A review by beccadavies
The Buddha in the Attic by Julie Otsuka

5.0

In one word, this book was wonderful. The Buddha in the Attic tells the story of a group of young Japenese women who came to America on a hope of a better life. Their local matchmakers had found husbands for the girls and although all they were given was photographs and a single letter, these brave women left everything to be wives to these men. The reality of moving to America, to find that many of these photographs were often 20 years old, and the letters false, my heart ached for these poor girls. And thier suffering didn't end there. The book went through the many trials the women faced from rape and childbirth to excess labour and poverty.
The narrative surprised me but very quickly I found that I actually enjoyed listening to the many voices instead of one or two.
I had originally picked this book out on a whim, lured by the small size of the book and intrigued with the story. I'm so glad I picked it up. This book is truely unforgettable and deserves every award it recieves.