4.5 stars.

TWs: self-harm, SA, death, grooming, abuse, alcoholism, racism.

This is one of the best debuts I’ve read this year. I was drawn to this book because of the intriguing title as well as the cover, but I had no expectations because not a lot of people have reviewed this as of yet. I was blown away by the skill that Footman displayed throughout this novel, from characterisation to lyricism to structural weaving.

Throughout the novel, we follow three different narratives: Meiko, Yuki and Haruka. Meiko is a young Japanese-English girl grappling with her sexuality, the loss of her mother, and the conflict between her two racial identities. Yuki is a talented young violinist who has recently moved to England for further musical training and is taken under her much older instructor’s wing. Haruka is also grappling with the loss of her mother, as she lives in Japan with her grandparents on their farm and struggles with the way they process their own grief. Despite having three different narrative voices, I felt that all of them were well-developed with distinctive personalities which Footman expressed through subtleties; she was very good at showing and not telling. As the novel progresses, Footman skilfully shows how these three women’s stories are weaved together and impact each other.

One of the main things I took from this novel was how our three female narrators were thoroughly and consistently failed by the most important men in their lives. I felt incredibly sad for all three of them; as they kept on being disappointed, I could see them becoming more defeated as their hope in their family members dwindled. As a result, when it became clear how Meiko, Haruka and Yuki’s stories interlinked and their paths physically crossed, it was even more beautiful when they found the connection they were craving from each other.

I look forward to reading any future books Hanako Footman writes, as she is incredibly talented at telling personal and moving stories about complex characters.

This is a heavy read, although it is beautifully written. Took me a while to read due to triggers, but i had to finish it.

One of my best reads this year.

There are A LOT of trigger warnings associated with this book. However, it is absolutely gorgeous. I am a sucker for a intergenerational POV and also the inter-culturalism and the struggle with that were written so well in this book. The contrast between fitting in in the UK and Japan was so expertly written it was gorgeous to read.
It did not rely on the shock factor of trigger warnings, however it used sensitive and often dark topics to weave through the narrative of the women in the book. I loved this.

Mongrel is literary fiction at its best.So beautifully written I loved it from beginning till the end a gorgeous read.#netgalley #mongrel

It deals with issues that may not be appropriate for some people, such as sexual harassment, rape, racism, self-harm, homophobia or addiction. I mean, this book contains triggering elements. But it still retains its excellence.

I was destroyed by this book. I usually judge a book as good if it provokes strong feelings or profound thought in me, and Mongrel did both. I had to put the book down occasionally to simply digest how personal some of the sentences were. Three women's lives are intertwined in the book Mongrel. Mei feels as like she is on the periphery of secondary school society while growing up in England. She is not quite a part of the groups but is aware of everything. Yuki, a gifted violinist from Japan who recently immigrated to England to pursue her studies, attracts the interest of one of her teachers.

Each of the three women is looking for their position in the world.

The experiences of these three ladies will strike a chord with every woman; Mongrel cuts hard and mercilessly. Footman's stories are timeless and transcendent, giving voice to women who have been silenced or whose existence has been eclipsed by a male fantasy. Examples include Mei's struggles with sexuality and identity growing up in England, Yuki's easy infatuation with a man who clearly knows better, and Haruka's struggles navigating the loss of a mother and a family who are processing their own grief as they try to care for her.

Mongrel is my favourite novel of the year so far. Except when I wanted to pause and reflect, cry, or comprehend what I had read, I could not put it down.

Wow! I couldn’t put this down.

Following the journeys of three women finding their way. An amazing read.

I loved this novel. Breathtaking, lyrical prose dealing with difficult subjects. Some parts were gut-wrenchingly hard to read because of its intensity but Footman's gorgeous writing makes it all worthwhile. A stunning debut!

Set between England and Japan, Hanako Footman's debut follows three Japanese women’s lives as they unfold over the course of several years. There’s Mei who, having lost her mum as a child, is still struggling to come to terms with her Anglo-Japanese identity; Yuki, who leaves her parents’ farm in Japan to pursue a musical career in England, where she falls under the spell of a charismatic older man; and Haruka, who tries to numb the pain of losing her mother by immersing herself in Tokyo’s nightlife, working as a hostess in one of the city’s unsavoury bars.

I feel like this is one of those books where you should go in as blind as possible so I don’t want to give too much away, but let me just say that the way Footman weaves these stories together is just masterful. The pacing is perfect and the language is poetic without ever feeling overwritten, making all of the characters’ experiences feel urgent and impactful.

There are definitely some darker topics in this one (self harm and sexual assault are the ones that immediately spring to mind), but Footman handles them with sensitivity and nuance, and despite the seriousness of the subject matter, there are glimpses of hope throughout, which made the story feel very real.

If you’re craving an emotional read about identity and belonging, this one’s for you. Personally, I’m a huge fan and can’t wait for it to come out in Feb next year so I can get a physical copy!

This book broke me. I tend to class a good book by a book that makes me think deeply or feel deeply - and Mongrel did both. There were moments were I had to set the book down and just process how close to home some of the words were. Mongrel documents the interwoven lives of three women: Mei, growing up in England and feeling as though she exists on the fringes of secondary school society - not quite part of the groups but seeing everything. Yuki, a talented Japanese violinist who has just moved to England to study where she catches the attention of one of her tutors. And Haruka, a young Japanese woman who recently moved to Tokyo - still grieving the loss of her mother and processing a father she never knew, Haruka both loses and finds herself in the Tokyo nightlife.

All three women are trying to find their place in the world.

Mongrel cuts deep and relentlessly, the stories of these three women will resonate with every woman. From Mei’s struggles with sexuality and identity growing up in England, Yuki’s easy infatuation with a man that definitely knows better, and Haruka’s struggles navigating the loss of a mother and a family that are processing their own grief as they try to care for her - Footman’s stories are timeless and placeless, giving voice to the women who have been pushed to the sidelines or whose existence is overshadowed by a male fantasy.

Footman also explores what it means to be searching for a cultural identity, a place of belonging when you exist between two places. Mei’s link to her mother and her culture is fraying, existing only in a book of fairy tales, an English attempt at fried rice which her father calls ‘oriental night’, and a few beginner Japanese lessons. Yuki arrives in England where she struggles with the language and is often mistaken for a nanny. Haruka has mixed feelings towards the cultural hierarchy of Tokyo’s nightlife, tainted by the shadow of a family secret which is gradually pulled into the light.

So far, Mongrel is my book of the year. I could not put it down save for the moments I needed to pause and think, cry, and process what I had read.

Oh wow. Wow wow wow. This was a beautiful book from start to finish. As someone who is part Japanese and part British, reading about Mei made me feel like I had been broken and the deepest parts of myself were left exposed on the pages. I felt understood and represented and it made me long for a home and a life I haven’t lived.

The way this story was weaved together felt like a breathe of fresh air. Womanhood and pride of family and heritage held the pieces of this story together. Every word was chosen carefully and not a single word, or sentence felt out of place. I’m awestruck by the talent and enchanting way Footman writes. I don’t have enough words to encapsulate the treasure this book was to read.