Book Review & Giveaway

Did you win the Mar-Apr Book Giveaway?

If you recognize your email, congratulations! You just won a copy of Dead-End Memories by Banana Yoshimoto! If you think this is you, shoot a message to JapanagramJonelle@gmail.com and tell me if you’d like an ebook or paperback, and where you’d like me to send it. (I’ll need an email address for the ebook or a mailingContinue reading “Did you win the Mar-Apr Book Giveaway?”

Dead-End Memories

By Banana Yoshimoto Setting & details: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Authenticity of Japanese characters & dialogue: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Translation quality: ⭐⭐⭐⭐Entertainment value: ⭐⭐⭐⭐My recommendation: Although Japanese fiction nearly always loses a lot in translation, this collection of short stories still manages to feature characters and situations that are strangely Japanese, yet truly universal at the same time. If you’ve heard meContinue reading “Dead-End Memories”

Did you win the Jan-Feb Book Giveaway?

If you recognize your email, congratulations! You just won a copy of The Buddha in the Attic by Julie Otsuka! If you think this is you, shoot a message to JapanagramJonelle@gmail.com and tell me if you’d like an ebook or paperback, and where you’d like me to send it. (I’ll need an email address for the ebookContinue reading “Did you win the Jan-Feb Book Giveaway?”

The Buddha in the Attic

By Julie Otsuka Setting & details: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Authenticity of Japanese characters & dialogue: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Translation quality: N/AEntertainment value: ⭐⭐⭐My recommendation: This book is less like a novel than an epic poem, its layer upon layer of luscious details shining light on every facet of the immigrant experience, mostly through the eyes of the Japanese women who cameContinue reading “The Buddha in the Attic”

Ghosts of the Tsunami

by Richard Lloyd Perry Setting & details: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Authenticity of Japanese characters & dialogue: N/ARepresents real life in Japan: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Entertainment value: ⭐⭐⭐⭐My recommendation: Full of fascinating details and well worth reading Ghosts of the Tsunami is a page-turningly readable piece of narrative non-fiction, written by the Asia Editor of The Times of London. And while it centersContinue reading “Ghosts of the Tsunami”

Convenience Store Woman

by Sayaka Murata Setting & details: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Setting & details: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Authenticity of Japanese characters & dialogue: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Represents real life in Japan: ⭐⭐⭐⭐Entertainment value: ⭐⭐⭐⭐My recommendation: Well worth reading Convenience Store Woman is the story of middle-aged Keiko Furakura, who has worked in a convenience store all of her adult life, and finally dares to seek a futureContinue reading “Convenience Store Woman”

Did you win the Jul-Aug book giveaway?

If you recognize your email, congratulations! You just won a copy of Fish Swimming in Dappled Sunlight by Riku Onda If you think this is you, shoot a message to JapanagramJonelle@gmail.com and tell me if you’d like to read it in ebook or paperback. (If you’d like a paperback, I’ll also need the mailing address you’d likeContinue reading “Did you win the Jul-Aug book giveaway?”

Fish Swimming in Dappled Sunlight

By Riku Onda Setting & details: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Authenticity of Japanese characters & dialogue: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Translation quality: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Entertainment value: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐My recommendation: A masterful “unreliable narrator” mystery in which both characters believe the other to be the killer, alternating their impressions of events in a way that points the finger of guilt first one way, then the other, rightContinue reading “Fish Swimming in Dappled Sunlight”