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A review by thebookboy
The Little House by Kyōko Nakajima
5.0
I thoroughly enjoyed this story, and although it is quite slow, I think the beauty of the tale is the gentle unravelling of the layers and seeing the main character's relationship with her mistress grows against the background of a nation soon headed, and then experiencing, devastating war.
I've not read many stories about WW2 from a Japanese perspective and, even though the narrator is a maid and therefore not really in the thick of things, it was interesting to hear how quickly society changed and what this meant for everyday people.
The narrator isn't necessarily to be trusted, either - and I think that adds another level of interest to this. She's a determined, rather resourceful old woman with a knack for romanticism, and her character is written so well that you can really see her scribbling away her memories or steadfastly cooking for her beloved mistress and master, always on the fringe and yet crucial to their lives.
Definitely a story that will stick with me.
4.5
I've not read many stories about WW2 from a Japanese perspective and, even though the narrator is a maid and therefore not really in the thick of things, it was interesting to hear how quickly society changed and what this meant for everyday people.
The narrator isn't necessarily to be trusted, either - and I think that adds another level of interest to this. She's a determined, rather resourceful old woman with a knack for romanticism, and her character is written so well that you can really see her scribbling away her memories or steadfastly cooking for her beloved mistress and master, always on the fringe and yet crucial to their lives.
Definitely a story that will stick with me.
4.5