A very lovely novel which is the love story between Mineko and her granddaughter Lia. The setting is very unexpected for the relationship between these 2 women. It is 1999 in a small Texas town where the 2 women are thrown together after Lia’s life and career implode while Mineko has burned her house down.

During this period Mineko shares the story and her early life in Japan with Lia. The story revolves around Mineko’s great loves Akio and the TURTLE HOUSE. I loved both the timeframes and the women. This is a beautifully written story with glorious descriptions of Japan and Japanese society before the war.

I found it enchanting. I really enjoyed the stories of these women of different generations and their incredible connection.

Thank you Netgalley for this heartwarming novel. I think most reading groups will enjoy it and find a great deal to discuss. I also think that there are valuable lessons in social history. Setting the novel in 1999 and pre-war Japan allows the reader to see the changes in women’s lives during this period of less than a century.

This is a winner!