Asha Lemmie gives us a breathtaking illustration of sibling love crossing racial divides. We follow Nori, a Black/Japanese "bastard" child tucked away in the attic of her aristocratic grandmother's house. We watch her break free from the expectations of the world around her upon meeting her "legitimate" half-brother, Akira. This novel carries a lot of emotional weight - family ties are continuously broken and ultimately rebound. The novelty in perspective of this fiction had me turning pages quickly, but I couldn't help but feel emotionally defeated by Nori's unrelenting perils and painful choices. (3.5/5)