This was an interesting book, not one which would have normally popped up on my radar. It *did* pop up, however, because it got nominated for the 2010 Nebula Award (an honor for science fiction or fantasy). The novel itself has only light touches of magical realism, so I'm not exactly sure why it was nominated.
But the book itself was still rather good. It's really a set of connected short stories (not really a novel, in my opinion), about young adults living in Japan (mostly foreign-born, but also some native). The voice the author finds for them seems (to someone who has no clue) like they're spot on. (Though I do have to assert that I've got only a small feeling of what any of this would *actually* be like; what *is* clear is that a typical "western" way of life is not what these people are about.)
It's a character piece: a study in feeling in a culture where demonstrative emotion is frowned upon. And I really did like it.
(I'm also interested in Japanese culture: I work for a Japanese company, and my daughter is currently studying the language in her high school. Welcome to the Pacific Rim.)
4 of 5 stars.
But the book itself was still rather good. It's really a set of connected short stories (not really a novel, in my opinion), about young adults living in Japan (mostly foreign-born, but also some native). The voice the author finds for them seems (to someone who has no clue) like they're spot on. (Though I do have to assert that I've got only a small feeling of what any of this would *actually* be like; what *is* clear is that a typical "western" way of life is not what these people are about.)
It's a character piece: a study in feeling in a culture where demonstrative emotion is frowned upon. And I really did like it.
(I'm also interested in Japanese culture: I work for a Japanese company, and my daughter is currently studying the language in her high school. Welcome to the Pacific Rim.)
4 of 5 stars.
