Elle by Douglas Glover

Thoughts and Reflections:
When I first started reading this book I hated it. I felt it was crass and rude. In favour of another book, I put aside Elle having only read about 10 pages. However, when it came to returning the book to the library, I hesitated and decided to give it another go. Basically, I was curious as to how this book could have won the Governor General's award. I'm certainly glad I did, because it turned out to be rather enjoyable!

The novel is about a rather promiscuous upper class French girl, who is on her way from France to Canada with some of the first explorers. The novel follows her time in Canada (the New World) and her return to France (the Old World, as it were). Through this journey, the reader follows the protagonist through death, abandonment, rescue, and exploration of a new world and herself.

I began to enjoy this novel as soon as the young woman was abandoned in Canada. That might sounds a bit rough, but it's true. This wasn't the glorious tale of the brave explorer who found Canada, colonised, endured brutal winters with fellow colonisers. Rather, this novel shows a seemingly more accurate picture of what those initial journeys were like. The protagonist discovers a point that the celebrated Cartier was not the first to discover the New World, but that merchants and whalers had been trading with the local people for many years prior to his discover. So much for the glory of the explorers. This novel is not for the glorification of historical figures!

The ship on which this young girl traveled was fully of the unskilled "gentlemen adventurers" from the upper crust of French society who sought wealth or personal glory or whatever from these seemingly tame explorations. The diaries of Cartier serve as inspiration, talking of tough winters, savages, and the trading potential and wealth to be made in the New World. The protagonist is no different, from a wealthy family and bored with society, she sought adventure. And did she ever find it!

The author juxtaposes the "savages" against the "civilised" French explorers. The author hides none of the what Europe held at this point in time, everything from sexually transmitted diseases to religious fanaticism. The author paints a picture that is similar among the natives of Canada. A fluid sex culture and a society driven my mysticism. In many ways, these cultures are paralleled, neither one appearing elevated or more civilised than the other.

Dreams play an important role in the novel. Whilst living in Canada, the protagonist begins to dream. From this point in the novel, reality and dream begin to blur. Points seems purely dreamlike and others complete reality. However, many moments in between are hazy, leaving the reader guessing what is real and what is dream. I wondered if this confusion between dream and reality was a way for the protagonist to process her life in the Old World and her new experiences and understanding in the New World.

"I am in a place where everything means something, but nothing is understood."


Much of the novel is spent considering the issue of the Old World and New World, how these worlds can combine, how they met. The anti-quest (a term used in the novel, not one of my own invention) is a consistent theme throughout the novel. What begins as an adventure and quest for the New World turns into a misadventure, or an antiquest. The antiquest is the adventure for the unglorious, for the explorer never to be lauded.

At the same time, whilst discrediting the brave and glorious stories of history, the novel discusses the mystery surrounding Canada and the customs of its First Peoples. This is a harsh land. In addition, the image of the bear plays a key role in the novel. I am not completely certain of the meaning of it, but it is certainly a reoccurring and interesting image.

Those that ventured to Canada seemed to become forever lost. They no longer fit into their previous live in the Old World, whilst being unable to fully become apart of life in Canada. These individuals were forever caught in a longing for Canada or be changes in someway that the Old World no longer suited them. Likewise, those from Canada that were brought to France or otherwise, never seemed to adapt to life there. They forever longed for their old life, but were unable to return. I suppose this is the nature of exploring new things, nothing seems to fit anymore.

I am certain I have missed much of the symbolism of this novel. It was packed and I feel as though I have only skimmed the top of it. This book would be a great one for a book group and long discussions. It does have its rude moments, absolutely, but the reader is warned very early on about this. The rudeness, however, does play a central role the depiction of civilisations. I would certainly recommend this novel. It somehow managed to capture the mystery of Canada, whilst painting a more true picture of what exploration  was at the time.

About the Author
Douglas Glover was born in Simcoe, Ontario in 1948. He was raised on a tobacco farm in southern Ontario until he ventured off to York University. He received a Bachelor's in philosophy in 1969 from York before going on to do a Master's in Literature at the University of Edinburgh, graduating in 1971. In 1979 he received a Master's of Fine Arts from the University of Iowa. Since then he has worked as a reporter, editor, radio interviewer, and at number of Universities in Canada and the USA. Elle won the Governor General's award in 2003.

Things I Loved About This Novel
1. I enjoyed the journey of the protagonist and how she transforms through her experiences in the New World.
2. I enjoyed the imagery. The bear in particular is a very interesting symbol in this book.
3. I enjoyed the discrediting of the glorification of explorers and historical characters. I appreciated the honesty in the narrative.

Come, Thou Tortoise by Jessica Grant

Thoughts and Reflections
This novel was a bit of a surprise. I have no idea what brought this book to my attention and had no idea what to expect. When I had requested it, the librarian thought it was a children's book and was surprised to find out that it was an adult novel!

The novel maintains a tone of childish whimsy whilst touching on some difficult topics. I was surprised at the depth of the novel. I tend to refrain from reading synopses, so really had no idea what this novel was about or where it was heading. This was a laugh-out-loud kind of read. The author has a very interesting way of looking at rather ordinary things and events, which proved to be very funny.

The novel talks about death and life and discovering the truth about things. The reader follows the protagonist, Audrey, as she grieves the death of her father. During this process, she learns quite a bit about her childhood and what was really going on in her household. The book takes quite a spin at the end. I had thought I had her mystery all figured out long before the protagonist, only to find out that I was completely wrong and discover matters at the same point as the protagonist.

The narration flips from Audrey in the present to Audrey in her childhood to a strange narration by Audrey's tortoise, whom she has left back in Portland, Oregon while she goes to her father's death bed in St John's, Newfoundland. This narration keeps the reader attentive and proves to be an effective method in informing the reader about Audrey from a number of different angles.

Audrey herself is rather curious. I found her a very endearing protagonist, but also completely baffling. She seems hardly to have matured from childhood into adulthood, still playing the same silly games and narrations in her twenties as when she was seven years old. This is something that I found both frustrating and endearing about her. I was no sure whether this was the author failing to develop an adult Audrey or whether this was intentional character development. She isn't the brightest of persons and is well aware of her low IQ. One way or the other, she is a interesting character to follow.

For much of the novel, Audrey is more or less completely self-centred. She seems unable to step outside of her own needs and thoughts and respond to those of others. However, towards the end of the novel, through a long, captivating, and humerous adventure, she is able to see the situation outside of herself and respond to the needs of another person.

This is a very well put together novel. As I neared the conclusion, moments, details, and events throughout the novel stood out and informed the reader in a new way. What at the beginning of the novel seemed like a moment about a little girl fearing the loss of her father, at the end of the novel provided information about the nature of her father. Not many authors are able to do this in a way that is subtle and in a way that the reader can recall.

All in all, I very much enjoyed this novel. The language was light and humerous, the characters were endearing, the plot captivating, and the depth of discovery was surprising. I would certainly recommend this book.

Here's a review on Come, Thou Tortoise from the Globe and Mail.

About the Author
Come, Thou Tortoise is Jessica Grant's debut novel. She had previously earned some acclaim for a collection of short stories, Making Light of Tragedy. Come, Thou Tortoise won the Winterset Award and the Books in Canada First Author Award. Little can be found about the author other than she received a PhD from the University of Calgary in 2007 and currently lives in St John's, Newfoundland.

Things I Loved About This Novel
1. The lighthearted and humerous tone of the novel.
2. Audrey. Strange and funny.
3. The depth of the novel. Somehow the author managed to talk about death and family and secrets all while keeping the reader interested and laughing.

The Inheritance of Loss by Kiran Desai

 

Thoughts and Reflections
This book had been on my to read list for some time and I had had a number of recommendations to read it. I was excited to finally take the opportunity to dive into it and see what all the fuss was about! The book took me a little while to get into, however, once I was immersed in the themes, characters, and plots, I found the book exciting and thought provoking. The book has a subtle way of talking about some pretty heavy issues, a feature that I found myself deeply enjoying.

The book discussed a number of deep divisions in this particular part of India and at this time. The divisions were ethnicity, territory, religion, and education to name a few. Different characters felt different divisions differently, whilst some of the divisions affected everyone in the region. One division that I at first found humerous, only later realised the significance of was one of a general preference for England or the USA and where an individual may have been educated or have connections to. In the book, Indian and Nepali nationalism are flared up. As a result, those who have ties to the colonial days or maintained connections to England, were, though once elevated, now scorned and then targeted. However, for some reason, America was still a respected aspiration, even an encouraged one.

The result of the divisions was the isolation and loneliness of a number of the book's characters. They no longer belonged in their homeland. This, in fact, was an issue felt by these characters before the flaring nationalism.The Judge, a central character, felt these divisions upon returning from England to India after the completion of his education. Ironically, he did not feel a sense of belonging or place in England and returned to India only to find out that he no longer felt he belonged in India. This was the divide between what the Judge determined to be culture and barbarianism. With the onset of the conflicts and nationalism, these divisions deepened and became more clear, serving to further isolate the once elevated.

Immigration and illegal immigration was also discussed in the novel. One of the characters, Biju, ventured to the USA and disappeared into the wide world of illegal immigrants. The novel discussed the working conditions and wages and general powerlessness and sense of empowerment felt by people in this situation. Biju struggled with overwhelming loneliness, in addition to working in terrible working conditions and ever eluding the authorities that threatened to deport him.Those he left behind in India longed to come to America as well. Biju, however, longed to return to India, his familiar homeland.

The first chapters of the book focus of the budding love of a young girl who happened to be English educated and her Nepali tutor. I was annoyed by the opening chapters and couldn't understand why this fluff has been recommended to me from so many different individuals. Only because of their recommendations did I press on. I came to enjoy the book very much. The plot does maintain a somewhat light air, but the impact is much deeper than it initially appears. Only after completing the book was I able to stop and think about it and realise that much more was going on than I had originally understood.

I would certainly recommend this book. It is a book that I would like to read again. As always, it seems, I have understood only the bare minimum of what the author was getting at. Another read at a later date will hopefully open the book up still more for me.

About the Author
Kiran Desai was born in New Delhi, India in 1971. When she was 14 years old, Kiran moved to England with her mother, living there for a year before moving to the USA, where she is currently a resident. She studied creative writing at Hollins University before going on to study at Columbia University. Her first book, Hullabaloo in the Guava Orchard, was published in 1998. The Inheritance of Loss was published 2006, winning the Man Booker Prize.

Things I Liked About This Book
1. I liked the discussions about the divisions between Nepali and Indian people.
2. I enjoyed this discussion of class and the first years of India's independence from the UK.

Woman in the Dunes by Kobo Abe

Thoughts and Reflections
This was a strange, but enjoyable novel. I had no idea what to expect when I turned to the first page, but quickly found myself caught up in the plot. What at first seemed like a normal day-trip, turned into a new lifestyle for the protagonist. Thought it was hard to watch the change, the story raised a number of questions about life and humanity.

The books begins with the protagonist taking a trip to the dunes to collect insects. He decides to stay in a nearby village for the night, which, though strange, seemed welcoming enough. However, he soon finds himself trapped in a house with a widow. The villagers indicate that he will now help the widow in the endless task of shoveling sand. This task is both the main economy of the village, but also the key to survival in the village. The protagonist resists and attempts escape, but eventually becomes accustomed to this new life and foregoes a newly presented opportunity for escape.

Oppression is a key theme in this novel. It comes in two forms. One form being the villagers keeping the protagonist captive and another form being the ever encroaching sand which must be shoveled away every day. At first the protagonist resists the oppression, both trying to run away and vocalising how pointless a life it is to spend constantly shoveling the sand away. Eventually, however, he merely becomes accustomed to the oppression and the life in the dunes.

The book goes through a long explanation of the sexual relationship between the protagonist and the widow. I understood this as the conflict of adjusting to and resisting the oppression. The protagonist saw the woman and one of the captors. At the same time, he began to see her as a woman, a woman with whom he was supposed to, according to the villagers, take as his wife, essentially. I understand the importance of this conflict, but found this explanation overlong. However, undoubtedly, his relationship with the widow played a role in his eventual adjustment to the life of sand and captivity.

I enjoyed the book and the turn of events. The author wrote in such a way that the reader felt the panic at being trapped right along with the protagonist. By the end of the novel, I could understand the protagonist, but not entirely agree with his final passivity. I like to think I would have tried to escape again.

All in all, I enjoyed the book and found myself thinking about it long after I had finished it. I would certainly recommend giving this novel a read and would love to hear any other impressions on it!

About the Author
Kobo Abe is the pseudonym for Kimifusa Abe, who was born in 1924 in Manchuria (now Shen-yang). He returned to Japan in 1941and began to attend the Toyko Imperial University in 1943, studying medicine. He was first published as a poet in 1947 and published his first novel in 1948. His novel Woman in the Dunes, published in 1962, established his reputation and won him widespread acclaim and won him the Yomiuri Award. Abe had been nominated for the Nobel Prize multiple times. He died in 1993.

Things I Liked About This Novel

1. The surreal aspect of the novel.

2. The plot as a challenge to what is worthwhile in life.
3. The language used was penetrating and poignant.

The Awakening by Kate Chopin

Thoughts and Reflections

I was recommended this book by a friend and fellow book lover who wanted to talk about the ending with someone. After at last acquiring the book, I dove right in, anxious to find out what has so befuddled my friend. I was caught up in the book very quickly and enjoyed the writing style. I am not the greatest fan of classic literature, often because the language is so formal or dry. The language in the Awakening, however, was readable. I enjoyed the subtle descriptions and the little douses of humour.

The protagonist, Mrs Edna Pontellier, I found to be an interesting character. I had to continue reminding myself about the time in which she lived and that her actions, though they may seem simple today, were revolutionary for her day. This book is considered one of the first and leading works in feminist literature. Gradually, throughout the novel, Mrs Pontellier begins first to see herself as an independent and self-directed being and then to assert her self-direction. Her actions, though encouraged by one friend, are generally discouraged by the rest of her social group, particularly her husband who believes she is becoming mentally unstable.

Though Mrs Pontellier does begin to assert her own will over the events of her life, she does so somewhat underhandedly. She moves out of the family house while her husband is away on business. Though her actions are a step for her in leading her own life, she does not come against any opposition or realise the consequences of moving away from her family. Her children are not aware of her actions as they are away on holiday and her husband is easily able to cover up her move as something socially acceptable. I am uncertain as to how much independence she was able to achieve by moving. The rubber never really hit the road.

Nonetheless, I found her actions admirable for her day. I also find it a pity that such actions were necessary. Today, in many places worldwide (though not all), for a women to assert her sense of will, self, and independence, she does not need to leave her husband and children. As she begins to claim direction over her own life and actions, she becomes somewhat childish, doing only as she pleased. In some senses, good for her, having the luxury to do only what she wanted. However, in reality, life has responsibilities whether you feel a sense of self will and independence or not. I also find her actions somewhat poorly motivated. She became restless in her own life once she fell in love with a man not her husband. Were her actions motivated in order to be able to pursue a relationship with this man? In this case, yes, she is asserting her own will, but she is still operating under the influence of a man. I am not suggesting that true feminism should be free of men. I suppose the achievement of realising her own wishes and desires and then pursuing them is mighty step for the day.

Furthermore, though Mrs. Pontellier's actions are shocking to many of those around her, she wasn't acting entirely alone. The book mentions rumblings of women's radical groups at the time. Undoubtedly, Mrs. Pontellier heard whispers of women acting independently from their husbands. However, the books certainly portrays her actions as completely separate from these groups and movements. She does not socialise with any of the women in these groups. The books describes her change in attitude as an awakening, something that grew from within her, almost divinely. The author describes such a change in the protagonist from this awakening, that her physical appearance changes and she is healthier, more robust, and lively. I suppose, despite the movements and whispers of the day, each woman had to discover herself, something which is often taken for granted in modern day.

An aspect that I particularly enjoyed was a subtyl discussion about independence and loneliness. The initial steps of asserting independence were incredibly excited for the protagonist. However, loneliness was also an aspect of her activities. As the initial bustle of establishing her independence settled, loneliness set in and she sought company. I appreciated the discussion of somehow finding balance between independence and loneliness.

The ending is striking. After witnessing her good friend go through child birth and hearing her pleas to "think of the children," she becomes confused about her actions. Mrs Pontellier was not particularly maternal, but due to social demands, married and had two children. Being of the wealthier class in the late 1800s, she didn't have much to do with child-minding and left her children mostly in the care of the quadroon. After witnessing the childbirth, at the end of the novel, she begins to think of her children and express affection for them. She had previously said that she would give her life, but never herself for her children. This aspect of the novel, I admit, I find confusing. Whereas her relationship with her children is clear throughout the novel, in the last pages, the Mrs Pontellier seems to reconsider this relationship and the role of her two young boys. I am uncertain how the childbirth event affected her final actions.

The ending is at once shocking and unsurprising. Perhaps I wasn't surprised because I was warned about the ending (without knowing actually what happens) and was constantly preparing myself for the worst possible situations. I wondered if her final action was because she was not able to obtain what she wanted, even though she pursued it with all her will. I wondered if she was not able to reconcile her sense of self with the way society saw women and a woman's role. I wondered if she was simply heartbroken. I can't explain it. I lean to the idea that she was simply not able to reconcile her responsibility as a mother with her awakened independence.

I very much enjoyed this novel. I enjoyed reading about women in the late 19th century. I enjoyed seeing the first steps in feminism, as women began to act with independence. Though the actions of the protagonist seem small to me, looking back from today, I can also understand how big they were in the late 1800s. I would certainly recommend this novel. The writing style is lovely and I think any one of us should understand how things were for women and how difficult those first assertive steps were.

About The Author
Kate Chopin (nee O'Flaherty) was born in 1850 in St Louis, USA. She lived with her mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, all widows and was mostly educated at home by her great-grandmother. Her mother was the first woman to achieve legal separation from her husband in St Louis and raise 5 children while running a shipping business on the Mississippi. Kate eventually went to Sacred Heart Academy in 1865, graduating in 1868. She was married in 1870 to Oscar Chopin. They had 6 children together, all by the time Kate was age 29. After the failure of Oscar's cotton business in 1879, they moved to Cloutierville, Louisiana and Kate was exposed to Creole culture. Oscar died in 1889, leaving Kate with $12 000 of debt. Kate sold his businesses and returned to St Louis to her mother. However, her mother died the following year. Kate was encouraged to write in order to overcome the depression in which she found herself after the death of her husband and mother. She began writing short stories and was publishing articles and stories in local publication by 1890. The Awakening, her second novel, was published in 1899 and came against much criticism for its poor moral standards. It was out of print for a few decades, but has become one of the leading works in feminist literature. Discouraged by so much criticism, however, Kate turned to short stories. She died of a brain hemorrhage in 1904.

Things I Liked About This Novel:

1. I liked learning about the first steps of women asserting their independence and will.

2. I liked the protagonist and reading about how she came to realise herself.

3. I liked the writing style and descriptive writing.

4. I liked the ending. In part, it confuses me. In part, I totally understand it. 

Kokoro by Natsume Soseki

Thoughts and Reflections
I had very much looked forward to reading this book and was anxious for a taste of Japanese literature in the early 1900s. The book maintained many of those features that I have come to enjoy in Japanese literature, this balance between nature and the city, the descriptive writing, the ability of the characters to be silent.

I was very absorbed in the first half of the book, wondering where the story was going, how the characters lives entwined, and so on. However, at the halfway point, I felt the need to put the book aside and distance from it for a period of time (just a few days or a week). I no longer understood the actions of the protagonist and didn't want to watch him wander down his chosen path. Once I felt removed enough to resume reading, I again became absorbed in the lives of the characters.

On the one hand, I found the book profound, yet, on the other, superficial. I enjoyed the writing style, but aspects of the book escape me. The ending to me was abrupt. The protagonist reads the letter from Sensei, his mentor, and then the book ends. There is no discussion of what happens after the letter, what about the characters, how do they continue to live, how have their lives been changed. Though, undoubtedly, the author had his reasons for ending the book this way, I felt more was needed.

The author spent a considerable amount of time describing the protagonist with his family and with his dying father. However, this portion of the novel makes little sense to me. I see no purpose for it. The only potential reason that I can tell, is that in the eyes of the protagonist, the death of his mentor is more important or devastating than the death of his father. Perhaps because he had time to prepare for one, but not the other. Regardless, the pages describing his family life seems out of place; the plot is dropped.

The novel talks about how the decisions of youth affect adulthood and of pain and suffering in life. One character was unable to recover from the death of a friend, whose death he felt responsible for. Another character was unable to recover from the betrayal of a friend and loss of the one he loved. I was able to relate to the young Sensei when emotions prevented him from acting kindly towards his friend. However, the consequences of his actions devastated him and caused him grief until his dying day, consequences that one hopes never to realise in their lifetime. It is difficult to blame any one character for the events, as each character was acting as he or she saw fit.  No one could anticipate the end result. The title of the novel, Kokoro, evidently means "heart" in Japanese, a very appropriate title considering the plot.

The book sheds some light on the perception of women during this time period. Women were not considered highly and the book tossed out quite a few slights against the intellectual ability of women. The treatment of women was not altogether surprising and I found the slights somewhat comical.  I was relieved women are no longer considered to be intellectually deficient compared to men in many countries worldwide (though I realise this is not the case everywhere).

I enjoyed the novel and was easily able to become interested in the lives of the characters. I did not always understand the motives of the characters or the author's reasoning in his novel. I am also not entirely sure what to take away from this novel. I can't quote any wise words taken from the plot or themes. Nonetheless, the book is not easily forgotten.

The Author
Natsume Soseki was born in 1867. His birth evidently brought a degree of disgrace to his family, being born late in the life of his parents, long after their first five children. As a result, he was adopted to another family until he was 9 years old, at which point the couple divorced and he returned to his natural family. He became interested in literature during middle school in Tokyo. His family disapproved of his intention to become a writer, so when Soseki entered the Tokyo Imperial University to become an architect. Being encouraged in his writing by a friend, Soseki entered the English Department at the University in 1890, graduating in 1893. He did some graduate work and enrolled in Normal School to become a teacher. From 1895 he worked as a teacher, but also began publishing some of his works. He was married in 1896. In 1900, he was sent to study in Great Britain, being Japan's first English literature scholar. He studies in Great Britain for three years, a period of time which he evidently didn't enjoy. After his return to Japan, he became a professor of English literature at the Tokyo Imperial University. He's reputation as a writer became established through the publication of Bochan  in 1905 and Kusamakura in 1906. He died in 1916.

Things I Liked About This Novel

1. I liked the characters and found myself caught up in the story of their lives.

2. As is often the case with Japanese literature, I enjoyed the writing style.

3. I appreciated the discussion of emotions, youthful folly, and the consequences of actions.

The Makioka Sisters by Junichiro Tanizaki

Thoughts and Reflections
I was introduced to this novel through an online Japanese lit book group. Hungry for any recommendations, I quickly snatched any suggestions. Once I actually got my hands on the book, though, it turned out to be a bit different than I had anticipated. The book is about four sisters in Japan in the later 1930s and into the early years of WWII. The book itself was written in 1957. I had thought the book was somewhat more contemporary. However, the book did not fail to please.

The first thing to mention is that this novel is slow paced and packed with cultural information. However, I found this only to contribute to the development of the characters and setting, rather than drag with too much detail. The book is mostly set in Osaka and much information is given on the Osaka dialect and way of life. I gather that at this time, people from Osaka took their time in making decisions, never to be hurried along. I deeply appreciated the cultural information and steady development of both characters and setting.

Culturally speaking, the sisters at the centre of this novel are from a declining upper class family. Their manner is formal and every family issues is accompanied with a broader issues of social repercussions. At once, the sisters are very close and also so constrained by social order that they can hardly express their thoughts and feelings. I found this a strange dynamic throughout the novel, both interesting and frustrating.

Western influence of Japanese culture was also discussed throughout the novel. Clothing and fashion in particular were mentioned. The author seemed to indicate that the more a person dressed in western fashions, the more the also stepped away from Japanese manners. One of the Makioka sisters in particular, one who proudly wore the latest in western fashions, seemed to put more and more Japanese ideas of culture and manners behind her, adopting a cruder or freer way of being. In the novel, this is depicted as a kind of backsliding and corruption.

I know little of Japanese history. The one thing I thought I understood was how militarised Japanese culture was prior to WWII. However, in reading this novel, the military culture is hardly mentioned. The only reference is to the work of an emergency response brigade during a flood. The culture seems entirely removed from anything military and the upper classes at least seem focused primarily on leisure activities and personal standard of living. The lower classes are also not well referenced. I suspect this has something to do with how removed the upper classes were from the rest of life in Japan. The lower classes are only mentioned when one of the sisters considers marrying below her status, which causes all kinds of concern in the family, mainly on what the rest of society would think. At the same time, throughout the novel, the family and the times seems to become less and less formal, potentially due to scarcity from political tensions.

I read continually expecting the Pearl Harbour incident to occur and change everything for Japan. However, though the events of WWII linger in the background, the focus seems much more about life at the time, rather than on the war. I believe it was intentional of the author to end the novel on the brink of a major change in Japanese history. To have touched on the event itself, would have changed the focus of the novel entirely.

Another interesting dynamic in the novel is between a German family who had been neighbours to the Makiokas, but had returned to Germany. The information between Europe and Japan seemed somewhat broken, or perhaps the worlds had not yet realised what Hitler was doing. Through the relationship between the families, I wondered if the author was likening the China Incident (see below) and  Germany's actions in WWII. I am not certain about this. Perhaps the military culture of Japan was hinted at, but only very subtly.

The mood changes throughout the novel. At first, the mood is entirely lighthearted and completely without concern. As the novel progresses, the mood changes to a lingering, vague, and undefined concern. This concern is emphasised in the ending. At once, the ending provides closure and hope, and yet is also unsettling. It is a rather strange ending, an ending that I find myself mulling over and over.

All in all, I loved this book. It didn't take me long at all to be come caught up in the lives of the characters. I also loved the descriptive writing and cultural information. It only made me want to go to Japan more! :) I would certainly recommend this novel. Though it isn't high paced or action packed, it is a beautiful novel about a family and changing times.

Point of Interest
The China Incident (aka The Second Sino-Japanese War): Knowing little about Japanese history, I wasn't clear on what the China Incident was referring to. It was mentioned a number of times in the course of the novel, particularly regarding a national emergency, scarcity, rations, and a general taming of extravagance.  And so, the situation was this: In 1931 Imperial Japan invaded the Chinese province of Manchuria and set up what has been called a "puppet government." From Manchuria, Japan expanded south. The main conflict occurred from 1937-1945, being triggered by the Marco Polo Bridge Incident. The bridge was the only link between Beijing and areas further south, which Japan invaded in 1937. Japan eventually surrendered in 1945, submitting to the Soviets and America after the bombings of Nagasaki and Hiroshima.

About the Author
Junichiro Tanizaki was born in 1886 in Tokyo to a wealthy merchant family. He went on to study in the Literature Department at Tokyo Imperial University, but was unable to pay tuition and dropped out in 1911. Nonetheless, he was first published in 1909, a one act play in a literary magazine. In 1922, being fascinated with western influence, he moved to Yokohama to live among Japan's largest expatriate community and embrace a more bohemian lifestyle. He began to gain attention after moving to Kyoto in 1923, when his writings began to refocus on Japanese art and culture. After WWII, he won a number of literary awards, launching him into literary prominence, becoming one of Japan's most popular contemporary writers. He died in 1965 of a heart attack.

Things I Loved About This Novel
1. The descriptions, particularly about the cherry blossoms in Spring.
2. The sisters and their lives. Much is said about Japan at the times through their lives. I also enjoyed the discussion of how things change.
3. The ending. I just can't get it out of my head.