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Backwaters
Laura is tired of being asked where she’s really from. Her family has lived in Aotearoa New Zealand for four generations, and she’s ambivalent at best about her Chinese heritage. But when she’s asked to write about the Chinese New Zealander experience for a work project, Laura finds herself drawn to the diary of her great-great-grandfather Ken, a market gardener in the early years of the British colony.
With the help of her beloved grandpa, Laura begins to write a version of Ken’s story. She imagines his youth in Guangzhou and his journey to a new land—unaware that soon, spurred on by a family secret that comes to light, she will go on her own journey of self-discovery, sexuality and reckoning with the past.
A tender, nuanced novel about the bittersweet search for belonging, Backwaters marks the arrival of a brilliant new talent.
With the help of her beloved grandpa, Laura begins to write a version of Ken’s story. She imagines his youth in Guangzhou and his journey to a new land—unaware that soon, spurred on by a family secret that comes to light, she will go on her own journey of self-discovery, sexuality and reckoning with the past.
A tender, nuanced novel about the bittersweet search for belonging, Backwaters marks the arrival of a brilliant new talent.
- GenresContemporaryFiction
310 pages, Paperback
First published September 26, 2023
6 people are currently reading
237 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
September 22, 2023
Backwaters is a debut novel from New Zealand poet Emma Ling Sidnam.
We meet Laura whose great great grandfather emigrated from China in the 19th century and settled in New Zealand. Four generations later Laura struggles with people asking where she is from since she regards herself totally as a New Zealander. When she is asked to write some of her family history for publication she begins her research and gradually acknowledges feelings and acceptances that she did not have before.
If this sounds as though it may be heavy reading it is definitely not. Laura's history is intriguing and it is told with warmth and humour. Sidnam writes beautiful prose which comes from the heart.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
We meet Laura whose great great grandfather emigrated from China in the 19th century and settled in New Zealand. Four generations later Laura struggles with people asking where she is from since she regards herself totally as a New Zealander. When she is asked to write some of her family history for publication she begins her research and gradually acknowledges feelings and acceptances that she did not have before.
If this sounds as though it may be heavy reading it is definitely not. Laura's history is intriguing and it is told with warmth and humour. Sidnam writes beautiful prose which comes from the heart.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
September 3, 2023
4.5★s
Backwaters is the first novel by award-winning New Zealand poet and author, Emma Ling Sidnam. Even though her maternal great, great grandfather emigrated from a Guangdong village in China to New Zealand in the mid-nineteenth Century, and her father is Singapore Chinese, writer Laura Long Stephens doesn’t feel Chinese. She really hates it when people ask her where she’s from. “Here!”
Then, her boss at the Auckland Art Gallery asks her for Chinese New Zealand stories for an anthology about minority cultures in New Zealand. Of course, she doesn’t have any: “Does my family history count as a Chinese New Zealand story? Even if it does, am I Chinese enough to write these stories?”
But a visit with Benjamin Long, her maternal grandfather, gets her thinking about it: maybe she could write about him? While he rejects the notion that he had any sort of interesting life, he does suggest that his grandfather’s life might make worthwhile subject matter.
Her great, great grandfather’s journal is a real find. It’s all in Mandarin, but Grandpa is ready to sit down and translate for her. And so she writes Kaineng’s story, or at least, her interpretation of it. Grandpa’s OK with that. It describes their ancestor’s youth, his emigration, at which time Kaineng becomes Ken, his work in New Zealand, his return to Guangdong to find a wife. Kaineng was a poet and story teller so his writing is interesting, beautiful, moving.
As Laura works on her Chinese New Zealand story, she can’t help thinking more about her own ethnicity. Her younger sister’s remarks regularly criticise her attitude, and their mother’s history adds impetus to her attempts to understand and accept her Chineseness.
In her burgeoning private relationship with her white work colleague, Henry, she finds herself challenged: “maybe it’s not super healthy for you to be self-analysing all the time. You might feel better if you focused your energy outwards a bit,” he tells her, and “what do you hope will change after all of this? When you have more answers— if there even are answers?”
She is surprised to find herself attending an Asian arts Collective, and realises she has more in common with these people than she first realised. She comes to admit “I’ve been so internally racist my whole life.” Finally, on a short research trip to Hong Kong, she connects with someone whose heritage experience is so close to her own, that empathy, and emotional and intimate connection can occur without explanation.
At last, she realises “I want to be proud of my roots. My sister is. But I hate being seen for my ethnicity… At first I resented having to write these stories just because of my heritage. But now it feels like a privilege to have stories that people want to hear.”
Laura’s narrative is interspersed with her fictional version of Ken’s story in fifteen parts, and two fictional versions of her mother’s conception. While this novel may resonate with people of Asian heritage, Ling Sidnam’s talent with words, descriptions and plot ensure that this is not a prerequisite for enjoying this beautifully written debut.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Text Publishing.
Backwaters is the first novel by award-winning New Zealand poet and author, Emma Ling Sidnam. Even though her maternal great, great grandfather emigrated from a Guangdong village in China to New Zealand in the mid-nineteenth Century, and her father is Singapore Chinese, writer Laura Long Stephens doesn’t feel Chinese. She really hates it when people ask her where she’s from. “Here!”
Then, her boss at the Auckland Art Gallery asks her for Chinese New Zealand stories for an anthology about minority cultures in New Zealand. Of course, she doesn’t have any: “Does my family history count as a Chinese New Zealand story? Even if it does, am I Chinese enough to write these stories?”
But a visit with Benjamin Long, her maternal grandfather, gets her thinking about it: maybe she could write about him? While he rejects the notion that he had any sort of interesting life, he does suggest that his grandfather’s life might make worthwhile subject matter.
Her great, great grandfather’s journal is a real find. It’s all in Mandarin, but Grandpa is ready to sit down and translate for her. And so she writes Kaineng’s story, or at least, her interpretation of it. Grandpa’s OK with that. It describes their ancestor’s youth, his emigration, at which time Kaineng becomes Ken, his work in New Zealand, his return to Guangdong to find a wife. Kaineng was a poet and story teller so his writing is interesting, beautiful, moving.
As Laura works on her Chinese New Zealand story, she can’t help thinking more about her own ethnicity. Her younger sister’s remarks regularly criticise her attitude, and their mother’s history adds impetus to her attempts to understand and accept her Chineseness.
In her burgeoning private relationship with her white work colleague, Henry, she finds herself challenged: “maybe it’s not super healthy for you to be self-analysing all the time. You might feel better if you focused your energy outwards a bit,” he tells her, and “what do you hope will change after all of this? When you have more answers— if there even are answers?”
She is surprised to find herself attending an Asian arts Collective, and realises she has more in common with these people than she first realised. She comes to admit “I’ve been so internally racist my whole life.” Finally, on a short research trip to Hong Kong, she connects with someone whose heritage experience is so close to her own, that empathy, and emotional and intimate connection can occur without explanation.
At last, she realises “I want to be proud of my roots. My sister is. But I hate being seen for my ethnicity… At first I resented having to write these stories just because of my heritage. But now it feels like a privilege to have stories that people want to hear.”
Laura’s narrative is interspersed with her fictional version of Ken’s story in fifteen parts, and two fictional versions of her mother’s conception. While this novel may resonate with people of Asian heritage, Ling Sidnam’s talent with words, descriptions and plot ensure that this is not a prerequisite for enjoying this beautifully written debut.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Text Publishing.
June 19, 2024
I actually developed a headache from all the eye-rolling I did while reading this book. It wasn’t marketed as YA but, OMG, it most certainly is YA! That was my first issue.
My second issue was how often the story just falls apart, actually contradicting itself! For example, we’re told several times that the main character, Laura, is a vegetarian and has been since she was 13. Yet she keeps eating non-vegetarian things! Chicken salad with her sister, tuna salad for lunch at work, and lamb at a family dinner.🙄 Then, while in Hong Kong, she’s introduced to Celia and, after a quick chat, they make plans to get together that evening for a drink. But when Laura arrives at the bar, Celia approaches her for a hug and says, “It’s wonderful to finally meet you.”🤔Huh? Do you see what I mean? Discrepancies all over the place. Where was the editor?
Anyway, I should just summarise by saying … This book was not for me.
2 “Please… If-it’s-YA-just-say-so!!” stars ⭐⭐
My second issue was how often the story just falls apart, actually contradicting itself! For example, we’re told several times that the main character, Laura, is a vegetarian and has been since she was 13. Yet she keeps eating non-vegetarian things! Chicken salad with her sister, tuna salad for lunch at work, and lamb at a family dinner.🙄 Then, while in Hong Kong, she’s introduced to Celia and, after a quick chat, they make plans to get together that evening for a drink. But when Laura arrives at the bar, Celia approaches her for a hug and says, “It’s wonderful to finally meet you.”🤔Huh? Do you see what I mean? Discrepancies all over the place. Where was the editor?
Anyway, I should just summarise by saying … This book was not for me.
2 “Please… If-it’s-YA-just-say-so!!” stars ⭐⭐
October 2, 2023
Zool zool truly is the greatest of restaurants
August 29, 2024
Nice easy read. Beautiful journey of someone’s journey through self-acceptance in their ethnicity and sexuality.
June 2, 2024
Why I chose it: It fit the brief for #AYearofNZLit
Themes: Identity, migration, Chinese heritage, family, adoption, internalised racism.
For fans of: Quiet character driven stories that gently unfold.
The good: There’s some really interesting history in this one about early Chinese settlement into New Zealand.
The not so good: The main character’s internalised racism was at times difficult to resonate with and subsequently appreciate, however, the author’s intent was clear, and I think this is just a case of lived experience in terms of relatability.
In brief: Laura has always been resistant to embracing her Chinese heritage and resents that she is not considered a New Zealander despite being born and raised in New Zealand. At the height of this identity crisis, she begins to work with her grandfather on translating her great-great-grandfather’s diary of his experiences as an early Chinese settler in New Zealand. A series of family crisis results in Laura embarking on a trip to Hong Kong in a bid to find out who she really is. This one is one of those novels that is about the character journey more than the end result.
Thanks for the review copy goes to: Text Publishing.
Themes: Identity, migration, Chinese heritage, family, adoption, internalised racism.
For fans of: Quiet character driven stories that gently unfold.
The good: There’s some really interesting history in this one about early Chinese settlement into New Zealand.
The not so good: The main character’s internalised racism was at times difficult to resonate with and subsequently appreciate, however, the author’s intent was clear, and I think this is just a case of lived experience in terms of relatability.
In brief: Laura has always been resistant to embracing her Chinese heritage and resents that she is not considered a New Zealander despite being born and raised in New Zealand. At the height of this identity crisis, she begins to work with her grandfather on translating her great-great-grandfather’s diary of his experiences as an early Chinese settler in New Zealand. A series of family crisis results in Laura embarking on a trip to Hong Kong in a bid to find out who she really is. This one is one of those novels that is about the character journey more than the end result.
Thanks for the review copy goes to: Text Publishing.
October 16, 2023
Shes my best friend, she’s a real bad bitch
February 2, 2024
Threads of identity weaving together and each finding their place. Loved it, can’t wait to read more
March 15, 2024
tender and real
Read
February 8, 2024The following book reviews have been shared by Text Publishing – publisher of Backwaters
‘The past and present carry out intimate conversations in this compelling and beautiful work. The rhythms of modern city life speak with the deep histories of Chinese lives in Aotearoa in ways that give a sense of walking backwards into the future. Sidnam’s magnificent novel shows us that the past is living, evolving and all around us. It is an absolute joy to read.’
Pip Adam, author of Nothing to See
‘An exciting journey of self-discovery and connection…that will appeal to readers of Alice Pung’s Unpolished Gem.’
Books+Publishing
‘A warm and funny novel about disappearance, discovery and learning how to live, as well as an intriguing exploration of love, family and secret histories in Asia and New Zealand.’
Paula Morris
‘Backwaters is a brilliant book that encompasses the often forgotten and trivialised immigrant experience. Sidnam weaves the stories of Laura and Ken with aching delicacy and tenderness, with humour and wit. Every one of us will find comfort and familiarity in this book, from the very beginning until the bittersweet end.’
Khadro Mohamed
‘A warm read, full of characters who are flawed and loveable in their humanity…Sidnam has constructed a carefully layered narrative, showing us her vision of a family as an unfolding series of boxes, each generational layer adding insight, yet also complexity.’
Kete
‘Sidnam’s pen is delicate and precise, but rarely overdetermined. She shows us that even if Laura is unsure of her cultural identity, she’s still capable of experiencing the full range of human emotion—she’s both growing and full-formed.’
Aotearoa New Zealand Review of Books
‘Backwaters is rich in inquisitive thought…The novel is rich in content and thought about all kinds of individual and collective identity.’
Otago Daily Times
‘The past and present carry out intimate conversations in this compelling and beautiful work. The rhythms of modern city life speak with the deep histories of Chinese lives in Aotearoa in ways that give a sense of walking backwards into the future. Sidnam’s magnificent novel shows us that the past is living, evolving and all around us. It is an absolute joy to read.’
Pip Adam, author of Nothing to See
‘An exciting journey of self-discovery and connection…that will appeal to readers of Alice Pung’s Unpolished Gem.’
Books+Publishing
‘A warm and funny novel about disappearance, discovery and learning how to live, as well as an intriguing exploration of love, family and secret histories in Asia and New Zealand.’
Paula Morris
‘Backwaters is a brilliant book that encompasses the often forgotten and trivialised immigrant experience. Sidnam weaves the stories of Laura and Ken with aching delicacy and tenderness, with humour and wit. Every one of us will find comfort and familiarity in this book, from the very beginning until the bittersweet end.’
Khadro Mohamed
‘A warm read, full of characters who are flawed and loveable in their humanity…Sidnam has constructed a carefully layered narrative, showing us her vision of a family as an unfolding series of boxes, each generational layer adding insight, yet also complexity.’
Kete
‘Sidnam’s pen is delicate and precise, but rarely overdetermined. She shows us that even if Laura is unsure of her cultural identity, she’s still capable of experiencing the full range of human emotion—she’s both growing and full-formed.’
Aotearoa New Zealand Review of Books
‘Backwaters is rich in inquisitive thought…The novel is rich in content and thought about all kinds of individual and collective identity.’
Otago Daily Times
March 19, 2024
To describe Emma Ling Sidnam's Backwaters as the journey of a fourth-generation Chinese New Zealander to discover her identity is to underestimate the book's rich complexity.
To praise it as a story that will attract readers of this or that author with Asian ancestry is to narrow its scope, limiting its universal appeal and reducing its value to a piece of “ethnic work”.
Like the first-person protagonist Laura, we have all asked ourselves the question: “Where are we from?” But, unlike Laura, only some of us have been asked the question: “Where are you really from?”
If this question gets thrust upon you simply because of how you look, even though you were born and have lived here all your life – it really makes you wonder about your existence.
Unless you can find the answer that satisfies your heart and soul, you will never rest. For identity is much more than how others identify you – it is also how you define yourself.
In Backwaters, Laura embarks on a journey to find an answer that will give her peace. Her sense of being neither here nor there – that she is not enough to own and belong to either space – prompts her to explore the nature and significance of her heritage.
“I just want to fit in,” Laura admits. “And be accepted as a New Zealander and not asked where are you from? everywhere I went.”
Yet, even a DNA test cannot give her a definite answer, because any specific label, like “Chinese” or “New Zealander”, is ambivalent and open to a myriad of interpretations. “It tells me naught about who I am as a person, except that I am a mix of things and my history is ambiguous, and I already know that.”
While working on a project about the Chinese New Zealander experience, Laura comes across a diary supposedly written by her great-great-grandfather, Ken, one of the earliest Chinese settlers in Aotearoa who worked as a market gardener during the gold rush days.
The more she gets to know about the sojourner – the man who felt like a foreigner in his home country and then built a home of his own in a foreign land – the better she understands that life is what you choose it to be, a self-made and self-sustained mixture of disappearance and discovery, fulfilling and forgetting, fact and fiction, memory and reality, and giving and forgiving.
In Laura's words: “All the stories that got me here... they play back in my head like a sped-up film. These stories might be the backdrop to my life, but they don't determine who I become next.” Instead of internalising what others see in her and then defining herself accordingly, she recognises the need to see herself as who she wants to be.
Winner of the 2022 Michael Gifkins Prize, Backwaters is all about the bittersweet search for belonging. It shows us a way to find confidence and courage to claim our own stories.
Note: This book review is scheduled to be published by Ranges Trader Star Mail in Melbourne, Australia, April 2, 2024.
To praise it as a story that will attract readers of this or that author with Asian ancestry is to narrow its scope, limiting its universal appeal and reducing its value to a piece of “ethnic work”.
Like the first-person protagonist Laura, we have all asked ourselves the question: “Where are we from?” But, unlike Laura, only some of us have been asked the question: “Where are you really from?”
If this question gets thrust upon you simply because of how you look, even though you were born and have lived here all your life – it really makes you wonder about your existence.
Unless you can find the answer that satisfies your heart and soul, you will never rest. For identity is much more than how others identify you – it is also how you define yourself.
In Backwaters, Laura embarks on a journey to find an answer that will give her peace. Her sense of being neither here nor there – that she is not enough to own and belong to either space – prompts her to explore the nature and significance of her heritage.
“I just want to fit in,” Laura admits. “And be accepted as a New Zealander and not asked where are you from? everywhere I went.”
Yet, even a DNA test cannot give her a definite answer, because any specific label, like “Chinese” or “New Zealander”, is ambivalent and open to a myriad of interpretations. “It tells me naught about who I am as a person, except that I am a mix of things and my history is ambiguous, and I already know that.”
While working on a project about the Chinese New Zealander experience, Laura comes across a diary supposedly written by her great-great-grandfather, Ken, one of the earliest Chinese settlers in Aotearoa who worked as a market gardener during the gold rush days.
The more she gets to know about the sojourner – the man who felt like a foreigner in his home country and then built a home of his own in a foreign land – the better she understands that life is what you choose it to be, a self-made and self-sustained mixture of disappearance and discovery, fulfilling and forgetting, fact and fiction, memory and reality, and giving and forgiving.
In Laura's words: “All the stories that got me here... they play back in my head like a sped-up film. These stories might be the backdrop to my life, but they don't determine who I become next.” Instead of internalising what others see in her and then defining herself accordingly, she recognises the need to see herself as who she wants to be.
Winner of the 2022 Michael Gifkins Prize, Backwaters is all about the bittersweet search for belonging. It shows us a way to find confidence and courage to claim our own stories.
Note: This book review is scheduled to be published by Ranges Trader Star Mail in Melbourne, Australia, April 2, 2024.
September 22, 2024
32% Sometimes a book can be too easy of a read...
This is a deeply biographical novel about a fourth generation New Zealander of Chinese stock. It is a debut novel by award winning poet Emma Ling Sidnam. I had very high hopes for it. However...
I haven't read any of Sidnam's poetry, so I can't speak for the quality, but the novel is almost devoid of poetic, or literary language. I can only assume that she has deliberately written the novel in a very straight forward, simple fashion. While the approach has much going for it, it has been taken to the extreme here.
The characters are all very straightforward, pretty much stereotypes. In typical gen z fashion everyone is very emotionally intelligent. When a character feels anything we know because they tell us. I initially liked the way Laura, the protagonist, started as almost identitiless. She is an arty twenty-something woman, and her personality could be swapped with any other arty twenty-something woman from anywhere else on the planet without noticing. She likes anime and Taylor Swift and matcha lattes. I assumed she would develop as the novel went on. She didn't. The entirety of her emotional journey journey can be summed up thus: at the outset she didn't identify as Chinese, at the end she did. Even this simplistic arc, is not delivered with any attempt at nuance, but spelt out in the most bashing-over-the-head-obvious manner.
And yet Sidnam *can* write in an engaging manner. The sections of the book which look back at her ancestors are far, far better. At a couple points we are presented with sections as written by the protagonist (herself a writer) and these show depth, subtly and literary ambition.
But sadly the fleeting glimpses of talent are not enough to pull the book back from the brink. Having said that, I will keep an eye out for more works from Emma Ling Sidnam, as I am sure she has a much better book inside her.
This is a deeply biographical novel about a fourth generation New Zealander of Chinese stock. It is a debut novel by award winning poet Emma Ling Sidnam. I had very high hopes for it. However...
I haven't read any of Sidnam's poetry, so I can't speak for the quality, but the novel is almost devoid of poetic, or literary language. I can only assume that she has deliberately written the novel in a very straight forward, simple fashion. While the approach has much going for it, it has been taken to the extreme here.
The characters are all very straightforward, pretty much stereotypes. In typical gen z fashion everyone is very emotionally intelligent. When a character feels anything we know because they tell us. I initially liked the way Laura, the protagonist, started as almost identitiless. She is an arty twenty-something woman, and her personality could be swapped with any other arty twenty-something woman from anywhere else on the planet without noticing. She likes anime and Taylor Swift and matcha lattes. I assumed she would develop as the novel went on. She didn't. The entirety of her emotional journey journey can be summed up thus: at the outset she didn't identify as Chinese, at the end she did. Even this simplistic arc, is not delivered with any attempt at nuance, but spelt out in the most bashing-over-the-head-obvious manner.
And yet Sidnam *can* write in an engaging manner. The sections of the book which look back at her ancestors are far, far better. At a couple points we are presented with sections as written by the protagonist (herself a writer) and these show depth, subtly and literary ambition.
But sadly the fleeting glimpses of talent are not enough to pull the book back from the brink. Having said that, I will keep an eye out for more works from Emma Ling Sidnam, as I am sure she has a much better book inside her.
August 13, 2024
“I’m not a single story, but a mosaic of experiences, a tapestry of cultures and memories.” This quote perfectly summarises the novel, reflecting Laura, the protagonist’s journey to love and accept her identity. Throughout the story, we witness her struggles with her identity and understanding herself, shaped by the diverse cultures and experiences she encounters. Her journey is both moving and inspiring. Her story tells us that identity should not be defined by just one story but is enhanced by the diverse experiences and cultures woven into your life.
“Backwaters” follows the journey of Laura, a young woman struggling with her multicultural heritage and personal identity. As she deals with her family’s expectations and cultural influences that surround her, she works to bring these different parts of her life together. Through her experience, she moves from confusion and frustration, to understanding and accepting herself. Throughout the book, Laura learns to embrace the diverse cultures and memories that shape her.
From the very first page, I was drawn to the complexities of Laura's life. Sidnam’s powerful writing vividly captures the complex details of Laura’s personal and external experiences. Her life is a delicate balance of contrasting cultural influences, from her family’s desires and societal norms, which often clash with her individual goals and aspirations. Laura's internal struggles with her mixed heritage are passionately portrayed, expressing her efforts to bring together the different parts of her identity.
One of my favourite quotes in the book would have to be, “I guess I write a lot about identity, what it means to be a person. I feel like I don’t quite know myself, and I’m trying to work it out.” This quote is said near the start of the story, when Laura feels incomplete, struggling to understand who she really is among conflicting cultural experiences and varied personal experiences that seem to define her. This sense of uncertainty drives the story, as Laura embarks on a quest to piece together her identity and find a sense of belonging.
Sidnam’s writing style, combined with the story's pace, makes “Backwaters” an engaging read for a broad audience. The themes of family dynamics, cultural integration and personal growth, creates a story that resonates with a wide audience. While particularly suitable for teenagers who might be trying to understand themselves, the themes and storytelling will also intrigue adults, making it suitable for all ages. The characters, especially Laura, are depicted in a detailed and realistic way, making their struggles relatable to anyone who has faced similar conflicts.
I originally chose this book because I liked how the cover looked, with its striking imagery and design, which hint at the book’s themes. As I did some brief research into what the book was about, I realised it was a topic I’d be very interested in. It definitely didn’t disappoint.
Overall, I highly recommend “Backwaters,” it is a meaningful exploration of identity and self-acceptance, expertly portrayed through Emma Ling Sidnam’s evocative writing style. Laura’s journey, filled with cultural and personal conflicts, is both reflective and inspiring. The novel engages readers of all ages with its universal themes and the fascinating story of Laura’s quest for self-discovery. “Backwaters” is not just a story of finding identity, but a celebration of the diverse experiences that shape who we are, making it a must-read for anyone interested in the complexities of identity and belonging.
“Backwaters” follows the journey of Laura, a young woman struggling with her multicultural heritage and personal identity. As she deals with her family’s expectations and cultural influences that surround her, she works to bring these different parts of her life together. Through her experience, she moves from confusion and frustration, to understanding and accepting herself. Throughout the book, Laura learns to embrace the diverse cultures and memories that shape her.
From the very first page, I was drawn to the complexities of Laura's life. Sidnam’s powerful writing vividly captures the complex details of Laura’s personal and external experiences. Her life is a delicate balance of contrasting cultural influences, from her family’s desires and societal norms, which often clash with her individual goals and aspirations. Laura's internal struggles with her mixed heritage are passionately portrayed, expressing her efforts to bring together the different parts of her identity.
One of my favourite quotes in the book would have to be, “I guess I write a lot about identity, what it means to be a person. I feel like I don’t quite know myself, and I’m trying to work it out.” This quote is said near the start of the story, when Laura feels incomplete, struggling to understand who she really is among conflicting cultural experiences and varied personal experiences that seem to define her. This sense of uncertainty drives the story, as Laura embarks on a quest to piece together her identity and find a sense of belonging.
Sidnam’s writing style, combined with the story's pace, makes “Backwaters” an engaging read for a broad audience. The themes of family dynamics, cultural integration and personal growth, creates a story that resonates with a wide audience. While particularly suitable for teenagers who might be trying to understand themselves, the themes and storytelling will also intrigue adults, making it suitable for all ages. The characters, especially Laura, are depicted in a detailed and realistic way, making their struggles relatable to anyone who has faced similar conflicts.
I originally chose this book because I liked how the cover looked, with its striking imagery and design, which hint at the book’s themes. As I did some brief research into what the book was about, I realised it was a topic I’d be very interested in. It definitely didn’t disappoint.
Overall, I highly recommend “Backwaters,” it is a meaningful exploration of identity and self-acceptance, expertly portrayed through Emma Ling Sidnam’s evocative writing style. Laura’s journey, filled with cultural and personal conflicts, is both reflective and inspiring. The novel engages readers of all ages with its universal themes and the fascinating story of Laura’s quest for self-discovery. “Backwaters” is not just a story of finding identity, but a celebration of the diverse experiences that shape who we are, making it a must-read for anyone interested in the complexities of identity and belonging.
February 3, 2024
At first I was quite skeptical on how much I would be able to relate to this book, after all, I am not a minority growing up in a predominantly white society, so the struggle of ethnic identity has always felt very foreign to me. But in the end, I think I did relate to the story on another level. We all have some aspects of our life that we want certainty, want to fill in the gaps, or want to feel belonged. But life isn’t that simple, and I think the book paints a very realistic picture of what life is. We can wonder about all sorts of possibilities, what ifs or what could have beens, but most of the time we will never find that certainty, and life just goes on. Like my favorite quote from the book, “Now, I feel like the fairy tales are fading to black. No more theories. No more imagined stories of where I came from. Now, I’m just going to live.”
I fully appreciate Laura’s journey of finding her identity. From completely disassociating from her Chinese roots, to questioning her identity, trying to fill in the gaps in her family history, and finally letting go, I feel like I have gone through Laura’s joys and sorrows together with her, despite not having the same background. I especially loved the dynamic between different family members, how her grandparents were not close to each other, but her parents being the opposite, and how her mother and herself had very different perspectives on her grandfather. Each chapter is short, straightforward, and may seem like it’s just recording normal daily events, but they all connect very well and flow smoothly when read in one sitting. I look forward to reading more from Emma Sidnam. Bravo.
I fully appreciate Laura’s journey of finding her identity. From completely disassociating from her Chinese roots, to questioning her identity, trying to fill in the gaps in her family history, and finally letting go, I feel like I have gone through Laura’s joys and sorrows together with her, despite not having the same background. I especially loved the dynamic between different family members, how her grandparents were not close to each other, but her parents being the opposite, and how her mother and herself had very different perspectives on her grandfather. Each chapter is short, straightforward, and may seem like it’s just recording normal daily events, but they all connect very well and flow smoothly when read in one sitting. I look forward to reading more from Emma Sidnam. Bravo.
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April 17, 2024About a third of the way in, reading on my way to work, I was tempted to just call in sick so I could keep reading. I loved this novel! I loved Laura and her sister and parents and Henry, and Grandpa and even Celia (who was the only character that didn’t ring entirely true for me, and seemed more holiday fantasy than real person). I loved Laura’s telling of Ken’s story, and exploration of who she was, if that was Chinese, and what that meant. I really like the disappointing reality of the first look at the DNA results, and that Laura could also find peace with that. Other than Grandma, (oh, and Henry’s revolting parents) I appreciate there were no villains (or heroes) so it felt real. What a great read great. Love, love, loved this novel.
November 13, 2024
my favourite line in the entire book is in the acknowledgements where it says “If you’re Asian, queer or a person of colour in a mostly white country, I hope you’re beginning to feel seen and heard. This book is for you.” and ever since i challenged myself to read majority poc authors, it’s really been a life-changing experience. so thank you.
backwaters is an exploration of identity and what it means to understand who you are and where you’re from. identity, as always, is a complicated and multi-faceted concept that fundamentally encompasses every experience that we go through — trauma and all.
backwaters is an exploration of identity and what it means to understand who you are and where you’re from. identity, as always, is a complicated and multi-faceted concept that fundamentally encompasses every experience that we go through — trauma and all.
March 14, 2024
this is a good first novel from a young writer. i would give it 3 & a half stars if i could - it's an engaging, well-told flowing story of identity and belonging, with interesting characters and insights into chinese and new zealand history. the characters emotions were sometimes explained a bit more than i needed, as were their clothes. there was a lot of attention to image and appearances, but i suppose that's probably appropriate for young characters in today's world, and for a story about identity. it made the characters overall a bit superficial.
November 8, 2023
A Chinese New Zealander explores her cultural and family identity, the main catalyst being reading her ancestor's diaries. I was absorbed by both stories - the contemporary and the historical - and the writing flowed well, with a good pace and natural dialogue.
The ending felt somewhat abrupt - not that all loose ends need to be tied up (and they aren't always, in real life) - but I wanted something more or deeper at the end. This is the writer's first novel and I look forward to more by her.
The cover design was odd, with two disparate and disjointed images. The horizontal landscape picture was placed vertically (an oblique reference to Chinese writing going from top to bottom perhaps?), and didn't seem to match any landscape in the story that I could work out.
The ending felt somewhat abrupt - not that all loose ends need to be tied up (and they aren't always, in real life) - but I wanted something more or deeper at the end. This is the writer's first novel and I look forward to more by her.
The cover design was odd, with two disparate and disjointed images. The horizontal landscape picture was placed vertically (an oblique reference to Chinese writing going from top to bottom perhaps?), and didn't seem to match any landscape in the story that I could work out.
April 17, 2025
3.5 stars. Sweet story, engaging read. I loved learning a little more about Chinese immigration to New Zealand. I did find the writing a little young, agree that this could be young adult fiction - also covers great themes for young adults: identity, culture, family..
November 21, 2023
Beautiful and warm read. Felt like such a privilege to read this debut by the lovely Emma 💚
February 15, 2024
*3.5 stars*
A beautiful exploration of questions about identity and race from a perspective you don't hear from often.
A beautiful exploration of questions about identity and race from a perspective you don't hear from often.
March 6, 2024
A really charming book about identity and human connection. Nothing too crazy or out there, just an honest experience
March 21, 2024
Emma if you see this I partially bought this because your parents are very proud of you and bragged to my mum about this book at church. I really liked it please write another book soon.
February 20, 2025
very sweet <3
January 16, 2024
The meat was there! The themes are strong! Queer Asian literature from Aotearoa! Celebration of community and mundane familial love! This one just didn’t quite pay off for me.
The prose style just felt a little too disjointed for me to really invest in Laura's story or feel like development was earned. There were a few resolutions near the end to problems that weren't really previously addressed. Some diversions of description or inner monologue throughout the book just felt unnecessary. It makes a lot of sense that Sidnam is also a poet since I find there's just a slight disconnect between the thoughts she wants to wax poetic about and the wider plot. Very good bones but I think this once could have benefited from both some editing and some expansion of certain ideas.
The prose style just felt a little too disjointed for me to really invest in Laura's story or feel like development was earned. There were a few resolutions near the end to problems that weren't really previously addressed. Some diversions of description or inner monologue throughout the book just felt unnecessary. It makes a lot of sense that Sidnam is also a poet since I find there's just a slight disconnect between the thoughts she wants to wax poetic about and the wider plot. Very good bones but I think this once could have benefited from both some editing and some expansion of certain ideas.
October 29, 2024
I can’t comment on the writing because of how tough I found the main character. I understand she was telling her story, but her story was hard to hear when she struggled to do critical thinking or think about others. The internalised racism never fully got broken down, the adoption trauma was never addressed in the context of her mum (the adoptee), and she treated humans as disposable in her path. The end didn’t feel like she’d really learned anything. That being said it was an interesting story
April 19, 2024
The word backwater has been around since the 14th Century meaning “water behind a dam.” Now it refers to any flat water, not just the water behind a dam. Backwater can also describe a place or situation that seems stuck in a rut, unmoved by current events.
April 18, 2024
Recommended
April 19, 2024
A good read
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