It’s rare that I read a book whose main character feels so real to me I forget I’m reading a work of fiction. In fact, having relatable characters is low on my list of what makes a good book, because I’m not really the type of person who goes on adventures worth retelling. That’s why Akemi Dawn Bowman’s late-2017 debut novel, Starfish, surprised me with its intensely relatable protagonist as well as its ability to bring often-ignored issues to light.
The blurb for Starfish begins “A half-Japanese teen grapples with social anxiety and her narcissist mother in the wake of a crushing rejection from art school in this debut novel.” After being rejected from Prism, the art school of her dreams, Kiko Himura escapes from her abusive household to tour west-coast art schools with her childhood best friend. Over the course of the book, Kiko begins the path to healing from 17 years of living with a mother who she feels she’ll never be good enough for and is too obsessed with herself to leave room for anything else. The novel also explores the themes of what it’s like to live with social anxiety, how biracial heritage affects a person’s life, and how victims of sexual assault are often dismissed.
If you have been through any of these things, you’ll see yourself in Starfish. The story depicts what it’s like for biracial people to feel as if they can’t relate enough to either culture that makes up their heritage. Importantly, it shows how racist western beauty standards can negatively affect a person of color’s self-image. The novel also shows how victims of sexual abuse can be dismissed even by the people that should care about them most. It doesn’t sugarcoat these elements while also depicting a realistic path towards recovery.
What meant the most to me was the novel’s depiction of social anxiety. Kiko has trouble going to many places on her own and has very few friends as a result of her social anxiety. She often has trouble saying exactly what she wants to say because she doubts her ability to get her point across. Over the course of the novel, Kiko realizes that she wants to learn to walk on her own without needing the support of others.
Most books would pick one of these issues and stick to it, but Starfish manages to do all of them effectively. The result is an emotionally resonant book whose protagonist, with all of her complexities and ups and downs, feels like a real person that many readers will see themselves in. Starfish very obviously came from the heart— Akemi Dawn Bowman wrote it to express some defining aspects of her life that many people don’t see about her and to help her readers feel understood too. This book has stuck with me ever since I finished it late last December and I encourage anyone who relates to any of these themes to check it out.