Emiko Jean: Tokyo Ever After (Flatiron Books 2021)
Many thanks to Maxim Könyvkiadó for sending me the book!
In the life of Izumi Tanaka, there were always secure points: her mother, who raised her alone, and the fact that, as a Japanese-American, she never really fit in. She didn’t think being different was a bad thing until the other kids showed it to her. Luckily, Asian girls stick together – she also has three girlfriends she can always rely on. Izumi’s life turns upside down when she learns that her father – she has never met – is the Japanese crown prince. The girl travels to Japan to get to know her father, but with him comes the entire imperial court with all its constraints, conniving cousins, a scandal-hungry press and a scowling but handsome bodyguard. Izumi soon realizes that although she was never American enough in the US, she must prove that she is Japanese enough in Japan…
The story describes very well the life of those who have to find their home in a new country. The Japanese living in America first put away their kimono, then started decorating Christmas trees, and finally spoke only in English. They have kept only a few of their customs: they take off their shoes when entering the house, bring a gift when visiting someone for the first time, and eat mochi on New Year’s Day. Izumi feels rootless without her father and the old traditions. For me, the desire to belong was the most important message in the book. The cover of the book was designed by John Ed de Vera and resembles classic origami.
Emiko Jean is half-Japanese and half-white. When she was young, she was a big fan of fantasy novels, but she could not identify herself with the white protagonists who conveyed Western traditions. She therefore has ambivalent feelings towards fantasy literature. However, as an author, she writes for those who feel like outsiders, and conveys universal values with her books, but from a Japanese point of view. She has fantasy and contemporary novels. There is a sequel to Tokyo ever After (Tokyo Dreaming), I have already read it, and if possible, I liked it even more.
