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beautifulpaxielreads's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
A nice, light-hearted read with some unexpected depth - however I did want just that bit more from it.
If you enjoyed the film version of The Princess Diaries, then you'll probably enjoy this because the premise is very similar.
The MC, Izumi, felt narratively younger than she actually was - it was only when she was talking about more complex concepts that I realised she was supposed to be about 18 or so.
I felt like theromance could have been left out because the main couple lacked chemistry, although their ending worked . Weird thing to say, I know.
I enjoyed the visit to Kyoto, and there were interesting discussions around the idea of belonging and identlty - Izumi, though she is of Japanese heritage, was raised in a very white area of the US and has very little knowledge of her own culture. Her eventual realisation thatshe could be both American and Japanese was satisfying and felt earned, if predicatable. . There were also some lines that really jumped out at me and were relatable (unfortunately it's been nearly a week since I finished reading so I can't recall exactly what they were). I also really appreciated how - in this version of the country at least, I don't know how true to life it is - we saw how in Japan the royal family were viewed as celebrities, and how every detail of their lives was scrutinised by the media, leaving no room for error.
I also felt like Emiko Jean could have gone deeper into the role that class and privilege played in Japanese society in terms of the Japanese people's attitude to the royal family's higher status and wealth, though I admit that I'm coming at this from a Western perspective and may sound ignorant as a result.
In short, this was fun and light-hearted - but it could have been more.
If you enjoyed the film version of The Princess Diaries, then you'll probably enjoy this because the premise is very similar.
The MC, Izumi, felt narratively younger than she actually was - it was only when she was talking about more complex concepts that I realised she was supposed to be about 18 or so.
I felt like the
I enjoyed the visit to Kyoto, and there were interesting discussions around the idea of belonging and identlty - Izumi, though she is of Japanese heritage, was raised in a very white area of the US and has very little knowledge of her own culture. Her eventual realisation that
I also felt like Emiko Jean could have gone deeper into the role that class and privilege played in Japanese society in terms of the Japanese people's attitude to the royal family's higher status and wealth, though I admit that I'm coming at this from a Western perspective and may sound ignorant as a result.
In short, this was fun and light-hearted - but it could have been more.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying and Xenophobia
Moderate: Alcohol and Dementia
Minor: War and Mental illness
khymihr's review
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Minor: Racial slurs and War
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