Others Were Emeralds is a moving and captivating coming-of-age novel, that follows Ai through her final year of school and into her first year of university. Set in the late 90s, the story takes place in the fictional NSW town of Whitlam, known for its large Asian immigrant population with many families having fled war-torn countries, with Ai’s parents being among them. At the same time as falling in love with her first boyfriend, Bowie, and being swept up in a new friendship with Brigitte, Ai and her friends also have to live in an environment of heightened racial tension and anti-migrant attitudes.
Others Were Emeralds reminded me why I love coming-of-age fiction so much. I love the nostalgic element, with Leav transporting us back to the awkward times of adolescence when friendships and first relationships were all-consuming. I thought Leav depicted this stage of life so well, through elevated emotions, volatile relationships and figuring out one’s identity. This is characterised strongly by Ai’s tendency to be somewhat self-absorbed and preoccupied with her own insecurities and jealousy, causing conflict with those she loves most. Without giving away too much of the plot, the processing of grief and trauma becomes a key theme throughout the novel, with this being written with such vulnerability and becoming a pivotal point of Ai’s growth.
Alongside the teenage drama, there is a looming presence of racism that Ai, her family and friends are constantly navigating. Leav weaves in anecdotes and memories from Ai and other characters of disgusting and frightening accounts of overt racism, as well as watching it play out alongside the characters in the present day. There’s very harsh injustice, stigma and ostracisation within the story, but there are also key moments of activism and resilience that confront this narrative.
Leav is such a poetic, beautiful writer, her prose is both vivid and easy to consume; I devoured the novel in a few sittings over a weekend. If you enjoy coming-of-age novels that carry some more serious, heavier topics, Others Were Emerald is the ideal pick.
Rating: 5/5
TW: Racism, domestic abuse
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