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It's a short novel about a then wealthy Japanese family that's undergoing the process of overcoming the losses of WWII.
Desc: The novel is written from the perspective of Etsuko, a woman who moved from Japan to the UK married to a foreigner with whom she has two daughters: Keiko and Niki. She has a flashback of her days in post-war Nagasaki right while her friend Sachiko was married to an American guy who promises to bring her with him to the USA. The thing is Sachiko has a little daughter who seems to be undergoing a huge trauma (she was born during the war).
It's an adult book and a bit deceiving in my opinion. If you're a teenager I'm not sure you'll appreciate it (you can try). If you're looking for a Japanese story, the setting of most of the story is Japan but in my humble opinion, it could have been anywhere. It's an intimate story from the perspective of an old woman, a mother. Maybe it's a slow but it'll make you think I'm sure.
(at 50%) The premise is intriguing but the delivery is slow and uninteresting. It's my first book by the author (I'm reading it for a book club) and the feeling is that there's not much going on all the time. It's pretty evident that the war happened not long ago and they had to endure the worst part (remember it's Nagasaki) but they seem to avoid the topic and pretend everything is normal. The perspective is Etsuko's talking about her past from England but it's read as if the conversations (most of it is a dialog between Etsuko or someone else) were happening at this very moment. So while it's not a long book and it's not a complex read it's not engaging enough. Etsuko is just remembering what happened and the most interesting bit is Mariko (Sachiko's daughter). (26-09-2020)
(at 100%) Contradictory feelings: When I started reading this book I was expecting a story about the post-war but in the end seeing all this back and forth (from her reality in England with her daughter to her days in Nagasaki and Sachiko) the main point has nothing to do with it. I really wanted to read a story about the post-war in Japan but the novel is a way more intimate story to which the post-war is just the background.
I can't say I enjoyed it because the book is slow and most of the book is conversations and "moments" but I see what the book really seems to be about and I appreciate it. It makes me think about the difficulties between sons and parents. It puts in perspective generational gaps and life issues.
I thought I'd hate the book. I wouldn't say I loved the story but after the end I think I'd read more from Ishiguro (I have When We Were Orphans somewhere).
(27-09-2020)