jcschildbach's review
4.0
I read Mockett's "Where the Dead Pause and the Japanese Say Goodbye" a few years back, and this novel very much feels like a companion piece to that book. That is, all novelists borrow from their own lives and experiences to create their fictional worlds, and those connections are clear when you read both books. In both works, Mocket deals with themes of religion, tradition, death, ethnicity, culture, and belonging/not belonging/figuring out one's place in the world. Here, Mockett tells of three generations of women--all smart, skilled, and talented, but with gaps in their knowledge and understanding of their heritage, largely brought on by secrets their parents keep from them/family situations the mothers create and then abruptly change. I had no idea what to expect from this book, and will say that it is hard to explain what this book is about without delving too deeply into plot points that really don't represent the main thrust of the book. To be sure, there are mysteries to be solved--involving parentage, stolen objects, and the presence of ghosts, among other things--but those mysteries are somewhat secondary to the characters just struggling to understand life in general, and how they fit into the various worlds they come to occupy. There are great details and a sense of immersion in a wide range of settings and artistic pursuits, from cuisine in rural Japan, to studying piano in Paris, to international art dealing, to the temple culture that was at the core of "Where the Dead Pause." Overall, "Picking Bones from Ash" reminded me much more of Japanese novels than American novels in terms of the pacing and focus, as well as the dynamics between the characters--which is high praise given the content of the work.
nkfanning's review
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
arockc's review
3.0
I respect this author's efforts a lot, but this book didn't work for me. The jump from the perspective of the girl to the woman was just jarring. I had to drop everything I felt about the girl and try to get to know this woman. I was willing to deal with that, get over it, and move on, and never really did when this over-the-top caricature of a mother showed up. At that point I lost interest. I finished the book, but my heart wasn't really in it. It was almost as if the beginning and end of two books were all set up in the author's head, and then the middle was created to try to fuse the end and the beginning together, but it didn't work out quite right.
marthalama's review
4.0
This is one of those rare books for me that I really liked even though I didn’t particularly care for any of the characters. While I could understand some of the motivation behind Atsuko, Satomi’s mother, she’s a rather cold mother and some of the choice she makes really bothered me. She marries in order to provide Satomi with the schooling she needs to be a concert pianist and then proceeds to push Satomi away from her. Satomi is young girl just trying to please her mother and to get her mother’s approval. And this is the section of the book where I like her most. At times she’s selfish and competitive but I still saw the girl who was trying to find her place. Then, unfortunately she makes some very poor choices and ends up with some not so good guys and things go down hill fast. By the end of the first section she’s living in America with a man she doesn’t love and a little baby to care for.
The second section of the book picks up with Satomi’s daughter Rumi. Living in San Fransisco with her father Francois and paying for her mother’s poor choices. This is where I started to not enjoy the characters. The men in the book are ineffectual at best and extremely creepy and dubious at worst. I didn’t like either Francois (Rumi’s father) and I really didn’t like Snowden, a family friend who sends Rumi on her journey to find out more about her past.
The third and final section take place back in Japan, where Rumi flees to follow a ghost (an actual ghost, but don’t worry it works in the story) to find out more about her past and the mysteries surrounding her mother. There are bits of this section where it just gets odd and I had a hard time with all the characters and how they acted. But, at least it was an interesting weird, if you know what I mean?
Here’s what I liked about this books. It’s steeped with a culture I know very little about but find very interesting. It’s full of magical realism (a term I’m just getting to know but turns out I like this kind of book-where I used to think I didn’t). Both Satomi and Rumi see ghosts. Rumi even follows a ghost from San Fransisco to Japan to find out what it’s trying to tell her. Rumi can hear objects speak to hear, like musical instruments, they tell her about their lives and history.
The story is also filled with insight into the Japanese culture and attitudes. Mockett fills the story with facts about both the Buddhist and Shinto religions. So, while I didn’t really care some of the characters (and I really disliked the most the men) I did enjoy this book and look forward to seeing what Mutsuki Mockett writes next.
Another thing The Book Girl. at For the Love of Books, asked in my Wondrous Words Wednesday post if having to look up words detracts from the reading experience. And I’d have to say, for at least the last few, the answer would be no. I’ve had words, and more than a few, in this story, the Maisie Dobbs series, and another book I’ll be reviewing-When We Were Strangers I didn’t know. I’m usually able to glean what the words means in its context, so I’ll mark the page with a post-it (yes, I’m just that geeky and keep post-its with my book) then look it up later to see if I was right and find out the exact meaning. Every now and then I’ll have to stop to look up the word and that doesn’t really seem to bother me either. I know it’s easier to do with e-books because they offer a look-up feature. I guess this is another plus of e-readers, though I’m still not feeling the love for them. So, I guess the quick answer is, I haven’t found it to be a problem and I’m really enjoying actually learning new words.
I received this book from Greywolf Press.
The second section of the book picks up with Satomi’s daughter Rumi. Living in San Fransisco with her father Francois and paying for her mother’s poor choices. This is where I started to not enjoy the characters. The men in the book are ineffectual at best and extremely creepy and dubious at worst. I didn’t like either Francois (Rumi’s father) and I really didn’t like Snowden, a family friend who sends Rumi on her journey to find out more about her past.
The third and final section take place back in Japan, where Rumi flees to follow a ghost (an actual ghost, but don’t worry it works in the story) to find out more about her past and the mysteries surrounding her mother. There are bits of this section where it just gets odd and I had a hard time with all the characters and how they acted. But, at least it was an interesting weird, if you know what I mean?
Here’s what I liked about this books. It’s steeped with a culture I know very little about but find very interesting. It’s full of magical realism (a term I’m just getting to know but turns out I like this kind of book-where I used to think I didn’t). Both Satomi and Rumi see ghosts. Rumi even follows a ghost from San Fransisco to Japan to find out what it’s trying to tell her. Rumi can hear objects speak to hear, like musical instruments, they tell her about their lives and history.
The story is also filled with insight into the Japanese culture and attitudes. Mockett fills the story with facts about both the Buddhist and Shinto religions. So, while I didn’t really care some of the characters (and I really disliked the most the men) I did enjoy this book and look forward to seeing what Mutsuki Mockett writes next.
Another thing The Book Girl. at For the Love of Books, asked in my Wondrous Words Wednesday post if having to look up words detracts from the reading experience. And I’d have to say, for at least the last few, the answer would be no. I’ve had words, and more than a few, in this story, the Maisie Dobbs series, and another book I’ll be reviewing-When We Were Strangers I didn’t know. I’m usually able to glean what the words means in its context, so I’ll mark the page with a post-it (yes, I’m just that geeky and keep post-its with my book) then look it up later to see if I was right and find out the exact meaning. Every now and then I’ll have to stop to look up the word and that doesn’t really seem to bother me either. I know it’s easier to do with e-books because they offer a look-up feature. I guess this is another plus of e-readers, though I’m still not feeling the love for them. So, I guess the quick answer is, I haven’t found it to be a problem and I’m really enjoying actually learning new words.
I received this book from Greywolf Press.
hlemeric's review
4.0
The first half of the story was great, but I felt that the second half was missing something, which made the plot feel a bit rushed. However, this was a hard book to put down and I enjoyed it overall.
whatsheread's review
Picking Bones from Ash is one of those subtle stories that has more depth than a reader initially realizes. Not just a ghost story, this is ultimately a story about family - what brings one together and what tears one apart. For those unfamiliar with Japan and their culture, Ms. Mockett introduces the reader to the intricacies of Japanese families, the beauty of its geography, and the grandeur of its religious sites while bridging the gap between East and West with a story that resonates no matter who is reading it.
Told in three distinct sections, the strongest of these belongs to Satomi as a young girl. As a girl who is desperately seeking love and acceptance by her mother, whose main goal is to see her daughter succeed, the reader's heart goes out to this conflicted narrator as she struggles to determine whether her fate lies with piano or elsewhere.
My mother always told me that there is only one way a woman can be truly safe in this world. And that is to be fiercely, inarguably, and masterfully talented. (pg. 3)
Love through talent - this drive on the part of Atsuko can resonate with readers who have been pushed down career paths or into after-school activities that they may not want in an effort to live up to their parents' expectations. Satomi's plight takes on greater resonance when she experiences life in the West and the pull of another way of life.
Rumi's story, as she unravels bits of her past, is not quite as compelling. Her relationship with her father is not as angst-filled or torturous, and Rumi is not as spirited or as willing to defy tradition and her family as her mother was. This makes for a less intriguing narrator. The Gothic feel of this section is a bit jarring as well, as it is out of place from the rest of the novel.
The two sections come together quite nicely during the denouement, as the reader understands the symbolism behind Satomi's and Rumi's stories. As they come together and meet face-to-face, the reader gets a clearer picture of the complexities of the Japanese culture and how the two main religions have created this unique landscape. More importantly, the reader gets the chance to delve into the ideas behind parenthood and the sacrifices that being a parent may or may not entail. Atsuko is quite a different mother than Satomi, but is either one right or wrong? Ultimately, it is up to the reader to decide.
Picking Bones from Ash was a great introduction to the nuances and beliefs behind the Japanese culture. Satomi is a strong character, and her problems finding her path in her world resonates well with the reader. The rest of the cast is not quite as strong, and the story itself loses steam as Ms. Mockett deviates from Satomi's quest. Thankfully, the stunning descriptions and flawless prose balance these minor concerns, and the overall story is one that is poignant in its simplicity but lingers like a fine wine upon one's palate. For a reader who is looking for a way to broaden his or her horizons and become acquainted with another culture without straying too far from the familiar, Picking Bones from Ash is a great novel to accomplish this.
Told in three distinct sections, the strongest of these belongs to Satomi as a young girl. As a girl who is desperately seeking love and acceptance by her mother, whose main goal is to see her daughter succeed, the reader's heart goes out to this conflicted narrator as she struggles to determine whether her fate lies with piano or elsewhere.
My mother always told me that there is only one way a woman can be truly safe in this world. And that is to be fiercely, inarguably, and masterfully talented. (pg. 3)
Love through talent - this drive on the part of Atsuko can resonate with readers who have been pushed down career paths or into after-school activities that they may not want in an effort to live up to their parents' expectations. Satomi's plight takes on greater resonance when she experiences life in the West and the pull of another way of life.
Rumi's story, as she unravels bits of her past, is not quite as compelling. Her relationship with her father is not as angst-filled or torturous, and Rumi is not as spirited or as willing to defy tradition and her family as her mother was. This makes for a less intriguing narrator. The Gothic feel of this section is a bit jarring as well, as it is out of place from the rest of the novel.
The two sections come together quite nicely during the denouement, as the reader understands the symbolism behind Satomi's and Rumi's stories. As they come together and meet face-to-face, the reader gets a clearer picture of the complexities of the Japanese culture and how the two main religions have created this unique landscape. More importantly, the reader gets the chance to delve into the ideas behind parenthood and the sacrifices that being a parent may or may not entail. Atsuko is quite a different mother than Satomi, but is either one right or wrong? Ultimately, it is up to the reader to decide.
Picking Bones from Ash was a great introduction to the nuances and beliefs behind the Japanese culture. Satomi is a strong character, and her problems finding her path in her world resonates well with the reader. The rest of the cast is not quite as strong, and the story itself loses steam as Ms. Mockett deviates from Satomi's quest. Thankfully, the stunning descriptions and flawless prose balance these minor concerns, and the overall story is one that is poignant in its simplicity but lingers like a fine wine upon one's palate. For a reader who is looking for a way to broaden his or her horizons and become acquainted with another culture without straying too far from the familiar, Picking Bones from Ash is a great novel to accomplish this.
yonnyan's review against another edition
3.0
Started off very promising, but in the end it wasn’t as great as I’d anticipated; average.
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