I read this book in one sitting on the train. As I was reading, I enjoyed watching the story unfold from many different perspectives. I enjoyed Yumi as a character very much and felt a connection with her even though I didn't agree with some of her actions. I didn't have much connection to the group of kids, I felt like I didn't care much about them or their cause although I liked Frankie. I didn't connect with the anti-GMO message which was an underlying theme throughout the book but I liked the themes of family and love that connected all the parts of the story.

I, too, loved the manner in which Ruth Ozeki narrates the story through an intricate combination of first person and third person narratives. The parts of the book which are from Cass's perspective offer the reader a very intuitive understanding of changing identities, and how sometimes even if you change your external appearance, the same insecurities and worries that plagued you before could continue to affect you. 

Before reading any novel, it is usually easy to dive in with one's social norms set in stone. Reading All Over Creation rids of the urge to judge because there are so many cicumstances at stake. Just when you begin to develop an opinion whether it's positive or negative, the lens from another character adds more to base your ultimate judgement on which still isn't concrete because there is so much to consider. This book was a tough read. I had to go back and reread because I was not used to the constant change of which character was now being focused on.

It woudl be interesting to talk about how we view black Americans and black Africans differently. And how black Americans and black Africans view each other. I think the term "black American" instead of "African-American"itself is indicative of a lot. It is a term my mother uses, and to me places "African-Americans"as completely American, without any assaciaton to their roots elsewhere. 

In beginning Ruth Ozeki's novel All Over Creation, I was bewitched by the way she unraveled the complexity of the lives she created. Much like our actual lives, the story entails different perspectives. As though each life is a string, they connect to make a web. Ozeki beautifully illustrates the characters trials, traumas, personal fears and desires through giving each an opportunity to express themselves. Ozeki gives depth to her characters by giving multiple outside perspectives and internal evaluations.

I enjoy the style of this book so much! I love how the book switches. All of the perspectives are like pieces of a puzzle. When you collect the pieces, you get an overall picture of Yumi’s life. It reminds me of another author I enjoy from time to time, Jodi Picoult. She’s an author who also changes narrators, which in turn changes perspectives and tone of the reading. Although this complexities the reading, it makes everything interesting to follow. What I dislike so far is the complex writing technique and the complexity of Yumi.

Like bridgetmartha, I was interested in the way American culture and "being" or "acting" American was linked to higher class status by many in Americanah. And I was interested by the in-between role Ifemelu played in America as an observer and distanced perspective on American culture and race relations, as well as someone who seemed to understand America deeply while holding on to her own Nigerian culture.

When I was reading, I had assumed that I was going to like Yumi—this is due to pre-judgement based on literary terms. She's the protagonist, with that POV of hers, and as a kid she was the shining princess in the play. However, right when it described the big potato costume on the sidelines, I felt like I was reading through Cass's eyes. I had figured that Yumi, when she came back to Liberty Falls, was going to be an extension of how she was as a kid, the life of the town, doing everything, having fun, that sort of deal.