How could I resist a book in which a Hello Kitty lunch box plays a pivotal role?
In A Tale for the Time Being, Ruth is a struggling author who lives semi-happily with her husband on a sleepy island. She discovers a Hello Kitty lunch box on the beach. Inside the lunch box is a diary written by Nao Yatsitani, a troubled Japanese teenager, along with some supplementary materials. The chapters alternate between Nao's diary entries, and the story of Ruth's own struggles as she reads Nao's diary. Although separated by distance and time, Ruth becomes completely engaged with Nao's story, and their lives intertwine.
This book is big in terms of length, and also is full of Big Ideas. Quantum mechanics, Buddhism, suicide, and other weighty topics are discussed, and time is a theme throughout. Though Ruth's story did not grab me (I was more concerned about their cat Pesto than I was about Ruth and her husband), Nao's voice is funny and tragic at the same time, and her story compels the reader to carry on, even through the dark passages of the book. (There are sections that are very, VERY depressing.) Ultimately the stories in this book are strangely uplifting.
P.S. There is also a Hello Kitty backpack that makes an appearance, making this book a MUST READ!
In A Tale for the Time Being, Ruth is a struggling author who lives semi-happily with her husband on a sleepy island. She discovers a Hello Kitty lunch box on the beach. Inside the lunch box is a diary written by Nao Yatsitani, a troubled Japanese teenager, along with some supplementary materials. The chapters alternate between Nao's diary entries, and the story of Ruth's own struggles as she reads Nao's diary. Although separated by distance and time, Ruth becomes completely engaged with Nao's story, and their lives intertwine.
This book is big in terms of length, and also is full of Big Ideas. Quantum mechanics, Buddhism, suicide, and other weighty topics are discussed, and time is a theme throughout. Though Ruth's story did not grab me (I was more concerned about their cat Pesto than I was about Ruth and her husband), Nao's voice is funny and tragic at the same time, and her story compels the reader to carry on, even through the dark passages of the book. (There are sections that are very, VERY depressing.) Ultimately the stories in this book are strangely uplifting.
P.S. There is also a Hello Kitty backpack that makes an appearance, making this book a MUST READ!
interesting story. it is slightly surreal towards the end. I loved the Japanese culture information, but hated Nao's story because of how bullied she was. Ruth wasn't a very sympathetic main character, but I liked seeing the world through her eyes.
Overall, a good piece of fiction with an interesting weaving of time and space.
Overall, a good piece of fiction with an interesting weaving of time and space.
