It’s the second day of the week! It is also the last day of August and tomorrow, many will either:

  1. ask others to “Wake them up when September ends”;
  2. ask September to be good to them; or
  3. if you are in the Philippines, malls and other public establishments, and radio stations will start playing Christmas songs!

Whatever it might be, I hope you are all doing well despite these challenging and uncertain times. I hope and pray that you are all health, in body, mind, and spirit. As it is Tuesday, it is also time for a Top 5 Tuesday update. Top 5 Tuesdays was originally created by Shanah @ the Bionic Bookworm but is now currently being hosted by Meeghan @ Meeghan Reads.

This week’s topic: Top 5 books with people on the cover

The Top 5 Tuesday series for August is finally culminating. For the month, I’ve featured book covers of books based on certain categories, ranging from book covers with creatures to book covers with buildings or buildings. For the last installment of the series, I am going to list book covers which feature people. With the number of book covers with people on it, Top 5 Tuesday post is my most challenging yet. Nevertheless, here are some of the book covers I love. I hope you enjoy my list. Happy reading!

Insurrecto by Gina Apostol

The cover of Gina Apostol’s Insurrecto feature a young woman, which, I believe, is the epitome of a Filipina. She is demure but this quality belies the silent power that echoes from within. Speaking of which, Insurrecto featured several women of various backgrounds and generations. The kaleidoscopic tale transports the readers to the events that led to the infamous Balangiga massacre (circa 1901), with particular emphasis on the role of the local women, and the subsequent acquisition by the Americans of the Balangiga Bells as a retribution for the humiliation they experienced at the hands of the locals.

Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan

I do admit that I only bought a copy of Kevin Kwan’s Crazy Rich Asians because of the blurb around it, especially by the hype generated by its film adaptation. I was curious about what the book has in store, and I must say, I love the simplicity of the book cover. As for the story itself, it was apparent that it was written to be adapted into the big screen. It was entertaining and all, without too scathing. It was an insightful look into the lives of the rich and the privileged, who are, more often than not, oblivious of the privilege they have. There was, however, more entertainment, and less literature. Nevertheless, I loved Astrid and her wit. I am still hoping to read the rest of the trilogy.

Things We Lost to the Water by Eric Nguyen

Eric Nguyen’s Things We Lost to the Water is the most recent of the books featured in this list. Just like with Crazy Rich Asians, it was my curiosity that has led me to this debut novel by the Vietnamese American writer. I must say, I also liked the blue cover. It imbibed coolness without being too cold (if that makes sense). It is quite obvious that blue is my favorite color, hence, the bias. Things We Lost to the Water is about the immigrant experience of a family of Vietnamese refugees who fled their home country following the crackdown on suspected communists after the end of the Vietnam War. I was a fan of the language and the prose; the structure was forgettable.

The Girl With the Louding Voice by Abi Dare

Nigerian writer Abi Dare’s The Girl With the Louding Voice was one of my favorites of 2020. Highlighting the plights of a young Nigerian girl as she comes of age in contemporary Nigeria, I was drawn by her story, and the ordeals she had to experience. Despite all that she experienced at a young age, she never let her voice be drowned by the bedlam. She was driven by a dream and she worked hard to make this come true. The cover art was interesting as well.

The Vegetarian by Han Kang

I heard quite a lot of positive feedback on South Korean writer Han Kang’s The Vegetarian which made me curious about what it has in store. The winner of the 2016 Man Booker International Prize, The Vegetarian relates the story of Mrs. Cheong who, one day, became a vegetarian. She threw all the meat in their house and also resisted eating meat in all its forms. I didn’t appreciate the narrative when I read it back in 2017 but as I gain more insights about Korean culture through watching Korean variety shows, I begun to understand and appreciate the subtle message the novel carried. Yes, I realized that it was not about being a vegetarian. It belied the insightful, deep, and powerful messages. I also realized the big meat culture existing in Korea – samgyeopsal, bulgogi, etc.

As five is too short to showcase all these book covers, here are more amazing book covers:

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