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foreverinastory's review
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This was all right, but a majority of it didn't hold my attention.
Rep: All characters were Japanese, or Japanese-American.
CWs: Death, confinement, grief, infidelity, xenophobia, discussion and mentions of Japanese internment in the USA, and WWII.
Rep: All characters were Japanese, or Japanese-American.
CWs: Death, confinement, grief, infidelity, xenophobia, discussion and mentions of Japanese internment in the USA, and WWII.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, Infidelity, Xenophobia, and Confinement
ehmannky's review
reflective
sad
slow-paced
3.0
This book was fine. I think I probably would have enjoyed it more if I were I had read it back in my undergrad English Major days when I could have more context for the stories in general and just other people's thoughts. For the most part, I feel that the Sansei stories were more interesting than the Sensibility-Jane Austen parts. I don't think I have the literary competency to fully understand these stories. I was bored during some of them (like the first one, dear god The Bath was so boring and I do not understand what the point was), but that's a me problem and no fault of Yamashita's. Other stories like the Dentist and the Dental Hygienist, Indian Summer, and KonMarimasu were really great.
Where I feel this collection falls apart for me is once it moves into the Jane Austen-inspired stories. It's just hard to read stories inspired by Jane Austen, a romance novelist, where the romance has been stripped off of most of them. They are interesting insights into what sansei culture was like in the 60s-80s, but it's difficult for me to love them as Jane Austen inspired stories when they don't have the love parts of them. They're not bad, just not for me. There's a part at the end where the author writes about how her sister is the Janeite and she's trying to find a bridge between these Regency experiences and her life growing up sansei, which goes a long way in explaining why she approached these stories in this way. The only story of the latter half that I felt really nailed the whole, this is is a true Jane Austen-inspired story was Omaki-san (the last one). It just really hit the whole pettiness and cattiness that is Lady Susan.
Overall, a very interesting read, very well written. Just not my cup of tea.
Where I feel this collection falls apart for me is once it moves into the Jane Austen-inspired stories. It's just hard to read stories inspired by Jane Austen, a romance novelist, where the romance has been stripped off of most of them. They are interesting insights into what sansei culture was like in the 60s-80s, but it's difficult for me to love them as Jane Austen inspired stories when they don't have the love parts of them. They're not bad, just not for me. There's a part at the end where the author writes about how her sister is the Janeite and she's trying to find a bridge between these Regency experiences and her life growing up sansei, which goes a long way in explaining why she approached these stories in this way. The only story of the latter half that I felt really nailed the whole, this is is a true Jane Austen-inspired story was Omaki-san (the last one). It just really hit the whole pettiness and cattiness that is Lady Susan.
Overall, a very interesting read, very well written. Just not my cup of tea.
Content Warnings
Minor: Xenophobia and Racism
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