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romyschnaiberg's review against another edition
5.0
Beautifully told story of turn-of-the-century Japanese mail-order brides and their lives until their internment post Pearl Harbor. The story is told as a collective and though distinct has overtones of similar experiences lived by other groups of outsiders. Very thought provoking.
chitra1111's review against another edition
4.0
Julie Otsuka's "The Buddha in the Attic" is a literary masterpiece that gracefully weaves together the untold stories of Japanese picture brides in early 20th century America. Through her hauntingly poetic prose, Otsuka imparts an emotional resonance that lingers long after the final page is turned.
The brilliance of Otsuka's narrative lies in her choice of a collective first-person perspective. This technique imparts a sense of shared experience, allowing readers to immerse themselves in the hopes, dreams, and challenges of these brave women. As a reviewer, I found this narrative choice to be a stroke of genius, breathing life into characters who could have otherwise remained nameless and forgotten.
The title itself, "The Buddha in the Attic," encapsulates the delicate balance these women maintained between their cherished traditions and the harsh realities of their new lives. This symbolism serves as a poignant reminder of the strength and resilience required to navigate the uncharted waters of immigration.
Otsuka's portrayal of love and loss is both heartrending and raw. Her ability to evoke such visceral emotions is a testament to her skill as a storyteller. Each sentence is a brushstroke, painting a vivid tableau of the challenges these women faced, the sacrifices they made, and the triumphs they celebrated.
While the book delves into the collective experience of these women, Otsuka doesn't shy away from individual moments that stand out like stars in a night sky. These personal anecdotes serve as beacons, illuminating the shared humanity that transcends cultural boundaries.
"The Buddha in the Attic" is a testament to the enduring power of the human spirit. It is a book that invites reflection, one that challenges preconceptions and leaves an indelible mark on the soul. Julie Otsuka has crafted a work of art that deserves a place on the bookshelves of every reader seeking to understand the complexities of immigration, identity, and the indomitable strength of the human heart. #thebuddhaintheattic
The brilliance of Otsuka's narrative lies in her choice of a collective first-person perspective. This technique imparts a sense of shared experience, allowing readers to immerse themselves in the hopes, dreams, and challenges of these brave women. As a reviewer, I found this narrative choice to be a stroke of genius, breathing life into characters who could have otherwise remained nameless and forgotten.
The title itself, "The Buddha in the Attic," encapsulates the delicate balance these women maintained between their cherished traditions and the harsh realities of their new lives. This symbolism serves as a poignant reminder of the strength and resilience required to navigate the uncharted waters of immigration.
Otsuka's portrayal of love and loss is both heartrending and raw. Her ability to evoke such visceral emotions is a testament to her skill as a storyteller. Each sentence is a brushstroke, painting a vivid tableau of the challenges these women faced, the sacrifices they made, and the triumphs they celebrated.
While the book delves into the collective experience of these women, Otsuka doesn't shy away from individual moments that stand out like stars in a night sky. These personal anecdotes serve as beacons, illuminating the shared humanity that transcends cultural boundaries.
"The Buddha in the Attic" is a testament to the enduring power of the human spirit. It is a book that invites reflection, one that challenges preconceptions and leaves an indelible mark on the soul. Julie Otsuka has crafted a work of art that deserves a place on the bookshelves of every reader seeking to understand the complexities of immigration, identity, and the indomitable strength of the human heart. #thebuddhaintheattic
gothnun_98's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
a tender overview of the lives of japanese women. there is no main character instead we meet a group of women who embark on their own journeys. we get short peeks into their lives but each is still so complex and emotional in their own way
meghan111's review against another edition
3.0
A detailed look at the lives of young women from Japan who came to American to marry, spanning from the early 1920s to World War II. Told in the collective voice, in a little over 100 pages, the breadth of experience of the Japanese immigrants is revealed, as well as the larger patterns of similarity. The constant use of 'we' in the descriptions of the lives of the women is an interesting technique. The repetition in the writing lends it strength; the sheer amount of detail reveals the research involved. Many of the individual sentences seem as though they have been taken from the letters these women must have written.
carolpk's review against another edition
4.0
Julie Otsuka could be called a woman of few words. The Buddha in the Attic comes in at under 150 pages but she can convey more in this tightly written novel than others could in a tome.
Buddha in the Attic left me breathless. From the outset when we first meet these Japanese women, some not even in their teens, leaving their homes and families, sailing away on a ship to a foreign land, clutching pictures of their husbands to be, we know this is going to be a special book. These are the Picture Brides. These are the women Otsuka offers us, culling their stories from journals and interviews, giving them a collective voice as they come to San Francisco in the early 1900's. Not one woman, but all these women are laid before our eyes in eight, spare chapters, each revealing their journey from young innocent girls, to bride, to wife, to mother. Their initial excitement at coming to America is soon dampened by the harsh reality of their new home and the life they will lead. Hard labor in the fruit fields, maids in the rich households of others, prostitution, the women do whatever to survive though this is not guaranteed. From their meager homes, to their communal baths, for these mostly obedient women, time rushes them towards their fate as interment order 9066 approaches. We share in their bewilderment and confusion and want to yank them from what they must accept.
The imagery in Buddha in the Attic is stunning. It reminds me a bit of Tim O'Brien's The Things They Carried. This is one of my favorite books of 2011. I feel like I'm not doing Budda in the Attic justice!
Buddha in the Attic left me breathless. From the outset when we first meet these Japanese women, some not even in their teens, leaving their homes and families, sailing away on a ship to a foreign land, clutching pictures of their husbands to be, we know this is going to be a special book. These are the Picture Brides. These are the women Otsuka offers us, culling their stories from journals and interviews, giving them a collective voice as they come to San Francisco in the early 1900's. Not one woman, but all these women are laid before our eyes in eight, spare chapters, each revealing their journey from young innocent girls, to bride, to wife, to mother. Their initial excitement at coming to America is soon dampened by the harsh reality of their new home and the life they will lead. Hard labor in the fruit fields, maids in the rich households of others, prostitution, the women do whatever to survive though this is not guaranteed. From their meager homes, to their communal baths, for these mostly obedient women, time rushes them towards their fate as interment order 9066 approaches. We share in their bewilderment and confusion and want to yank them from what they must accept.
The imagery in Buddha in the Attic is stunning. It reminds me a bit of Tim O'Brien's The Things They Carried. This is one of my favorite books of 2011. I feel like I'm not doing Budda in the Attic justice!
midnighteyesx's review against another edition
5.0
One of the only books I have ever read in first person plural. A great introduction to immigrant literature and wartime literature. I read this book cover to cover in under three hours, and the emotional impact of every single line was paramount. The use of "we" instead of "I" invites the reader in, making each move and each event more dire to thoughts of the future. It begins with the women from all areas of Japan meeting to make the crossing to California pre-WW II. They move in with men who have lied about their appearance, who have paid their families. They are made to work in fields, their husbands are cruel, some become servants, some have affairs, all eventually move to J-town, where we see the full extent of American racism after Pearl Harbor. "We" are forced out of homes, out of daily life, to an unknown location for an unknown purpose.
"We" are gone. The final chapter showcases that these Japanese immigrants did all they could to assimilate into America, and there is constant denial and constant pushing back from the Americans. It shows the disconnect between "us" and "them", and honestly made my ashamed to be an American.
The one thing this book does not cover is the treatment of these women we have come to love once they reach the camps. I craved it only because my education did not cover the internment of the Japanese. We studied World War II every other year in school, and it was never more than an afterthought - and embarrassment as it is. A gross, disgusting smear on American history. The right-wing Texans making our textbooks are careful not to exploit the human rights violations that occurred in these camps.
This book does not need the detail of the camps to achieve the emotional weight. We are one with the immigrants. "we" have been with them through each step, every moment, for over 100 pages. We know all they have struggled with, all of the people who have denied them opportunities, we have seen none of them act in any threatening way - all we see is them trying to make a living in their daily lives, and the actions of their country of origin or their country of ancestry made them all a threat somehow.
Pick up this book, and read it. I implore you.
"We" are gone. The final chapter showcases that these Japanese immigrants did all they could to assimilate into America, and there is constant denial and constant pushing back from the Americans. It shows the disconnect between "us" and "them", and honestly made my ashamed to be an American.
The one thing this book does not cover is the treatment of these women we have come to love once they reach the camps. I craved it only because my education did not cover the internment of the Japanese. We studied World War II every other year in school, and it was never more than an afterthought - and embarrassment as it is. A gross, disgusting smear on American history. The right-wing Texans making our textbooks are careful not to exploit the human rights violations that occurred in these camps.
This book does not need the detail of the camps to achieve the emotional weight. We are one with the immigrants. "we" have been with them through each step, every moment, for over 100 pages. We know all they have struggled with, all of the people who have denied them opportunities, we have seen none of them act in any threatening way - all we see is them trying to make a living in their daily lives, and the actions of their country of origin or their country of ancestry made them all a threat somehow.
Pick up this book, and read it. I implore you.
redcabinreads's review against another edition
4.0
“This is America, we would say to ourselves, there is no need to worry. And we would be wrong.”
Overall, this was an interesting book. The length was perfect and the subject was captivating. The story is about “picture brides” (mail order brides) immigrating to the US in the early 20th century, and covers their lives after arriving (not at all what they expected). It then follows them, years later, after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, when all Japanese were forced into interment camps, leaving their homes, lives, and loved processions (including the Buddha in the attic).
The voice of the story is a collective group (us, we), which takes some getting used to. But from the beginning, I loved it, and thought it read almost like poetry.
The downsides for me - I wish more detail was added about the camps and what happened after the war. I also stumbled some when names were mentioned, because I wasn’t sure if I was supposed to be keeping track of certain characters or not.
Overall, a good read that I’d recommend!
(This book is my 1st book club read at my local library
Overall, this was an interesting book. The length was perfect and the subject was captivating. The story is about “picture brides” (mail order brides) immigrating to the US in the early 20th century, and covers their lives after arriving (not at all what they expected). It then follows them, years later, after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, when all Japanese were forced into interment camps, leaving their homes, lives, and loved processions (including the Buddha in the attic).
The voice of the story is a collective group (us, we), which takes some getting used to. But from the beginning, I loved it, and thought it read almost like poetry.
The downsides for me - I wish more detail was added about the camps and what happened after the war. I also stumbled some when names were mentioned, because I wasn’t sure if I was supposed to be keeping track of certain characters or not.
Overall, a good read that I’d recommend!
(This book is my 1st book club read at my local library
jklbookdragon's review against another edition
3.0
The material was fascinating. The style was tiring. Comprehensive, scattershot. I prefer to connect with characters. I found the choice to step outside the group for the final chapter rather than following them curious.
townsendme's review against another edition
5.0
Written in first person plural, very impactful to read as a Californian. Highly recommend.
audaciaray's review against another edition
5.0
wow. I don't think I've ever read a mostly first but sometimes also second personal plural book pulled off this way (one exception - Reinaldo Arenas' The Doorman).
The Buddha in the Attic has both no main characters and thousands of them. Every sentence is its own story. stunning book.
The Buddha in the Attic has both no main characters and thousands of them. Every sentence is its own story. stunning book.