Reviews - Abroad in Japan | The StoryGraph

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As a fan of the YouTube series, I feel as if I’ve already seen the movie. That enhanced my reading experience because I could envision some of the scenes and I could hear the voices of Chris, Natsuki and Ryotaro. The book offers many interesting stories and details that are not covered in the YouTube series.

readermonkey's review

4.25

funny informative lighthearted fast-paced

readbruwrite's review

4.0

funny informative lighthearted slow-paced

Though I read alot of Japanese fiction, the reason for picking this book up was actually my husband leaving for Japan and the possibility at that time that I may go too! Super glad I didn't know Chris Borad the YouTuber before I read the book!

The book started off with humour, which I enjoyed throughout. However, what really shone was Broads vulnerability weaving in every step he took of his journey. This rawness is what made it really and made him so relatable. His fears and him pushing through them along the way is what made me want to read on but also confirmed how I felt as an expat living and teaching abroad for so many years! That the fear of the unknown is almost what keeps you going.

Broad truly shared the insider experience which one would probably not get when simply researching about a move to Japan. He gave us the good, the bad and the ugly with a side of humour!!

I couldn't help but look the YouTuber up after reading the last page. Surprisingly, even before I'd put a face to the name, I felt that the book was being read to me by him. I guess it flowed so effortlessly that it was easy to picture the story with the one telling it!

A great read and you certainly don't need to be thinking about moving to Japan to be reading it!