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4.09 AVERAGE
4.09 AVERAGE
Beautiful debut, publishes February 20, 2024!
Mineko is a Japanese grandmother who came to the United States when she married James after WWII. She moved with James to the small town of Curtain, Texas, where his family's ranch was located. Now (in 1999) the main house on the ranch burned down under mysterious circumstances, and she's living with her son Paul and his family, including his daughter Lia who moved back in under unnamed circumstances after her first job out of college.
In this novel, we learn about Mineko's life story in her words, and the second narrative is from Lia's (the granddaughter's) perspective. Like many dual narratives, the past storyline is much more interesting. However, whose life story that sweeps international waters and war wouldn't be more interesting than the past year or so of a college graduate's life? It's an unfair comparison, but I can't be the only one who wanted a more intriguing (and unique) story from 1999? The 1999 storyline is achingly slow and uninteresting, including the character of Lia.
Mineko's story kept me turning the pages, and I looked forward to seeing how her life unfolded. It did take me a while to get into her story, but once I settled in I became more and more invested. I particularly liked how the friendship between Mineko and Dimple was cultivated in Texas. I really *felt* that relationship.
This is an very good historical fiction debut centering on the first generation Japanese American experience.
Side note, this cover is exquisite!
#theturtlehouse #amandachurchill
Mineko is a Japanese grandmother who came to the United States when she married James after WWII. She moved with James to the small town of Curtain, Texas, where his family's ranch was located. Now (in 1999) the main house on the ranch burned down under mysterious circumstances, and she's living with her son Paul and his family, including his daughter Lia who moved back in under unnamed circumstances after her first job out of college.
In this novel, we learn about Mineko's life story in her words, and the second narrative is from Lia's (the granddaughter's) perspective. Like many dual narratives, the past storyline is much more interesting. However, whose life story that sweeps international waters and war wouldn't be more interesting than the past year or so of a college graduate's life? It's an unfair comparison, but I can't be the only one who wanted a more intriguing (and unique) story from 1999? The 1999 storyline is achingly slow and uninteresting, including the character of Lia.
Mineko's story kept me turning the pages, and I looked forward to seeing how her life unfolded. It did take me a while to get into her story, but once I settled in I became more and more invested. I particularly liked how the friendship between Mineko and Dimple was cultivated in Texas. I really *felt* that relationship.
This is an very good historical fiction debut centering on the first generation Japanese American experience.
Side note, this cover is exquisite!
#theturtlehouse #amandachurchill
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
slow-paced
4.5 stars
The Turtle House is a story of two generations: Lia, a recent graduate of architecture school and Mineko, her grandmother who was a Japanese war bride. Part historical fiction and part women’s lit, this novel is set both in post-war Japan and small-town Texas, in the 1950s and 1990s..
Like all good historical fiction, this book taught me something - about the American occupation of Japan after WW2. The descriptions of life in Japan are very well done. But the crux of the story is the relationship between the two women and their struggle to come into their own. I thoroughly enjoyed that story and couldn’t wait to read the outcome.
**I read an advance copy of The Turtle House, which publishes in February. Thank you to Amanda Churchill for sending this copy.
The Turtle House is a story of two generations: Lia, a recent graduate of architecture school and Mineko, her grandmother who was a Japanese war bride. Part historical fiction and part women’s lit, this novel is set both in post-war Japan and small-town Texas, in the 1950s and 1990s..
Like all good historical fiction, this book taught me something - about the American occupation of Japan after WW2. The descriptions of life in Japan are very well done. But the crux of the story is the relationship between the two women and their struggle to come into their own. I thoroughly enjoyed that story and couldn’t wait to read the outcome.
**I read an advance copy of The Turtle House, which publishes in February. Thank you to Amanda Churchill for sending this copy.
emotional
hopeful
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
Western readers get a lot of WWII historical fiction with a focus on the Nazis and the European front. The Turtle House offers something fresh. Finally!
Mineko is a young Japanese girl full of dreams for her future when the war begins. Now she is in her 70s living in Texas and recounting her story for the first time to her granddaughter, Lia. Mineko (now known as Minnie) remembers her childhood in Japan, her survival of the bombings, the losses she suffered, her struggle to rebuild a life in a war ravaged country, and her ultimate move to a new country. Her story is interspersed with Lia’s own story of awakening to hard realities and disappointments as a young adult. Mineko and Lia forge a strong bond over the course of the novel as they both search for what comes next.
This book is a wonderful mix of historical fiction, coming of age, and family drama. My only criticism is that I really want to know what comes next for Lia. Maybe a sequel is in order Ms. Churchill?
Mineko is a young Japanese girl full of dreams for her future when the war begins. Now she is in her 70s living in Texas and recounting her story for the first time to her granddaughter, Lia. Mineko (now known as Minnie) remembers her childhood in Japan, her survival of the bombings, the losses she suffered, her struggle to rebuild a life in a war ravaged country, and her ultimate move to a new country. Her story is interspersed with Lia’s own story of awakening to hard realities and disappointments as a young adult. Mineko and Lia forge a strong bond over the course of the novel as they both search for what comes next.
This book is a wonderful mix of historical fiction, coming of age, and family drama. My only criticism is that I really want to know what comes next for Lia. Maybe a sequel is in order Ms. Churchill?
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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:
Yes
“Most people hear Japanese and think of computers or cars. I guess if one has to live with a stereotype, it’s best that it be one with a higher socioeconomic career choice? I don’t know.”
In this dual POV, dual timeline narrative, debut author Amanda Churchill vividly portrays the difficulties Mineko went through as a Japanese bride to an American soldier, after losing the true love of her life, and then coming to America to face the prejudices against the Japanese and live with her unloving husband. But my love for this story is in the relationship between Mineko and her granddaughter. I had a very close relationship with my grandmother and their bond made me think back on my time with her.
Rating:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Read if you like:
Grandmother/granddaughter stories
Dual timeline historical fiction
Banyan Moon
Thank you Cindy from Thoughts From a Page podcast and Harper Collins for a digital ARC.
In this dual POV, dual timeline narrative, debut author Amanda Churchill vividly portrays the difficulties Mineko went through as a Japanese bride to an American soldier, after losing the true love of her life, and then coming to America to face the prejudices against the Japanese and live with her unloving husband. But my love for this story is in the relationship between Mineko and her granddaughter. I had a very close relationship with my grandmother and their bond made me think back on my time with her.
Rating:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Read if you like:
Grandmother/granddaughter stories
Dual timeline historical fiction
Banyan Moon
Thank you Cindy from Thoughts From a Page podcast and Harper Collins for a digital ARC.
This was such a beautiful story. It was so packed full of emotions, taking me from laughter to tears and back again. It's a heartbreaking and tender tale of one Japanese grandmother and her granddaughter Lia. I had a very special bond with my own grandmother and their story touched a special place in my heart. I loved how the story went from war time Japan to the more present day in Texas. We get to hear all about the characters backstories and how they came to be the people they are now. These two women had both been through some profound and sometimes terrible things, and the retelling is what draws them so much tighter together by the end. I cannot believe this sweeping story is a debut novel. I loved the author's note at the end and felt even more emotions towards the book after reading it. I look forward to more from this author in the future. Thank you so much to Cindy, from @thoughtsfromapage podcast and her early reads program for bringing this gem into my life. Cindy always seems to give me the perfect book that I never knew I needed! I absolutely cannot wait for the author chat! Thank you also to @netgalley and @harper for the advanced reader's copy.
emotional
hopeful
informative
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
emotional
hopeful
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