A review by lalaland_of_books
The Buddha in the Attic by Julie Otsuka

dark reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

2.0

This book is about mail order brides heading from Japan To America in early 1900s, with dreams of comfortable future and loving husbands as opposed to a poor Japanese farmer's life full of misery and hardships.

The book is written in first person plural, and keeps on mentioning any given life experience in many variations of 'we' and 'us'. The author mentions many difficulties faced by these women like the cultural differences, language barrier, racism, the disrespect by their husbands, marital-rape, gender based discrimination that some of these women do with their children and a lot more. This book is dark, sad and tragic.

The writing style feels like there is a whole universe to be explored but you are on the outermost periphery forbidden from getting to know any character as there is no main character or recurring set of characters. You would want to understand them, empathize with them and console them but you wouldn't get that scope to relate with them and to feel attached. The story takes place in inter-war era and war part of the book is interesting but again too much, too quick.

Maybe the writing style didn't work for me and readers who like it might really enjoy this book a lot more. For me it lacked the depth and connection that I like in stories.