Category: Fiction
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
ISBN-13:9780312144074
Pub. Date: May 1996
Date Read: January 2009
"I wanted to find my own way, so this morning I persuaaded my father to let me travel alone from his apartment in Kobe to my grandfather's beach house in Tarumi. It had taken me nearly two weeks to convince him - you woul think I was a child, not a young man of twenty. It seems a small victory, but I've won so few in the past months that it means everything to me - perhaps even the beginning of my recovery."
In the Fall of 1937, Stephen is sent off to the family beach house in Tarumi, Japan to recuperate from his tuberculosis. His studies put on hold and now away from his family, Stephen feels like his time spent on Tarumi will be a bit like death.
But Stephen will befriend Matsu, a quiet Japanese man who is responsible for taking care of the house. Through Matsu, Stephen will learn about his grandfather, he'll learn about the tranquility to be found in gardens and he'll be introduced to a friend of Matsu's who has secrets of her own.
Sachi, lives apart from most of the world. The once beatiful woman is now disfigured by leporsy. She is shunned by her family and others but Stephen rather is intrigued by her story that he only hopes that she'll open herself up to befriend him.
As days turn into months Stephen finds that while he misses his family, he's formed strong bonds with Matsu and Sachi. Plus, his eye has been caught by a beautiful girl he meets on the beach.
While all may be calm on the beach and with his friends, Stephen knows that problems abound outside of the island. His father and mother's relationship seems to be in trouble, and there are reports of escalating warfare.
Setting this novel in diary format works well to bring the reader closer to the main character. An enjoyable read.