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kitfkat's review
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape
Moderate: Body shaming
abbiechron's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
What started off as a surface-level read bloomed into a beautiful story of finding one's way. At times it was painfully predictable, for example, Mika and Thomas , but the beautiful youth and growth shown through and allowed for room for my predictions to be flawed in the best ways. Don't skip this read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy, Grief, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Cursing, Alcohol, Body shaming, Panic attacks/disorders, Death, Cancer, Bullying, and Death of parent
Minor: Medical content, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Infertility, Animal death, Terminal illness, Blood, and Toxic relationship
Job loss, immigrationkatiemack's review
emotional
funny
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I love Emiko Jean's Tokyo Ever After books, so I thought I'd give her adult debut a try.
The beginning focuses on Mika, a thirty-five-year-old who has just been let go from her job and is not traditionally successful--especially not to her parents, who moved with her from Japan to the U.S. in search of better opportunities. When her sixteen-year-old biological child, Penny, reaches out to her, Mika finds herself entangled in a web of lies of her own making to seem more impressive to her daughter.
I have a huge problem with books based on the main character's lies, so I was prepared to cringe the entire way through the rest of the book. Thankfully, that aspect of the plot is resolved about halfway through the book and gives way to a more in-depth exploration of trauma (particularly generational trauma), motherhood, and the nature of creativity. It feels more personal than Jean's other books, but it still has its moments of funny dialogue and compelling side characters. The romance feels abrupt but makes sense, in the end.
Try this if you're looking for a tender, diverse read about motherhood and, well, being an adult.
I love Emiko Jean's Tokyo Ever After books, so I thought I'd give her adult debut a try.
The beginning focuses on Mika, a thirty-five-year-old who has just been let go from her job and is not traditionally successful--especially not to her parents, who moved with her from Japan to the U.S. in search of better opportunities. When her sixteen-year-old biological child, Penny, reaches out to her, Mika finds herself entangled in a web of lies of her own making to seem more impressive to her daughter.
I have a huge problem with books based on the main character's lies, so I was prepared to cringe the entire way through the rest of the book. Thankfully, that aspect of the plot is resolved about halfway through the book and gives way to a more in-depth exploration of trauma (particularly generational trauma), motherhood, and the nature of creativity. It feels more personal than Jean's other books, but it still has its moments of funny dialogue and compelling side characters. The romance feels abrupt but makes sense, in the end.
Try this if you're looking for a tender, diverse read about motherhood and, well, being an adult.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape and Xenophobia
Minor: Toxic relationship and Body shaming
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