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swathiselv's review against another edition
emotional
informative
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
leeskipje's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 ster. Prachtig boek wat weergeeft hoe Japanse bruiden in Amerika terecht kwamen in het begin van de 20e eeuw en hoe het leven voor hun gevoelt moet hebben.
Ik vond het mooi omschreven
Ik vond het mooi omschreven
halfformedthing's review against another edition
5.0
This novel was written in the tradition of those like The Virgin Suicides or A Rose for Emily in which a town tells a story—but, in this case, a diaspora tells its story. Each chapter is anecdote piled on top of anecdote, like multiple one-sentence short stories that accumulate together and provide the reader with one, faceless yet identifiable community that has been largely overlooked in history. In the same way that the “we” in the last section of the novel forgets the individuals that were their neighbors, classmates, friends, gardeners, etc., I find myself walking away with general impressions of a group of people and so many story threads that provided a window into their lives but never full access. There is intimacy, a sense of community, a sense of loss, and the clear development of a new sense of identity in the American-born generation all rolled into this relatively short novel. It is one of the better books I’ve read in the past few months.
grecia_r's review against another edition
5.0
I usually struggle with introspective prose like this. I agree with many people who found the style of the novel a little third-person removed. I agree that it was hard to form character attachments, and then the way it flipped at the end away from the Japanese was an interesting choice. Still though, a wildly fascinating read. Would definitely read more.
askatknits's review against another edition
4.0
Otsuka is brilliant. To top When the Emperor was Divine could not be easy... but she matches it so perfectly in this moving history of the Japanese in America prior to and during WWII.
The voices... and there are so many of them... are compelling. I could not stop listening. The stories they share are heart-breaking gut-punches - difficult to hear, more difficult to imagine someone actually living through. And yet, the anonymity of the voices makes it somehow more real. More personal. More believable.
If you are looking for a place to start to learn about the Japanese culture on the West Coast, how life was for those who came here, and how they all handled being incarcerated during WWII - Otstuka's books are an excellent place to start.
I highly recommend!
The voices... and there are so many of them... are compelling. I could not stop listening. The stories they share are heart-breaking gut-punches - difficult to hear, more difficult to imagine someone actually living through. And yet, the anonymity of the voices makes it somehow more real. More personal. More believable.
If you are looking for a place to start to learn about the Japanese culture on the West Coast, how life was for those who came here, and how they all handled being incarcerated during WWII - Otstuka's books are an excellent place to start.
I highly recommend!
janiebee's review against another edition
3.0
Lyrically, this is a beautifully written book. However, there really isn't a storyline. It is every Japanese immigrants' story and written in first person plural. Therefore, it is quite sad. My favorite part of the book is the twist at the end.
jennyhejde's review against another edition
5.0
Kan vara en av de bästa böckerna jag läst. Helt klart en av de bästa 2015. Förstår dock att den inte är för alla.