Saturday, November 21, 2020

FIFTY WORDS FOR RAIN


Fifty Words For Rain, Asha Lemmie, Dutton Books, 2020, 464 pp 

I read this for a reading group. I think we all chose it because of the title, the amazing cover and the setting: post WWII Japan. Each of us had mixed feelings about the story leaning towards positive.

Asha Lemmie worked on her first novel for many years, with large breaks in between stints of writing. I can relate! It is an engrossing tale, sometimes a bit too melodramatic, though in the good way that Charles Dickens does melodrama. It was always a page turner, always satisfying, except for the ending. We puzzled over that ending for quite a while in our discussion.

Noriko Kamiza, the central character, has a tragic past. She is the daughter of a Japanese heiress and an African American soldier and was abandoned by both parents. She has been hidden away as a disgrace by her maternal aristocratic grandmother in the attic of the family estate. She has been made to know that she is not worthy, due to her darker skin. Her training is to be silent, never to resist.

Needless to say, that part of Noriko's life is heartbreaking. Though she finally finds a protector and a sense of self in her older brother, more heartbreak follows until she rises above her fears and broken spirit to effect that disturbing ending.

After continuing to be haunted by the novel for many days, I concluded that is was the fairytale atmosphere created by the author that drew me in as I read and kept me captivated until the end. Best of all, she made me ponder which choices I would have made if I were Noriko.

Good read for fans of Lisa See as well as Toni Morrison.

24 comments:

  1. When an author writes a book that stays with one days after finishing that seems to be a sign that they did something right.

    The predicament of the main character here sounds tragic and something worth reading about . I tend to like atmospheric novels too.

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    1. Truly, Brian! It was also good to get out of America for a few days!

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  2. Sounds like a really good read!

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    1. I think you, especially, would love it!

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  3. This story sounds rather haunting. I'm always drawn to darker stories and this seems to fit the bill. Happy you shared with us.

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  4. i guess i've gotten to the place where books with "messages" leave me cold, pretty much... i know what the human race is like and i don't hold much hope for the future and i just like to read stuff that is happy or informational... but that's not to say that books with a chastising or tutorial bent are not valuable, and this might very well be one. i'm not a judge or even much of a thinker any more...

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    1. I did not find a message in this one but it is a good story about survival.

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  5. Sounds like quite a bit of heartbreak. Gulp. Sometimes puzzling endings can (make or) break a book -- though it sounds like this tale had a lot in it. Endings are important! Will I throw it against a wall? Still post WWII Japan sounds good to me. I remain curious about it.

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    1. I am thinking about whether you would love or hate or something in between, this book. It certainly got me thinking about the choices people make.

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  6. I'm very intrigued now. If much of the book keeps you reading, I think I'll be okay with a disturbing ending. Well, maybe (as long as it isn't manipulative). I'll be looking for this one.

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  7. Thanks for your great review. Makes me definitely curious, but maybe too heart-breaking for me?

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  8. Hello! I'm glad you enjoyed the reading. I must say I have never read a novel that was happening in Japan and I don't know if I would enjoy it, specially if it is such a hard novel like this one. I guess there are times in live where some readings are more convinient than others. Take care :)

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    1. Actually it was not hard to read. You might enjoy learning more about Japan.

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  9. You know a book has done it's job when it sticks with you for days after finishing it.

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    1. That is the way I feel too. In fact it is one of my standards for giving high stars.

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  10. I love books about Japan and this sounds so good.

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    1. Yay! Then you will probably love it.

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  11. Interesting and different - thanks!

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