Status
Available
Publication
New York : Simon & Schuster, c1999.
Description
A Quietly Daring exploration of art, family, culture, and conscience, as three generations of women, American and Japanese, face a strained reunion in pre -- World War II Japan. Etsuko and her six-year-old motherless niece return from jazz-age Seattle to the ancient Japanese household of Etsuko's mysterious samurai mother. With Japanese militarism mounting, the women must learn to make peace in an absorbing tale where mothers are childless, warriors are pacifists, and beauty is found in the common and the small.
User reviews
LibraryThing member BCCJillster
A Japanese woman transplanted to America pre-WWII returns to Japan, the mother who abandoned her, and a changing world to raise her niece in traditional Japan. Great insights into what drives the culture; interesting characters, who manage to escape stereotypes; and a very funny take on food.
The
The
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pace may be too quiet for some, but if you're used to Japanese lit, it will be comfortable. I wish she's write a sequel as I'd be interested in knowing what happens to these folks after the war. Show Less
LibraryThing member Beezie
This book surprised me, as if I'd been served cheeseburgers & fries by a veteran Sushi chef. All the elements of a traditional chick-lit story are presented with precision, grace and carefully honed, yet delightful, absurdity.
Subjects
Awards
Dublin Literary Award (Longlist — 2001)