“Buddha in the Attic”

 

”This novel was inspired by the life stories of Japanese immigrants who came to America in the early 1900s.” (129)

I was hoping to find a historical fiction that showed how Japanese immigrants shaped the agricultural environment in California at the turn of the century. What I found was a story shaped by many stories. Mail order brides. Migrant farm workers. Shop keepers. Multiple points of view, blended together to create a cohesive story. Yet, at times, I was confused. I struggled to find the timeline. The individual storylines zigzagged through time. Some were lost to me. Others jumped out. I knew where this was going…yet the end came too abruptly. I found myself wanting the next installment, or chapter - tell us about the internment camps - tell us about what happened after the war? Where are all those stories?

Well, I found the answer: “Buddha in the Attic” is the prequel to Otsuka’s “When the Emperor was Divine.” Hmmmm…add it to my TBR pile!