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The Japanese Lover
- Narrated by: Joanna Gleason
- Length: 9 hrs and 7 mins
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Summary
From New York Times and internationally best-selling author Isabel Allende, an exquisitely crafted love story and multigenerational epic that sweeps from San Francisco in the present day to Poland and the United States during the Second World War.
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 70 years.
Sweeping through time and spanning generations and continents, The Japanese Lover explores questions of identity, abandonment, redemption, and the unknowable impact of fate on our lives. Written with the same attention to historical detail and 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 profoundly moving tribute to the constancy of the human heart in a world of unceasing change.
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What listeners say about The Japanese Lover
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- HELEN MARY LAWRENCE
- 08-11-21
Beautiful love story
I loved the narration. Beautifully read. A story of true love which spanned many decades.
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- K
- 24-05-16
Interesting and beautiful writing
I thought this was an interesting, multi layered story that was well told and well performed. I was a bit worried that it might be a bit chick lit but it wasn't at all. A great listen!
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- Claudia DSouza
- 07-01-24
a wonderful slow burn story
yet another captivating masterpiece that seamlessly weaves together love, history, and cultural nuances. The rich storytelling and intricate character development make it a truly compelling read, while the exploration of diverse relationships adds depth to the narrative. Allende's prose is both lyrical and evocative, immersing readers in a world where love transcends time and boundaries. A beautifully written tale that lingers in the heart long after the last page is turned.
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- cati
- 16-11-20
Such a beautiful story
This book takes you with it on a remarkable path, filled with the unexpected but at the same time with a unique calmness, without hype or drama; assisted by the gentle, seductive voice of the narrator. You will not be disappointed.
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- Amazon Customer
- 13-09-20
Beautiful story
although simply written, engaging and complicated characters.did not want the story to end. I would even recommend this book to teenagers and young adults to appreciate what it means to get old
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- Hanne
- 20-09-16
A wonderful book
A wonderful lovestory. It do well written in a beautiful language. I can really recommend this book.
Also the performance is great.
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- Amazon Customer
- 07-02-22
The Japanese Lover
Beautiful storey - I did not want the book to end
Highly recommended
Narrator was excellent too
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- Earnest
- 26-03-16
Curiously similar and yet dissimilar to Ms Allende's previous work
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.
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- Chris
- 31-12-21
Well narrated story. Excellent in parts.
Lovely epic story, beautifully written. Rather long drawn out in the middle. Wonderful finale.
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- Carol Bowers
- 17-09-23
A beautiful story of love, adoration and friendship
I am a big fan of Isabel Allendes’s work. All beautifully written and all varied stories with one theme in common, the displacement due to war. The Japanese Lover is a beautiful love story which I highly recommend.
The narrator portrays the deep emotions of each gorgeous character.
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