremism Abroadβ by Jeremiah Dutch Etenne PΓ©rier (director), Bridge to the Sun, 1961. 113 min. Living abroad and watching oneβs homeland descend…
![[FIRST IMPRESSIONS] βEtienne PΓ©rierβs π΅πππππ π‘π π‘βπ ππ’π and Extremism Abroadβ by Jeremiah Dutch](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/bridge-to-the-sun-cha.png?w=1024)
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π RETURN TO FIRST IMPRESSIONSπRETURN TO CHA REVIEW OF BOOKS AND FILMS Quan Manh Ha and Quynh H. Vo (translators), Longings: Contemporary Fiction by Vietnamese Women Writers, Texas Tech University Press, 2024. 260 pgs. Vietnamese literature in English translation is…
![[FIRST IMPRESSIONS] βFinding Meaning in the Very Act of QuestioningβπΏπππππππ : πΆπππ‘ππππππππ¦ πΉπππ‘πππ ππ¦ ππππ‘πππππ π πππππ ππππ‘πππ β by Rebecca Maine](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/longings-contemporary-fiction-by-vietnamese-women-writers.jpg?w=907)
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πΒ RETURN TO FIRST IMPRESSIONSπΒ RETURN TO CHA REVIEW OF BOOKS AND FILMS James Albon (author and illustrator), Love Languages, Top Shelf Productions, 2025. 176 pgs. The book begins with six pages of vibrant illustrations depicting people of diverse cultural backgrounds at…
![[FIRST IMPRESSIONS] βLife Outside the Bubble in James Albonβs πΏππ£π πΏππππ’ππππ β by Vanessa Winghei Yeung](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/lovelangs_jalbon-2.jpg?w=1024)
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π RETURN TO FIRST IMPRESSIONSπ RETURN TO CHA REVIEW OF BOOKS AND FILMS Hiro Arikawa (author), Allison Markin Powell (translator). The Passengers on the Hankyu Line, Penguin Random House, 2025. 256 pgs. It seems fitting that I began reading The Passengers on…
![[FIRST IMPRESSIONS] βThe Train Ride of Life: Hiro Arikawaβs πβπ πππ π ππππππ ππ π‘βπ π»ππππ¦π’ πΏπππβ by Koay Xinyi](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/81pcgpwou4l._sl1500_.jpg?w=956)
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π RETURN TO FIRST IMPRESSIONSπRETURN TO CHA REVIEW OF BOOKS AND FILMS Masayuki Suo (director), Shall We Dance? 1996, 136 min. At college, I once romanced a young lady by agreeing to take ballroom dancing lessons with her after her…
![[FIRST IMPRESSIONS] βForget the Remake, Masayuki Suoβs πβπππ ππ π·ππππ? is in Perfect Step with Japanβ by Jeremiah Dutch](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/masayuki-sou-director-shall-we-dance-1996-136-min.-.jpg?w=686)
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π RETURN TO FIRST IMPRESSIONSπRETURN TO CHA REVIEW OF BOOKS AND FILMS Akiko Ohku (director), Hold Me Back, 2020. 133 min. Akiko Ohku is best known for directing and co-writing Tremble All You Want and Hold Me Back, two films…
![[FIRST IMPRESSIONS] “Feeling Seen: Akiko Ohkuβs π»πππ ππ π΅πππ and the Solitude of Modern Women” by Danica QP](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/hold-me-back-film-cha.jpg?w=1024)
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π RETURN TO FIRST IMPRESSIONSπRETURN TO CHA REVIEW OF BOOKS AND FILMS LΓͺ Minh HoΓ ng (director), Saigon in the Rain, 2020. βWritten on a rainless Saigon day Urban life has long provided cinema with a stage upon which to capture…
![[FIRST IMPRESSIONS] βLΓͺ Minh HoΓ ng’s ππππππ ππ π‘βπ π
πππ: A Resonance of Youth, Migration, and Urban Dreamsβ by Red Po](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/maxresdefault.jpg?w=1024)
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θΆ FIRST IMPRESSIONS θΆ REVIEW OF BOOKS & FILMS [FIRST IMPRESSIONS] βReliving the Filipino 90s Nostalgia in Marla Anchetaβs One Hit Wonderβ by Bryan Elijah Trajano Marla Ancheta (director), One Hit Wonder, 2025. 112 min. Before music was only a…
![[FIRST IMPRESSIONS] βReliving the Filipino 90s Nostalgia in Marla Anchetaβs πππ π»ππ‘ ππππππβ by Bryan Elijah Trajano](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/marla-ancheta-director-one-hit-wonder.jpg?w=1024)
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π RETURN TO FIRST IMPRESSIONSπRETURN TO CHA REVIEW OF BOOKS AND FILMS Click HERE to read all entries in Cha on Untold. Bae Suah (author), Deborah Smith (translator), Untold Night and Day, Jonathan Cape, 2020. 155 pgs. It has been some…
![[FIRST IMPRESSIONS] “Between Dream and Wakefulness: Reading Bae Suah’s πππ‘πππ πππβπ‘ πππ π·π𦔠by Dorina Tataran](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/untold-night-and-day-1.jpg?w=977)
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π RETURN TO FIRST IMPRESSIONSπ RETURN TO CHA REVIEW OF BOOKS AND FILMS Rajan Kurai Krishnan, Ravindran Sriramachandran, and V.M.S Subagunarajan, Rule of the Commoner: DMK and the Formations of the Political in Tamil Nadu, 1949β1967, Cambridge University Press, 2022. 280 pgs.…
![[FIRST IMPRESSIONS] βPolitics of the Plebsβπ
π’ππ ππ π‘βπ πΆπππππππ: π·ππΎ πππ π‘βπ πΉπππππ‘ππππ ππ π‘βπ πππππ‘ππππ ππ πππππ ππππ’” by Kathiravan Annamalai](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/rule-of-the-commoner.jpg?w=419)
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π RETURN TO FIRST IMPRESSIONSπ RETURN TO CHA REVIEW OF BOOKS AND FILMS Saad Omar Khan, Drinking the Ocean, Buckrider Books, 2025. 250 pgs. βWe die containing a richness of lovers and tribes, tastes we have swallowed, bodies we have plunged into…
![[FIRST IMPRESSIONS] βA Love that Doesnβt Bind: Saad Omar Khanβs π·πππππππ π‘βπ πππππβ by Fathima M](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/saad-omar-khan-drinking-the-ocean.jpg?w=971)
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π RETURN TO FIRST IMPRESSIONSπRETURN TO CHA REVIEW OF BOOKS AND FILMS Girish Karnad, This Life at Play: Memoirs, Fourth Estate, 2021. 320 pgs. Memoirs strip writers of their literary pedestals. They become characters in their own narrativesβcurious onlookers of…
![[FIRST IMPRESSIONS] βA Playwrightβs Memoir: Girish Karnadβs πβππ πΏπππ ππ‘ ππππ¦β by Kathiravan Annamalai](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/girish-karnads-this-life-at-play.jpg?w=998)
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π RETURN TO FIRST IMPRESSIONSπ RETURN TO CHA REVIEW OF BOOKS AND FILMS Click HERE to read all entries in Cha on A Woman Burnt. Imayam (author), GJV Prasad (translator), A Woman Burnt, Simon and Schuster India, 2023. 336 pgs. “Every woman adores a Fascist, / The…
![[FIRST IMPRESSIONS] βPortrait of a Burning Woman: Imayam’s π΄ πππππ π΅π’πππ‘β by Swagatika Rath](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/a-woman-burnt-1.jpg?w=952)
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πΒ RETURN TO FIRST IMPRESSIONSπΒ RETURN TO CHA REVIEW OF BOOKS AND FILMS Kamila Kuc, Laima Leyton, Dara Waldron,Β Ecka Mordecai, and Jeremy Fernando (contributors), If loss were a currency: on Kamila KucΒ΄s I Was There. Delere Press, 2025. 114 pgs. According to…
![[FIRST IMPRESSIONS] βWhereof One Cannot Speak, Thereof One Cannot Stay SilentβOn πΌπ πππ π π€πππ π ππ’ππππππ¦: ππ πΎπππππ πΎπ’π’π πΌ πππ πβπππ” by Anders KΓΈlle](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/kamila-kuc-laima-leyton-dara-waldron-ecka-mordecai-jeremy-fernando.jpg?w=971)
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π RETURN TO FIRST IMPRESSIONSπ RETURN TO CHA REVIEW OF BOOKS AND FILMS Click HERE to read all entries in Cha on Hiroko Oyamada. Hiroko Oyamada (author), David Boyd (translator), The Hole, New Directions Publishing, 2020. 112 pgs. As a…
![[FIRST IMPRESSIONS] βUnanswered Questions of Balance: Hiroko Oyamadaβs πβπ π»πππβ by Tyran Grillo](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/hiroko-oyamada_the-hole.jpg?w=778)
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π RETURN TO FIRST IMPRESSIONSπ RETURN TO CHA REVIEW OF BOOKS AND FILMS DΖ°Ζ‘ng HΖ°α»ng (author), Quan Manh Ha and Charles Waugh (translators), No Man River, Penguin Random House SEA, 2025. 248 pgs. The recent publication of the English edition of DΖ°Ζ‘ng…
![[FIRST IMPRESSIONS] βNo Human Being is Spared from Its Crimson Claws: DΖ°Ζ‘ng HΖ°α»ngβs ππ πππ π
ππ£ππβ by Rebecca Maine](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/no-man-river-duong-huong-1.jpg?w=938)
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π RETURN TO FIRST IMPRESSIONSπRETURN TO CHA REVIEW OF BOOKS AND FILMS Kim Ki-duk (director), The Isle, 2000. 90 min. Some films are like waves that gently lap against the shores of our memories; others, however, jolt us by revealing…
![[FIRST IMPRESSIONS] βπβπ πΌπ ππ at 25: Kim Ki Dukβs Blooming Poem on the Island of Solitudeβ by G.A. Gowtham](https://chajournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/f_1_the_isle_01c5e5da4c.jpeg?w=1024)
Cha 