Fabulous reads: YA novel gives Princess Diaries a Japanese twist
Book review - Tokyo Ever After
Tokyo Ever After, Emiko Jean, Pan Macmillan, ISBN: 9781509899999
WHAT do you get when you mix the Princess Diaries with the Gilmore Girls and give it a twist of Japanese culture – an obviously cliché, yet ridiculously heartwarming, witty, sweet and empowering novel that I am not even the slightest bit ashamed to say had me captivated from the first page.
The seemingly-ordinary life of Izumi Tanaka, an Asian 17-year-old girl living in a small town in northern California, is turned upside down when she – along with the assistance of her quirky trio of friends – discover that her father, whom she has never met, is actually the crown prince of Japan.
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She reaches out to an old friend of her father and soon she is ambushed by overzealous journalists and whisked to Japan to meet her long-lost father.
Once there, she must navigate through her own struggles to figure out who she is, the weight of her royal title, the overwhelmingly foreign language and traditions as well as a forbidden romance.
Yes, the storyline is a little predictable and contrived at times, but Izumi and the other characters were just so incredibly endearing that I was willing to overlook those aspects.
The entire story is written from Izumi’s perspective, and is littered with teen sass and pop culture references, making it an easy, fun read.
I loved the rich incorporation of the Japanese culture and traditions. The author, Emiko Jean poignantly used those elements to delve into the notions of identity, heritage and a sense of belonging.
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I laughed, I cried, I cringed and was not surprised to find myself rooting for the down-to-earth, brave, selfless, smart and sometimes ditzy teen.
Lastly, I will say, I wish the author had expanded a bit more on the romance element in the book. It was sweet, innocent and swoon-worthy, but was lacking ever so slightly. And the empress! I want more of the empress!
I am hoping that the sequel – that has been confirmed for later this year – Tokyo Dreaming will realize my dreams. – Mariclair Smit
4/5 stars
