Daikon

By Samuel Hawley

Setting & details: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Authenticity of Japanese characters & dialogue: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Translation quality: N/A
Entertainment value: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
My recommendation: A what-if scenario set in the final days of WWII, this novel imagines what might have happened if the Japanese captured an unexploded A-bomb in the days before Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Rigorous research and the author’s time spent in Japan make this a page-turner of a read.

This wartime tale does a nicely believable job of imagining what the Japanese would have done with an unexploded A-bomb in the dark days when the war was all but lost. It explores the warring points of view that might have existed within Japan, from the scientist whose misgivings grew out of studying with the American bomb builders at UC Berkeley, to a rabid nationalist whose would rather sacrifice every man, woman and child than consider surrender. Through the eyes of the physicist drafted to lead the effort to use the bomb and an officer of Korean heritage who suffered discrimination his whole life, we catch a glimpse into the combination of patriotism and coercion used by those who would influence the bomb’s use, and how the powerful might attempt to turn a man of conscience into their pawn.

Grounded in history told from the Japanese point of view, this novel draws from real accounts that outline the strategies of the Japanese wartime leaders, the many ways in which the populace suffered, and how the war effort affected ordinary citizens and military officers alike.

The characters are sympathetic, the historical research admirably thorough, and the reactions and motives of the Japanese players believable. The world the author paints puts the characters on a roller coaster that draws you in until you find yourself cheering your favorite characters on and hoping they prevail.

You can get it right now, or check out the September Japanagram to see if you won a copy! All subscribers are automatically entered to win—if you’re not yet a member of this lucky group, click this button to subscribe, and be automatically signed up to enter.

How I pick the book giveaway winners: At the end of August, I will load all the email addresses of current Japanagram subscribers into an online random name picker and ask it to choose one lucky subscriber to get the book from this month’s review. I’ll publish the winner’s email in the next Japanagram (obscured in a way so only the subscriber will be able to recognize it as their own, of course) so check your September Japanagram Mini to see if you won!

If you’d like to be automatically entered every month to win the book or Japan swag giveaway, subscribe!

•

Jonelle Patrick writes novels set in Japan, and blogs at Only In Japan and The Tokyo Guide I Wish I’d Had