Set in the early 1960's the story weaves around a young english teacher from the States who is teaching in a women's college in Tokyo. She's welcomed into the Japanese lifestyle by all she meets and is given a chest from a new friend who dies suddenly. The story then goes back in time to before, during and after the bombing of Hiroshima. Although a fictional book you get a glimpse of the Japanese culture, their attitudes and way of thinking.

Highly recommend and an author I'll search out more.

RELEASE NOTES:

Releasing into a historical fiction bookbox.

Found in Downtime's Bookbox.
Umm! interesting!

The only word I can use is poignant. Thanks for sharing.

3/19/08 This will be sent to
Fenortner in a few days - I am not able to make a new journal work. Hope this works

I'm here! I'm here! From Texas to Washington! Whew. What a trip! :) I made it and just in time for a book club featuring, guess who? ME! :)

I am glad I arrived safely and look forward to spending some time with Fenortner and her book club. I promise to check in one more time after we've met in April. Then I'm up for a trade if anyone wants to spend some time with me. :)

-the book

I just finished reading this novel for a book club that met last week. I do have to be honest and say that I didn't particularly love the book, a common statement from book club members. I didn't find the relationship with Michi believable and I found the love story with Seiji frustrating. The ending made sense, but I needed something more.

I did find the discussion of Hiroshima fascinating, especially since I teach a unit on Pearl Harbor, Japanese internment in the U.S. and the U.S.'s decision to drop two atomic bombs on Japan. The writing was profound and moving in many places. I found myself marking the text several times. I also thought the idea of telling Michi's story through hidden/secret notes wrapped around wine bottles was clever.

I just wish the plot had moved faster, and that we would have been given more background on why Michi and Barbara were so close. With some added detail and more depth, I could have easily sunk into the story even more and been more satisfied at the end.

This book is now available for trade if anyone is interested. :)

I just loaned this to a good friend of mine. I know that when she finishes reading it, it will be available for trade.