Ai-Men Lau 劉羿雯
@aimenlau.bsky.social
🇭🇰🇲🇾🇨🇦 | Information Operations and Transnational Repression Research | formerly at Alliance Canada Hong Kong and Doublethink Lab | she/elle | views are my fault
39) Flesh by David Szalay
Like others, I marvel at Szalay’s ability to portray so much with such sparse dialogue. This was a sad portrait of a man, masculinity, and sexuality. Sometimes sympathetic, other times infuriating
Like others, I marvel at Szalay’s ability to portray so much with such sparse dialogue. This was a sad portrait of a man, masculinity, and sexuality. Sometimes sympathetic, other times infuriating
November 9, 2025 at 11:00 PM
39) Flesh by David Szalay
Like others, I marvel at Szalay’s ability to portray so much with such sparse dialogue. This was a sad portrait of a man, masculinity, and sexuality. Sometimes sympathetic, other times infuriating
Like others, I marvel at Szalay’s ability to portray so much with such sparse dialogue. This was a sad portrait of a man, masculinity, and sexuality. Sometimes sympathetic, other times infuriating
38) Daughters of the Bamboo Grove by Barbara Demick
Loved Barbara Demick’s new book examining China’s one child policy, international adoption, and the tragic consequences for ordinary people. We follow twin sisters - one who is kidnapped, adopted by an American family and her reunion in China.
Loved Barbara Demick’s new book examining China’s one child policy, international adoption, and the tragic consequences for ordinary people. We follow twin sisters - one who is kidnapped, adopted by an American family and her reunion in China.
November 9, 2025 at 10:57 PM
38) Daughters of the Bamboo Grove by Barbara Demick
Loved Barbara Demick’s new book examining China’s one child policy, international adoption, and the tragic consequences for ordinary people. We follow twin sisters - one who is kidnapped, adopted by an American family and her reunion in China.
Loved Barbara Demick’s new book examining China’s one child policy, international adoption, and the tragic consequences for ordinary people. We follow twin sisters - one who is kidnapped, adopted by an American family and her reunion in China.
37) Strange Pictures by Uketsu
It was more of a crime thriller than a horror novel for me, but still an entertaining read I breezed through in a day.
It was more of a crime thriller than a horror novel for me, but still an entertaining read I breezed through in a day.
November 9, 2025 at 10:54 PM
37) Strange Pictures by Uketsu
It was more of a crime thriller than a horror novel for me, but still an entertaining read I breezed through in a day.
It was more of a crime thriller than a horror novel for me, but still an entertaining read I breezed through in a day.
36) The Trees by Percival Everett
I expected this book to be heavy as it discusses lynchings, racism and injustice in America. But what a wild laugh out loud read. Everett weaves a whacky tale that starts with the murder of white man and a corpse that looks like Emmett Till laying next to him.
I expected this book to be heavy as it discusses lynchings, racism and injustice in America. But what a wild laugh out loud read. Everett weaves a whacky tale that starts with the murder of white man and a corpse that looks like Emmett Till laying next to him.
October 31, 2025 at 2:58 AM
36) The Trees by Percival Everett
I expected this book to be heavy as it discusses lynchings, racism and injustice in America. But what a wild laugh out loud read. Everett weaves a whacky tale that starts with the murder of white man and a corpse that looks like Emmett Till laying next to him.
I expected this book to be heavy as it discusses lynchings, racism and injustice in America. But what a wild laugh out loud read. Everett weaves a whacky tale that starts with the murder of white man and a corpse that looks like Emmett Till laying next to him.
35) This House of Grief by Helen Garner
A man drive off a cliff and his sons drown. An accident or murder?
Garner writes about the trial of Robert Farquharson in this fantastic true crime book. What stood out were her personal observations as she probes how ordinary people can do horrible things
A man drive off a cliff and his sons drown. An accident or murder?
Garner writes about the trial of Robert Farquharson in this fantastic true crime book. What stood out were her personal observations as she probes how ordinary people can do horrible things
October 31, 2025 at 2:52 AM
35) This House of Grief by Helen Garner
A man drive off a cliff and his sons drown. An accident or murder?
Garner writes about the trial of Robert Farquharson in this fantastic true crime book. What stood out were her personal observations as she probes how ordinary people can do horrible things
A man drive off a cliff and his sons drown. An accident or murder?
Garner writes about the trial of Robert Farquharson in this fantastic true crime book. What stood out were her personal observations as she probes how ordinary people can do horrible things
34) Rejection by Tony Tulathimutte
A painful, cringe inducing and hilarious read that explores the awful corners of the human psyche when we’re rejected, and the anxieties around identity, sexuality, and our sheer entitlement in relationships.
A painful, cringe inducing and hilarious read that explores the awful corners of the human psyche when we’re rejected, and the anxieties around identity, sexuality, and our sheer entitlement in relationships.
October 31, 2025 at 2:49 AM
34) Rejection by Tony Tulathimutte
A painful, cringe inducing and hilarious read that explores the awful corners of the human psyche when we’re rejected, and the anxieties around identity, sexuality, and our sheer entitlement in relationships.
A painful, cringe inducing and hilarious read that explores the awful corners of the human psyche when we’re rejected, and the anxieties around identity, sexuality, and our sheer entitlement in relationships.
33) Diavola by Jennifer Thorne
This book triggered my eldest daughter syndrome a lot. A family vacay and all the drama that follows set in a haunted villa in Italy was a fun and easy read. I did feel the ending was a bit rushed though.
This book triggered my eldest daughter syndrome a lot. A family vacay and all the drama that follows set in a haunted villa in Italy was a fun and easy read. I did feel the ending was a bit rushed though.
October 31, 2025 at 2:46 AM
33) Diavola by Jennifer Thorne
This book triggered my eldest daughter syndrome a lot. A family vacay and all the drama that follows set in a haunted villa in Italy was a fun and easy read. I did feel the ending was a bit rushed though.
This book triggered my eldest daughter syndrome a lot. A family vacay and all the drama that follows set in a haunted villa in Italy was a fun and easy read. I did feel the ending was a bit rushed though.
32) The Eyes are the Best Part by Monica Kim
Do not recommend this if you’re squeamish, but this was a solid debut novel from Monica Kim about Asian fetishization. While heavy handed and contrived at times, the body horror was great.
Do not recommend this if you’re squeamish, but this was a solid debut novel from Monica Kim about Asian fetishization. While heavy handed and contrived at times, the body horror was great.
October 31, 2025 at 2:44 AM
32) The Eyes are the Best Part by Monica Kim
Do not recommend this if you’re squeamish, but this was a solid debut novel from Monica Kim about Asian fetishization. While heavy handed and contrived at times, the body horror was great.
Do not recommend this if you’re squeamish, but this was a solid debut novel from Monica Kim about Asian fetishization. While heavy handed and contrived at times, the body horror was great.
31) Just Kids by Patti Smith
On my TBR pile for a long time and so glad I finally got to it. Patti’s poetic prose transported me to a New York that doesn’t exist anymore and explores love in all forms
On my TBR pile for a long time and so glad I finally got to it. Patti’s poetic prose transported me to a New York that doesn’t exist anymore and explores love in all forms
October 31, 2025 at 2:42 AM
31) Just Kids by Patti Smith
On my TBR pile for a long time and so glad I finally got to it. Patti’s poetic prose transported me to a New York that doesn’t exist anymore and explores love in all forms
On my TBR pile for a long time and so glad I finally got to it. Patti’s poetic prose transported me to a New York that doesn’t exist anymore and explores love in all forms
30) Slow Noodles by Chantha Nguon
My love language is cooking for others and eating good food, how could I not love Slow Noodles. An exploration of loss, love, and survival through food and recipes as Chantha flees Cambodia as the Khmer Rouge comes to power and returns many years later.
My love language is cooking for others and eating good food, how could I not love Slow Noodles. An exploration of loss, love, and survival through food and recipes as Chantha flees Cambodia as the Khmer Rouge comes to power and returns many years later.
October 31, 2025 at 2:39 AM
30) Slow Noodles by Chantha Nguon
My love language is cooking for others and eating good food, how could I not love Slow Noodles. An exploration of loss, love, and survival through food and recipes as Chantha flees Cambodia as the Khmer Rouge comes to power and returns many years later.
My love language is cooking for others and eating good food, how could I not love Slow Noodles. An exploration of loss, love, and survival through food and recipes as Chantha flees Cambodia as the Khmer Rouge comes to power and returns many years later.
28) The Memory Police by Yoko Ogawa
Oof, what a read. This speculative fiction is set on an island where memories are disappeared by the memory police. The ending hit me way harder that I expected and I thought it was illustrative of how control collapses onto itself
Oof, what a read. This speculative fiction is set on an island where memories are disappeared by the memory police. The ending hit me way harder that I expected and I thought it was illustrative of how control collapses onto itself
October 31, 2025 at 2:35 AM
28) The Memory Police by Yoko Ogawa
Oof, what a read. This speculative fiction is set on an island where memories are disappeared by the memory police. The ending hit me way harder that I expected and I thought it was illustrative of how control collapses onto itself
Oof, what a read. This speculative fiction is set on an island where memories are disappeared by the memory police. The ending hit me way harder that I expected and I thought it was illustrative of how control collapses onto itself
27) Butter by Asako Yuzuki
Butter made me constantly hungry, but I was a bit disappointed by this book. There were a lot of themes about the challenges women face in Japanese society, but the exploration felt shallow and incomplete. Still worth a read and I thought it started off strong!
Butter made me constantly hungry, but I was a bit disappointed by this book. There were a lot of themes about the challenges women face in Japanese society, but the exploration felt shallow and incomplete. Still worth a read and I thought it started off strong!
October 31, 2025 at 2:34 AM
27) Butter by Asako Yuzuki
Butter made me constantly hungry, but I was a bit disappointed by this book. There were a lot of themes about the challenges women face in Japanese society, but the exploration felt shallow and incomplete. Still worth a read and I thought it started off strong!
Butter made me constantly hungry, but I was a bit disappointed by this book. There were a lot of themes about the challenges women face in Japanese society, but the exploration felt shallow and incomplete. Still worth a read and I thought it started off strong!
26) Small Boat by Vincent Delacroix
This fictional account of a French coast guard who is interrogated after the real life drowning of 27 migrants in the English Channel holds up a painful and accurate mirror on our indifference and limits of sympathy for migrants and refugees
This fictional account of a French coast guard who is interrogated after the real life drowning of 27 migrants in the English Channel holds up a painful and accurate mirror on our indifference and limits of sympathy for migrants and refugees
October 23, 2025 at 4:09 AM
26) Small Boat by Vincent Delacroix
This fictional account of a French coast guard who is interrogated after the real life drowning of 27 migrants in the English Channel holds up a painful and accurate mirror on our indifference and limits of sympathy for migrants and refugees
This fictional account of a French coast guard who is interrogated after the real life drowning of 27 migrants in the English Channel holds up a painful and accurate mirror on our indifference and limits of sympathy for migrants and refugees
25) The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida by Shehan Karunatilaka
Loved this book about a queer Sri Lanka photojournalist who wakes up in the afterlife, only to discover he has seven moons to get photos of the civil war into the right hands. This was a hilarious, sardonic and magical novel.
Loved this book about a queer Sri Lanka photojournalist who wakes up in the afterlife, only to discover he has seven moons to get photos of the civil war into the right hands. This was a hilarious, sardonic and magical novel.
October 23, 2025 at 4:04 AM
25) The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida by Shehan Karunatilaka
Loved this book about a queer Sri Lanka photojournalist who wakes up in the afterlife, only to discover he has seven moons to get photos of the civil war into the right hands. This was a hilarious, sardonic and magical novel.
Loved this book about a queer Sri Lanka photojournalist who wakes up in the afterlife, only to discover he has seven moons to get photos of the civil war into the right hands. This was a hilarious, sardonic and magical novel.
24) Trust by Hernan Diaz
The story of powerful New York financier and his socialite wife told in four perspectives that asks who do you trust? This was a fun, albeit a bit predictable, read, but what stood out was how Diaz also explores class, sexism, our relationship to money in Ida’s chapter.
The story of powerful New York financier and his socialite wife told in four perspectives that asks who do you trust? This was a fun, albeit a bit predictable, read, but what stood out was how Diaz also explores class, sexism, our relationship to money in Ida’s chapter.
October 23, 2025 at 4:00 AM
24) Trust by Hernan Diaz
The story of powerful New York financier and his socialite wife told in four perspectives that asks who do you trust? This was a fun, albeit a bit predictable, read, but what stood out was how Diaz also explores class, sexism, our relationship to money in Ida’s chapter.
The story of powerful New York financier and his socialite wife told in four perspectives that asks who do you trust? This was a fun, albeit a bit predictable, read, but what stood out was how Diaz also explores class, sexism, our relationship to money in Ida’s chapter.
This coriander flavoured sparkling water wasn’t the worst, but mind you I love coriander. Even so, I had some major hesitations about this.
October 22, 2025 at 10:12 AM
This coriander flavoured sparkling water wasn’t the worst, but mind you I love coriander. Even so, I had some major hesitations about this.
23) The God of the Woods by Liz Moore
There was a lot of hype around this book that I just felt like it didn’t live up to. The multiple perspectives and family drama felt laborious to read and some felt completely unnecessary to include. The ending was overall disappointing.
There was a lot of hype around this book that I just felt like it didn’t live up to. The multiple perspectives and family drama felt laborious to read and some felt completely unnecessary to include. The ending was overall disappointing.
October 16, 2025 at 10:26 PM
23) The God of the Woods by Liz Moore
There was a lot of hype around this book that I just felt like it didn’t live up to. The multiple perspectives and family drama felt laborious to read and some felt completely unnecessary to include. The ending was overall disappointing.
There was a lot of hype around this book that I just felt like it didn’t live up to. The multiple perspectives and family drama felt laborious to read and some felt completely unnecessary to include. The ending was overall disappointing.
22) Babylonia by Constanza Casati
Babylonia tells the story of the legendary Semiramis, thought to be based on the historical Assyrian queen.
As someone who loves historical palace drama, the story was familiar but what sets it apart is the examination of war and PTSD
Babylonia tells the story of the legendary Semiramis, thought to be based on the historical Assyrian queen.
As someone who loves historical palace drama, the story was familiar but what sets it apart is the examination of war and PTSD
October 16, 2025 at 10:22 PM
22) Babylonia by Constanza Casati
Babylonia tells the story of the legendary Semiramis, thought to be based on the historical Assyrian queen.
As someone who loves historical palace drama, the story was familiar but what sets it apart is the examination of war and PTSD
Babylonia tells the story of the legendary Semiramis, thought to be based on the historical Assyrian queen.
As someone who loves historical palace drama, the story was familiar but what sets it apart is the examination of war and PTSD
21) Swimming in the Dark by Tomasz Jedrowski
Written from the second person perspective and as a love letter, this gay love story is set against the twilight years of the Polish People’s Republic. This solid debut novel also explores the every day capitulation to corrupt systems.
Written from the second person perspective and as a love letter, this gay love story is set against the twilight years of the Polish People’s Republic. This solid debut novel also explores the every day capitulation to corrupt systems.
October 15, 2025 at 1:54 AM
21) Swimming in the Dark by Tomasz Jedrowski
Written from the second person perspective and as a love letter, this gay love story is set against the twilight years of the Polish People’s Republic. This solid debut novel also explores the every day capitulation to corrupt systems.
Written from the second person perspective and as a love letter, this gay love story is set against the twilight years of the Polish People’s Republic. This solid debut novel also explores the every day capitulation to corrupt systems.
Post-Mid Autumn Moon on the East Coast☺️
October 11, 2025 at 1:42 AM
Post-Mid Autumn Moon on the East Coast☺️
20) Say Nothing by Patrick Radden Keefe
A new favourite book. Say Nothing is a fascinating examination of the ever changing definition of justice when one thinks they’re on the right side and how a revolution and the IRA splintered under the weight of clashing ideals, strategies, and egos.
A new favourite book. Say Nothing is a fascinating examination of the ever changing definition of justice when one thinks they’re on the right side and how a revolution and the IRA splintered under the weight of clashing ideals, strategies, and egos.
October 1, 2025 at 1:26 AM
20) Say Nothing by Patrick Radden Keefe
A new favourite book. Say Nothing is a fascinating examination of the ever changing definition of justice when one thinks they’re on the right side and how a revolution and the IRA splintered under the weight of clashing ideals, strategies, and egos.
A new favourite book. Say Nothing is a fascinating examination of the ever changing definition of justice when one thinks they’re on the right side and how a revolution and the IRA splintered under the weight of clashing ideals, strategies, and egos.
19) The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy
Finally got around to this book in my TBR pile. This story of family tragedy is politically charged and is told through beautiful and lyrical prose set in Kerala, India in 1960s. An exploration of the caste system, loss of innocence and trauma.
October 1, 2025 at 1:26 AM
19) The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy
Finally got around to this book in my TBR pile. This story of family tragedy is politically charged and is told through beautiful and lyrical prose set in Kerala, India in 1960s. An exploration of the caste system, loss of innocence and trauma.
This place has made me a morning person
August 6, 2025 at 11:44 AM
This place has made me a morning person
“A woman of the globalist left”
I am done reading this sexist drivel
I am done reading this sexist drivel
August 5, 2025 at 10:06 AM
“A woman of the globalist left”
I am done reading this sexist drivel
I am done reading this sexist drivel