One app that I use more  than any other is Goodreads. I obsessively update my goals and rate the books I read — I’ve already read 40 since January. That being said, my to-read list is miles long with no end in sight, and this weekend, I added two more novels to the list. 

An Ordinary Wonder, by Buki Papillon, and Brotherless Night, by V. V. Ganeshananthan, have earned themselves a spot in the forefront of my mind and are the newest additions to my bucket list of books. 

These wonderful authors of these novels discussed the similarities and differences between their books during their author conversation, “Writing Back to Your Roots,” at the 2023 Unbound Book Festival Saturday. 

The talk opened with descriptions of both authors’  books, and from the get, I was intrigued by both their writing and the wide range of topics discussed in the novels. “An Ordinary Wonder” is about a young intersex child who grows up in Nigeria and is faced with questions of gender and love. “Brotherless Night,” however, focuses on a young woman who aspires to become a doctor in Sri Lanka but struggles because of her nation’s civil war.

The excerpts that the authors read from their books only further cemented my desire to read both. While each book had its own distinct tone, I found myself captivated by them in the same way. 

Papillon, and Ganeshananthan, moved into a discussion about religion after their opening statements. In both books, the main characters’ families are religious, leading the main characters to question both themselves and their devotion to what their families believe in.

The talk shifted from a conversation about religion to a conversation about femininity and what femininity looks like in different parts of the world. The part of the conversation that resonated with me the most was the idea that women organize to get things done, rather than organizing to receive credit. I think this powerful statement stuck with me so much after the conversation because of the intensity in which it was spoken.

The conversation was brought to a close with a discussion about Ganeshananthan’s podcast, “fiction/non/fiction,” specifically the episode in which Papillon appeared as a guest. 

Listening to two female authors discuss their experiences writing books was motivating and I loved getting to listen to how they drew inspiration from both Nigeria and Sri Lanka.

Their messages were awe-inspiring, and I can’t wait until I can get my hands on both books and start immersing myself in the worlds they’ve created.

Edited by Savvy Sleevar | ssleevar@themaneater.com   

Copy edited by Matt Guzman and Mary Philip