The street of a thousand blossoms

Hardcover, 422 pages

English language

Published Nov. 10, 2007 by St. Martin's Press.

ISBN:
978-0-312-27482-5
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OCLC Number:
137244675

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4 stars (2 reviews)

In the midst of a World War II, two young brothers learn the traditional arts of sumo wrestling and mask making only to place their dreams of future careers in these traditions on hold as Japan rebuilds.

3 editions

Review of 'The street of a thousand blossoms' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

This is the tale of two brothers, orphaned and raised by their grandparents, coming of age during the Second World War and the subsequent occupation of Japan. One brother is artistic and the other is athletic. Their close bonds with their grandparents and with one another see them through much danger and difficulty.

I love historical fiction, and I enjoyed this book up until about the point at which the US occupation of Japan ends. After that, I felt the story fell apart. It seemed almost as if the author didn't know how to end it, so she kept on writing, heaping more and more tragedy on the characters, without adding any value to the story.

avatar for Seedling

rated it

4 stars

Subjects

  • Memorial bookplates
  • Fiction
  • Brothers
  • Whitman College
  • Class of 1950

Places

  • Tokyo (Japan)