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yodisborg's review against another edition
4.0
The novel reads as a dream you have not realized is a nightmare. The use of the plural first person forces the perspective of watching yourself in a dream. At times, it lulls you during the chapters but it keeps a rhythmic pace to this short collection of vignettes. I was overwhelmed by the fatalism of the Japanese immigrant women experience. Even when they resisted there was a sense that resistance was preordained. The novel makes you think and feel about a period of history that it is likely many have not considered carefully before.
maries_bookverse's review against another edition
3.0
3,5 stjerner
⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
Helt grei/fin/vond fortelling om postordrebruder fra Japan på 1920-tallet som ville oppleve den Amerikanske drømmen i USA.
Strevde litt med å akseptere førsteperson flertall-formen som hele romanen er skrevet i. Samtidig passet det ganske bra til å fortelle denne type historie.
Otsaka skriver om japanske kvinners knuste drømmer da de reiste til USA med bilder av ektemannen i kofferten - men fremme ved kaia er mannen minst ti år eldre og lever aldeles ikke det livet han påstod at han levde i brevene. Kvinnene blir lurt og må leve livet som arbeidere og prostituerte. Hver kvinne har sin historie, ønsker å høre til i et samfunn der de blir utnyttet og sett ned på.
Jeg hørte boken på lydbok. At boken var basert på en sann historie løftet fortellingen for min del.
⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
Helt grei/fin/vond fortelling om postordrebruder fra Japan på 1920-tallet som ville oppleve den Amerikanske drømmen i USA.
Strevde litt med å akseptere førsteperson flertall-formen som hele romanen er skrevet i. Samtidig passet det ganske bra til å fortelle denne type historie.
Otsaka skriver om japanske kvinners knuste drømmer da de reiste til USA med bilder av ektemannen i kofferten - men fremme ved kaia er mannen minst ti år eldre og lever aldeles ikke det livet han påstod at han levde i brevene. Kvinnene blir lurt og må leve livet som arbeidere og prostituerte. Hver kvinne har sin historie, ønsker å høre til i et samfunn der de blir utnyttet og sett ned på.
Jeg hørte boken på lydbok. At boken var basert på en sann historie løftet fortellingen for min del.
kmatthe2's review against another edition
4.0
I was pleasantly surprised with this novel. I was concerned it would become gimmicky with its collective voice, but it never did. It became almost incantatory. Quite beautiful, actually.
emjay24's review against another edition
2.0
This book is about women who are brought from Japan to San Francisco in the early 1900s as mail order brides. I live in San Francisco, so I thought this would be very interesting! But... I can't get over the first person plural. It tells the story of group of people, but all at once. Everything is we, some of us, etc. We never get an actual story. I got up to after they land in SF and are married, but it always seemed like, when is the story going to begin? I could not finish it. If you don't mind the style of writing, this would be a great book, but if you are like me and can't get past it, then skip it.
tarynheiner's review against another edition
5.0
I imagine most people will get bored with the way in which this book was written. I identified with it. The writing style is almost how I go about my days.
The story itself was fascinating, disturbing, eye-opening, and understandable.
I grew up in one of the old interment camp houses that had been completely redone. Upgraded and suitable for 1990's habitation. It was tiny! I've always been so disappointed thinking about the families that had been forced to live in the tiny space with dirt for floors and no insulation. It was freezing October to June, and these people, these humans, had to suddenly leave their newfound homes and go to even worse conditions.
I appreciated having this other angle to look at a horrible time in the past.
The story itself was fascinating, disturbing, eye-opening, and understandable.
I grew up in one of the old interment camp houses that had been completely redone. Upgraded and suitable for 1990's habitation. It was tiny! I've always been so disappointed thinking about the families that had been forced to live in the tiny space with dirt for floors and no insulation. It was freezing October to June, and these people, these humans, had to suddenly leave their newfound homes and go to even worse conditions.
I appreciated having this other angle to look at a horrible time in the past.
rachelbaddorf's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
4.5
kathleenww's review against another edition
5.0
I nominated this book for one of my book group reads, and I'm so glad that I did. It was a very quick read, and the style of this writing is pretty unusual. However, the unusual format, the author's way of making individual statements within a setting where the same thing is happening to everyone is extremely powerful.
This book follows the journey of some Japanese mail order brides from Japan to the California. The journey does not end there. These families are subjected to what equals imprisonment by their new government after the attack by the Japanese on Pearl Harbor, and the US entry into World War 2.
I was reading this on my Kindle, so I really had no idea when I began what a short book it was...more of a novella really. But I devoured every word. Beautifully written, this is another one of those novels that should be used in high schools in this country to teach in a sensitive way about the pain our own government inflicted out of nothing but fear and suspicion, and how we must never inflict this kind of pain and heartbreak on our own citizens ever again.
This book follows the journey of some Japanese mail order brides from Japan to the California. The journey does not end there. These families are subjected to what equals imprisonment by their new government after the attack by the Japanese on Pearl Harbor, and the US entry into World War 2.
I was reading this on my Kindle, so I really had no idea when I began what a short book it was...more of a novella really. But I devoured every word. Beautifully written, this is another one of those novels that should be used in high schools in this country to teach in a sensitive way about the pain our own government inflicted out of nothing but fear and suspicion, and how we must never inflict this kind of pain and heartbreak on our own citizens ever again.
bdlowe's review against another edition
5.0
A new and interesting look into the life of Japanese immigrants. Beautifully captures the life of picture brides and the world through their eyes.
christinavarela's review against another edition
2.0
I started out liking this book, it reads like poetry, but it continues to read like a poem & not a novel. The reader never get a chance to get attached to any one character.