Gail Tsukiyama

The Street of a Thousand Blossoms

altlovesbooks

"Just remember, every day of your lives, you must always be sure what you're fighting for."

This book followed a family in Japan through the grips of World War II and out the other side again. Two brothers raised by their grandparents and the owner of a sumo stable and his two daughters are the main performers in this little play, and we get an intimate look into the thoughts, feelings, fears, and dreams of these people as they progress through their uncertain lives. 

I'm a huge fan of historical fiction, even moreso of historical fiction set in Asia. This book, however, left me feeling a little bit "meh". It's a perfectly adequate book, and actually I think it's told really well up until the late World War II years. I feel like the book peaks early though, and I found myself losing a bit of interest following World War II. Nothing really changes, style-wise, but I felt less of a direction in where the story was heading. The writing is straightforward, not very lyrical, but the author does tell a good story. I felt like the leadup to (view spoiler)[the atomic bomb drops and the firestorm (hide spoiler)] were the most interesting, but I sort of disliked Aki as a character later on. 

An adequate book, not exceptional, but also not terrible. Interesting for about the first 30-40%, and then afterwards it kind of meanders along with the family's story. If you've read The Samurai's Garden by the same author, this book has the same feel.

Anyaconda

A family story with lots of grief, loss and regrets. I enjoyed learning more about sumo and I recommend watching some YouTube videos, especially of a sumo retirement ceremony. That was quite fascinating.

The Street of a Thousand Blossoms

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