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4.09 AVERAGE
4.09 AVERAGE
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
“The Turtle House” follows a grandmother, Mineko, and a granddaughter, Lia, as Mineko recounts her life as a Japanese war bride. The perspective switches between Mineko’s retelling of the past and Lia’s predicament in the present. I felt like I had to push myself to read this novel, but it was an interesting story. I enjoyed Mineko’s banter with Lia, and she was definitely my favorite part of the novel.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual harassment
Moderate: Racism, War
emotional
inspiring
tense
adventurous
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
emotional
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment
Moderate: War
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
The Turtle House
Author - Amanda Churchill
Pages - 304
Publish Date - 02/20/2024
Dual POV
Dual Timeline
General Fiction
This book was a lot different than most books I’ve read. It’s about two women, a grandmother and her granddaughter, that are reflecting on different points in their lives. Mineko, grew up in Japan and during the war, after a series of events, married an American man from Texas. You journey with her from the 1940s to 1999 and learn about how she handled coming to a new country with her family. Then in 1999 you meet her granddaughter Lia who has mysteriously left her life in Austin and refuses to tell anyone why. As Mineko tells Lia her story she starts to accept what has happened to her and begins her own journey of healing.
What I really liked about this book was the relationship between Lia and Mineko. It’s a silent yet stable support between the two of them. As Mineko takes Lia (and you) through her life, you hear her sacrifices and struggles and Lia really comes to understand and respect her grandmother more; more importantly that she can choose to not what happened to her become her identity. This story was heartbreaking and inspiring.
I was given this book by the publisher, Harper Collin’s and am leaving this review voluntarily.
Author - Amanda Churchill
Pages - 304
Publish Date - 02/20/2024
Dual POV
Dual Timeline
General Fiction
This book was a lot different than most books I’ve read. It’s about two women, a grandmother and her granddaughter, that are reflecting on different points in their lives. Mineko, grew up in Japan and during the war, after a series of events, married an American man from Texas. You journey with her from the 1940s to 1999 and learn about how she handled coming to a new country with her family. Then in 1999 you meet her granddaughter Lia who has mysteriously left her life in Austin and refuses to tell anyone why. As Mineko tells Lia her story she starts to accept what has happened to her and begins her own journey of healing.
What I really liked about this book was the relationship between Lia and Mineko. It’s a silent yet stable support between the two of them. As Mineko takes Lia (and you) through her life, you hear her sacrifices and struggles and Lia really comes to understand and respect her grandmother more; more importantly that she can choose to not what happened to her become her identity. This story was heartbreaking and inspiring.
I was given this book by the publisher, Harper Collin’s and am leaving this review voluntarily.
Book: The Turtle House
Format: Audio
This isn’t a book review. It’s a love letter written while on a book hangover. Sometime last year, I saw a post on Instagram about this book. The cover intrigued me (It should be framed. It is so beautiful), and then I read the synopsis and immediately pre-ordered it. I KNEW I would like this book. (I mean, the author is a fellow Texan!) I love family stories…history is a series of personal stories and interactions with others. If you read this book, Amanda has been so generous in showing photos of her grandmother, who inspired this story, on her website (her smile makes you smile).
In the Spring of 199, Lia and her grandmother Mineko find themselves sharing a bedroom. Lia starts recording her grandmother sharing stories of her life growing up in Japan before, during, and after World War II. She moved to Texas with her American husband and how life was for her after the war in rural Texas. As readers, we hear about Lia’s life and Mineko’s. We see how much they are alike: intelligent and strong, though sometimes scared (it’s always okay to be scared), and brave, too.
I cried, smiled, and wanted to jump into the book and hurt a few people while reading (listening). The story felt healing, if that makes sense. When people hear your story, they can understand you better. Listen when your friends and family tell you stories…they are giving you a part of themselves.
The Turtle House was everything I hoped it would be and more than I could have imagined. I’m off to my local bookstore to buy a physical copy because I want this book on my bookshelf.
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
The Turtle House is a moving historical novel spanning Japan leading up to and during World War II and the late 1990's in the US. The narration is split between Mineko, who was born in Japan and her granddaughter in the US, Lia. Mineko is the eldest daughter in her family, with a mother who appears to disregard her, in favor of her younger sister, though she is close with her father. Mineko does not have many prospects, and enjoys exploring her small town, where she encounters an abandoned large house, which has a pond that contains many turtles, which she feeds. Mineko loves swimming and agrees to help teach a new friend Akio how to swim before he leaves for school. While she finds herself falling in love with Akin, he comes from a wealthy family and is promised to another woman.
In the 1990's, Minnie is now living with her son and his wife after her house catches fire. Minnie's granddaughter Lia is also home after leaving her job as an architect under circumstances she will not discuss. Lia, like Minnie is also closer to her father than mother. Lia's reasons for being at home are slowly rolled out (though it isn't hard to figure out why). I found Minnie's backstory much more interesting, and in the later timeline, I really enjoyed the budding closeness between the two women. This was a moving multi-generational tale.
Fans of Thao Thai's Banyan Moon that also focused on the close relationship between granddaughter and grandmother and familial secrets would probably enjoy this one as well!
Thank you to Harper via NetGalley for the advance reader copy in exchange for honest review.
In the 1990's, Minnie is now living with her son and his wife after her house catches fire. Minnie's granddaughter Lia is also home after leaving her job as an architect under circumstances she will not discuss. Lia, like Minnie is also closer to her father than mother. Lia's reasons for being at home are slowly rolled out (though it isn't hard to figure out why). I found Minnie's backstory much more interesting, and in the later timeline, I really enjoyed the budding closeness between the two women. This was a moving multi-generational tale.
Fans of Thao Thai's Banyan Moon that also focused on the close relationship between granddaughter and grandmother and familial secrets would probably enjoy this one as well!
Thank you to Harper via NetGalley for the advance reader copy in exchange for honest review.
Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC. The Turtle House was a really enjoyable read. There were parts that made me feel sad, and parts which made me feel hopeful. I really enjoyed the dual timelines. I also enjoyed how Mineko and Lia connected through the book. Bridging the intergenerational gap was really heartwarming.