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whatsallyreadnext 's review for:
Four Seasons in Japan
by Nick Bradley
emotional
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Who doesn't love reading books about books?! I brought this read along with me on my holiday to Japan, and I'm so glad that I did because I absolutely devoured it within a few days! I feel like the characters, particularly Ayako and Kyo, will stay with me forever.
Flo is an American translator living in Tokyo who feels completely stuck in a rut with her work going nowhere, and her long-term relationship has broken down. Randomly, she comes across a Japanese book accidentally left on the Tokyo subway by another passenger. The book completely draws her in a reader and inspires her to work on translating its entirety.
This mysterious book, over the course of a year, follows Ayako, a head-strong and resilient woman living in rural Japan, who reluctantly takes in her grandson, Kyo. As Flo begins to realise the similarities between herself and the characters of the book, it compels her to search for the book's author and embark on a journey that will change her life forever.
I really enjoyed reading about settings that I explored on my Japan holiday, such as Tokyo and Hiroshima. It certainly made me feel like I was immersed in the book!
I liked the structure of the novel and how it flicked between Flo's story and Ayako and Kyo's narrative. I particularly enjoyed reading about Ayako and Kyo, and it would definitely be a book I would have picked up in a bookshop if it was a real book!
The characterisation was brilliant, I felt like we were brought along on the journey of the characters' development, and I loved reading about the relationship between Ayako and Kyo. Ayako, in particular, wasn't entirely likeable with her strict behaviour towards Kyo, but by the end, I had really warmed to her.
There was a lot to unpack in this novel, in terms of themes and metaphors. I really loved it and would recommend it, particularly if you're a fan of Japan already!
Flo is an American translator living in Tokyo who feels completely stuck in a rut with her work going nowhere, and her long-term relationship has broken down. Randomly, she comes across a Japanese book accidentally left on the Tokyo subway by another passenger. The book completely draws her in a reader and inspires her to work on translating its entirety.
This mysterious book, over the course of a year, follows Ayako, a head-strong and resilient woman living in rural Japan, who reluctantly takes in her grandson, Kyo. As Flo begins to realise the similarities between herself and the characters of the book, it compels her to search for the book's author and embark on a journey that will change her life forever.
I really enjoyed reading about settings that I explored on my Japan holiday, such as Tokyo and Hiroshima. It certainly made me feel like I was immersed in the book!
I liked the structure of the novel and how it flicked between Flo's story and Ayako and Kyo's narrative. I particularly enjoyed reading about Ayako and Kyo, and it would definitely be a book I would have picked up in a bookshop if it was a real book!
The characterisation was brilliant, I felt like we were brought along on the journey of the characters' development, and I loved reading about the relationship between Ayako and Kyo. Ayako, in particular, wasn't entirely likeable with her strict behaviour towards Kyo, but by the end, I had really warmed to her.
There was a lot to unpack in this novel, in terms of themes and metaphors. I really loved it and would recommend it, particularly if you're a fan of Japan already!