Exploring Biracial Identity in ‘Halfway There’

How are you all doing? December has flown by. My month went pretty well. Looking forward to the new year and accomplishing new reading goals. I’m over my reading goal for 2024, so I’m just trying to finish up some reviews this week.

One of the novels I got through NetGalley was Halfway There by Christine Mari. It is an interesting autobiographical look at a biracial person’s views into both the s

Synopsis

This book is an interesting look at how being half of one culture half of another effects people. For all her life Christine has never fit into American or Japanese culture, she’s always half this or half that. Being biracial has left her feeling like she doesn’t belong in either place.

She takes a trip to Tokyo in hopes of finding herself and a place she can fit in. But Tokyo isn’t the answer she thought it would be. Instead, she feels out of place. She doesn’t understand the Japanese language well. In addition, she’s still considered half by the people she meets in Japan.

This results in a deep depression. She has to find her way and discover what it really means to call a place home. I enjoyed this book, and you can tell the feeling that was put into every page.

Review

The author’s story is interesting and engaging. It brings up several intriguing points, such as how biracial people fit in society. She also brings up what it means to call a place home, and the importance of support from your family. This book reminds me of Himawari House by Harmony Becker. Both focus on fitting within Asian cultures when one is different. I also find the art style of both similar.

I’d recommend this book for teens who are having trouble finding their place in the world. I enjoyed the book. I found the focus of the narrative on mental health a very important topic. It is especially important in showing the path of how one can spiral into a storm of negative self-doubt.

I just didn’t connect to the protagonist in the way I have with some of my other recent reads. This is not the fault of the book and simply personal preference. I’m still giving the book four stars. I enjoyed the story. I particularly appreciated its focus on mental health and its art.

Do you have any plans for New Years? Let me know in the comments.