Reviews

"To be a product of history - to feel the weight of that legacy - Luna feels a flash of envy. It gave her father a clarity of purpose she feels she lacks. With fewer people left every year to tell the lived stories, she can understand why he invested in the past - to expose not just the buried roots of history but the fragile bedrock of the future vulnerable to the human propensity not only to forget and repeat but to be ignorant and led."

Complex characters, gorgeous prose, and sublime storytelling all centered around the harrowing power of time and fallibility of memory. Serizawa does not tie any of her interconnected stories up with neat resolutions, but the lack thereof provides the reader space to contemplate, imagine, and ask questions. What if? What happened next? Why? Books like these are the books worth keeping.

jess_mango's review against another edition

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4.0

Inheritors by Asako Serizawa is a collection of interconnected stories that span over a century from the turn of the 20th century to the near future. Most of the stories focus on members of a Japanese family and center of impact of World War II. We see characters living in Japan before the war and during the war and their descendants living in America. We see how families are torn apart and people are forced to take on roles that they didn't want to such as working in a brothel for American soldiers. Each story was told from the perspective of a different character and in a different style, giving each story its own distinct feel.

It was interesting and heartbreaking to read about the impact of WWII from the Japanese perspective. We often hear WWII stories from the viewpoint of the victor (the Allies), so getting this take was different and an emotional journey.

What to Listen to While Reading (or during reading breaks)
-The Hanging Garden by the Cure
-Cities in Dust by Siouxsie and the Banshees
-Ikiru by MYKOOL
-One Day in Japan by aekasora

I received an advanced review copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

msilkwolfe's review against another edition

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4.0

A really beautiful book. It was so well written, with a story organization that was really unique. The only reason I didn’t give it 5 stars was because I was definitely more invested in some chapters than others, however I could see how they all worked together to show the arc of a family. Such a great book club book because there’s a lot to discuss! I have a lot of questions!

kleonard's review against another edition

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5.0

A stunning and magnificent book about World War II in Japan and America that everyone should read. Serizawa's writing is beautiful, brash, and wholly enthralling as she charts the emotions and reactions and relationships that touch on one Japanese family over many generations. Serizawa's tiny details, a sense or proportion, and the ability to write unflinchingly about horror and trauma make this book outstanding.

itshannahlevy's review against another edition

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challenging emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix

4.75

balo's review against another edition

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3.0

It was good until the future part.

kam14505's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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