rorikae's review against another edition
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
'The Secret of the Blue Glass' by Tomiko Inui, translated by Tapley Takemori follows the story of a small family that lives up on a shelf in a library in Tokyo and the family that takes care of them.
Originally from England, the Ashes are a family of small people that were carried to Tokyo in a handbasket. Entrusted to the Moriyama family and their children, they live out their life in the Moriyama's library. But as World War II draws closer and threatens Tokyo, the Moriyama's young daughter may be sent away to the countryside and the Ashe's may need to flee with her.
'The Secret of the Blue Glass' is an interesting middle grade novel that mixes the story of a Borroweresque family in Japan with the daily experience of a Japanese family during World War II. It balances the horrors of war with the whimsy of a fantastical family. Because we spend time with both, there is less of a focus on the Ashe family than I expected. Unlike the Borrowers where there is a lot about the family's life and different situations that they get into, this story focuses more on the relationship between them and the Moriyama family. I wish that there had been more plot as it felt more like characters reacting to events than being active participants.
This story is short and relatively to the point. Though it isn't particularly exciting, I do think that it does a good job of balancing the aspects about the war with a family story.
Originally from England, the Ashes are a family of small people that were carried to Tokyo in a handbasket. Entrusted to the Moriyama family and their children, they live out their life in the Moriyama's library. But as World War II draws closer and threatens Tokyo, the Moriyama's young daughter may be sent away to the countryside and the Ashe's may need to flee with her.
'The Secret of the Blue Glass' is an interesting middle grade novel that mixes the story of a Borroweresque family in Japan with the daily experience of a Japanese family during World War II. It balances the horrors of war with the whimsy of a fantastical family. Because we spend time with both, there is less of a focus on the Ashe family than I expected. Unlike the Borrowers where there is a lot about the family's life and different situations that they get into, this story focuses more on the relationship between them and the Moriyama family. I wish that there had been more plot as it felt more like characters reacting to events than being active participants.
This story is short and relatively to the point. Though it isn't particularly exciting, I do think that it does a good job of balancing the aspects about the war with a family story.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Bullying, Grief, and War
Minor: Incest
bewildered_3's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
pearlgoddness's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
iilex's review against another edition
4.0
Prior to reading The Secret of the Blue Glass all I knew about it was that it is a Japanese children's fantasy novel about miniature people from the 1960s. I was basically expecting a Japanese version of [b:The Borrowers|348573|The Borrowers (The Borrowers, #1)|Mary Norton|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1308945559s/348573.jpg|802336]. The Secret of the Blue Glass is certainly similar to The Borrowers in many ways, but at its heart it is about the experience of everyday Japanese citizens during WWII. This is no cutesy tale. Characters have thoughts like, "Our life as students is just a stay of execution - just until we go to war and die." Before handing this book to a child, maybe think about what they can (or can't) handle.
Overall I enjoyed The Secret of the Blue Glass. I haven't read much on the experience of the Japanese people during WWII and I liked reading about it from the view of miniature people. The whole time I was reading it, I was mindful of the original publication date - the 1960s. For someone used to modern middle grade reads, The Secret of the Blue Glass is going to be very different, perhaps not in a positive way. It certainly reads as old-fashioned and there's a certain lack of characterization. It's not atypical of older children's fantasy, but others may be dissatisfied. The only real complaint that I have is that there's a lack of closure. The book ends fairly abruptly and leaves a lot of questions unanswered. Still, I liked it and am glad it's now available in translation. 4 out of 5 stars.
I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Overall I enjoyed The Secret of the Blue Glass. I haven't read much on the experience of the Japanese people during WWII and I liked reading about it from the view of miniature people. The whole time I was reading it, I was mindful of the original publication date - the 1960s. For someone used to modern middle grade reads, The Secret of the Blue Glass is going to be very different, perhaps not in a positive way. It certainly reads as old-fashioned and there's a certain lack of characterization. It's not atypical of older children's fantasy, but others may be dissatisfied. The only real complaint that I have is that there's a lack of closure. The book ends fairly abruptly and leaves a lot of questions unanswered. Still, I liked it and am glad it's now available in translation. 4 out of 5 stars.
I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
araneose's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
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