abitbetterbooks's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
It feels difficult to describe and rate a book that feels both deeply personal and also impossibly foreign. My own grandparents were interned in camps during WWII in Canada, and I am always searching for stories that can help me make some sense of that experience. After having read The Swimmers, also by Julie Otsuka, I really wanted something that dealt with the subject more directly and not just alluded to. When the Emperor Was Divine definitely fit that bill.
The American- and Canadian- Japanese experience was different, of course, but there were many similarities and notes that made it feel like a gut punch and also a ghost. I’m not exactly sure how else to describe it. I think the telling of a lot of this story through the eyes of children was a brilliant choice.
The American- and Canadian- Japanese experience was different, of course, but there were many similarities and notes that made it feel like a gut punch and also a ghost. I’m not exactly sure how else to describe it. I think the telling of a lot of this story through the eyes of children was a brilliant choice.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Xenophobia, War, Confinement, and Racial slurs
Minor: Deportation
sharonus's review
challenging
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Xenophobia, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Racism, and War
paperpoppy's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Racism, Violence, and War
directorpurry's review
challenging
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Confinement, Xenophobia, Racism, Racial slurs, and Animal death
Moderate: Torture and War
stephalopuff's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
The last chapter of this book is powerful and stands on its own as a poem, for sure.
My star rating is reflective more of the audiobook than the book itself. Do yourself a favor and read a hardcopy. The narrator sounded so prim and proper, her style of narration felt inappropriate for the subject matter and the way the book itself was written. That being said, the book itself feels a little detached from its audience - do I dare say a SparkNotes of the characters' experiences? I'd like to read more detailed, thorough accounts of Japanese internment.
My star rating is reflective more of the audiobook than the book itself. Do yourself a favor and read a hardcopy. The narrator sounded so prim and proper, her style of narration felt inappropriate for the subject matter and the way the book itself was written. That being said, the book itself feels a little detached from its audience - do I dare say a SparkNotes of the characters' experiences? I'd like to read more detailed, thorough accounts of Japanese internment.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs
Moderate: Racism, War, Deportation, and Colonisation
erinblue's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Animal death
Moderate: War
rorythebean's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, War, Confinement, Hate crime, and Racism
Moderate: Bullying
Minor: Animal cruelty and Animal death
adrianna_isabel's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
I feel like the author did such an amazing job with narrating from a child's perspective. It wasn't too innocent, but it was absolutely there. They think the way a child would (daydreaming about when their lives got back to normal etc.) Flashbacks were well formatted. Learning about experiences in the camps was informative and eye opening.
I loved the awareness raised around PTSD and the discrimination victims from the camps went through when returning home. I loved how the author described adjusting getting back home. And, the way the family's identities as Asians during a time of war felt so authentic. It was so sad, seeing them feel ashamed for their ethnicity.
I loved the ending. It was realistic, and it was ending that gave good closure to the reader but was not perfect, whatsoever. important spoiler >>
Very informative. It was an honor to read this book
I loved the awareness raised around PTSD and the discrimination victims from the camps went through when returning home. I loved how the author described adjusting getting back home. And, the way the family's identities as Asians during a time of war felt so authentic. It was so sad, seeing them feel ashamed for their ethnicity.
I loved the ending. It was realistic, and it was ending that gave good closure to the reader but was not perfect, whatsoever. important spoiler >>
Spoiler
when the father finally reunites with his children in the end, he's a completely different person (due to the ptsd). And the way the children reacted to it and described it felt so shockingly real.</spoilerVery informative. It was an honor to read this book
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, War, and Racism
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