Reviews

The Buddha in the Attic by Julie Otsuka

marymarik's review against another edition

informative sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated

3.0

yourlittleearthling's review against another edition

4.0

Beautifully poignant, it was just a glimpse into the wide range of experiences that Japanese immigrants, particularly the women shipped over and promised to men in America, had during the early 1900s. I think that this book did a good job at showing how no group had a monolithic experience or history, and it was interesting to see how the different lives of Japanese people from different regions of California, where I am from -- places I did not even know had a long history of Japanese communities.

I rate it four stars because it is not as much a story as it is an account of the different viewpoints and experiences of people during different life events. I tend to have a greater affinity towards stories that follow a singular person through their experience. However, there is something about the writing that made this so interesting to read, so I would recommend it!

ashfarra's review against another edition

emotional informative sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

jwinchell's review against another edition

4.0

I can’t recall reading another novel written in the first person plural. The collectivity of Japanese mail order brides was overwhelming- nuanced in a pointillist way (as another reviewer pointed out), but also described in broad strokes: the boat, being “taken” by their new husbands, white people, childbirth and child rearing, paranoia and disappearance. The last chapter is written from the perspective of those who remained after the Japanese were sent to internment- a chapter that leaves a gaping sense of loss. This was a sad novel but an educative one.

christina_a_f's review against another edition

4.0

This book was a fascinating, quick read. The use of first person plural was something I'd never seen before, and it captured a shared group experience while still giving individual experiences, specific details, beautifully. It was also a unique perspective, of Japanese immigrants, specifically of the women, right before and leading up to WW2, which you don't normally see in western literature. It was a great, informative, and fascinating read.

mmc6661's review against another edition

2.0

Interesting story but I just like to have a main character to bite into. I felt like it was a rough draft for an awesome book.
I would love to read about some of the women that were involved in the "WE" of the tale. Even at that it was very interesting concept, just wished for more involvement and characters.

liketheday's review against another edition

2.0

It's fascinating. And sobering, if you're, like me, a person who too often takes things for granted. But as a work of fiction? Sooooooooooooo boring.
read more...

elisabeth_e's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

4.0

bookhound's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Really interesting structure- a collective story told by a "we" for each phase of immigration from Japan to the US, marriage, motherhood, work, abuse, and internment camps. I think the structure worked well to tell the story of many women in a slim novel. I'll be thinking about this one for a long time. 

tessaroy's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• 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

This is a long, emotional, heart wrenching list of everyday life details.