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Content snapshot
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Violence
Some
The Sino-Japanese War is a background presence; some violence in the historical setting
Language
None
No profanity; the prose is restrained and elegant
Sexual Content
Barely any
Minimal romantic content
Substance Use
None
No substance use
Emotional Intensity
A lot
The psychological weight of a war beginning while people try to maintain peace and beauty creates sustained melancholy
What this book is about
Gail Tsukiyama's gentle novel follows Stephen Chan, a young Chinese man sent to his family's summer house in a Japanese coastal village in 1937 to recover from tuberculosis, just as the Second Sino-Japanese War begins. He develops relationships with the villagers, including a gardener with a remarkable story. The novel is quiet and beautiful — a meditation on friendship across lines of conflict.
Notes for sensitive readers
Reader-flagged moments and themes that may affect your experience.
Historical war context
Themes of disfigurement and social isolation
Reader Verification
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