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The Japanese Lover

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The Japanese Lover

By: Isabel Allende
Narrated by: Joanna Gleason
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From New York Times bestselling author Isabel Allende, a “poignant, powerful” (Boston Globe) love story and multigenerational epic that stretches from San Francisco in the present-day to Poland and the United States during World War II.

In 1939, as Poland falls under the shadow of the Nazis, young Alma Belasco’s parents send her away to live in safety with an aunt and uncle in their opulent mansion in San Francisco. There, as the rest of the world goes to war, she encounters Ichimei Fukuda, the quiet and gentle son of the family’s Japanese gardener.

Unnoticed by those around them, a tender love affair begins to blossom. Following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the two are cruelly pulled apart as Ichimei and his family—like thousands of other Japanese Americans—are declared enemies and forcibly relocated to internment camps run by the United States government. Throughout their lifetimes, Alma and Ichimei reunite again and again, but theirs is a love that they are forever forced to hide from the world.

Decades later, Alma is nearing the end of her long and eventful life. Irina Bazili, a care worker struggling to come to terms with her own troubled past, meets the elderly woman and her grandson, Seth, at San Francisco’s charmingly eccentric Lark House nursing home. As Irina and Seth forge a friendship, they become intrigued by a series of mysterious gifts and letters sent to Alma, eventually learning about Ichimei and this extraordinary secret passion that has endured for nearly seventy years.

Sweeping through time and spanning generations and continents, The Japanese Lover is written with the same keen understanding of her characters that Isabel Allende has been known for since her landmark first novel The House of the Spirits. The Japanese Lover is a “multi-generational epic of fate, war, and enduring love” (Harper’s Bazaar). Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Romance Fiction Emotionally Gripping Heartfelt Feel-Good San Francisco Japanese Language
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A wonderful story, in fact, lots of stories within one great saga spanning 75 years. Well written, and read, thoroughly enjoyable

Lots of stories in one

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I loved Long Petal of the Sea, my first Allende read, so looked forward to The Japanese Lover. It did not disappoint. I learned a great deal about the treatment of Japanese citizens during WWII and loved the characters, woven with such tenderness and skill.

A wonderful, tender tale.

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Insight into different cultures merging but at arms length. Would recommend. Took a while to get started but once in I was hooked

Interesting

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A long time passionate admirer of this Author's work, I was at first puzzled at the style of this novel at the beginning and also not very enthusiastic with the mode of oral delivery. I hesitated. But now, I am glad I persisted. Although there is a lot of historically important detail, I felt, "crammed in " unnecessarily, I came to see that there may be a new generation of listeners to whom these momentous events are unknown and it needs retelling. From the Balkans to Japan, the U.SA., forgiveness and love have to be fore grounded, always.
This is where the similarities with the earlier, "magical realism" novels are the strongest. Perhaps Age is a character in this novel and it helps the listener to understand and share.
It reminded me of Alice Munro and Elizabeth Strout's work-fine company to be in.

Curiously similar and yet dissimilar to Ms Allende's previous work

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Written and translated into English beautifully. Narration perfect. A deeply touching story demonstrating all Allende's skill and understanding of human sensibilities.

Beautiful book

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