When the Emperor Was Divine by Julie Otsuka
When the Emperor Was Divine by Julie Otsuka is exactly the type of book that I love.
When The Emperor Was Divine is the story of a single family in California during WWII. They could be like any other family. But they’re not. They’re Japanese. And being Japanese during WWII was anything but easy.
The family in When the Emperor Was Divine could be about any Japanese family, this is illustrated by the fact that nobody is given a name. The characters are simply referred to as mother, father, sister, and brother. I love this technique simply for the reason that this story wasn’t just the story of one family. It could have been about your neighbor, your friend or the family you see around town. Thousands of Japanese went through exactly what this family went through.
In When the Emperor Was Divine, the family around which this story centers lives a nice life in California with a nice home, friendly enough neighbors, and school friends. But their world is torn apart on December 7th because of two simple words: Pearl Harbor. From that moment on, they are considered “enemy aliens.” A few days later, the father is arrested and taken away with just a toothbrush and the slippers on his feet. With the father gone, the mother must prepare her family for relocation to an internment camp in the desert of Utah. The story takes us through their three years away from their home, their time in the Utah desert and how they are received when they finally make their way back home.
The story is told in alternating viewpoints from each member of the family and works really well for this story to illustrate how each is affected. The writing is absolutely beautiful. When The Emperor Was Divine is short but packs a lot of punch. I was especially interested in the book because Topaz is in my home state of Utah. Every year my family goes to the Japanese festival downtown and they always have a huge display up that showcases Topaz through photos, physical items, and even those who once lived there in attendance. It really brings the whole thing alive for me.
While reading When the Emperor Was Divine I couldn’t help but think of Weedflower by Cynthia Kadohata (read my book review), a Young Adult book, because the events of both books are exactly the same. Both families are from California, both lived in the horse stalls at the race track, both boarded trains and left their home for Utah. I highly recommend both of these books.
Anybody have any other book recommendations about the Japanese in the United States during WWII? I know there’s a lot out there and I’d love to get my hands on more.
Edited to add: I’ve just picked up two ex-library copies of When the Emperor Was Divine that I’ll be giving away as part of the Reading & Blogging for Darfur campaign. Click here for details on what you need to do to be eligible to win.
I looooved this book. I’m glad you did too! Another really good one is Obasan, but it’s set in Canada instead of the US.
Thanks for recommending Weedflower, I’m going to look for that one.
on September 8th, 2008 at 2:43 amSnow Falling on Cedars by David Guterson takes place a little later, but tensions surrounding Japanese-Americans during WWII play a major part in the story, plus it’s just a very good book.
on September 8th, 2008 at 5:46 amHm, sorry, I can’t think of a title …
on September 8th, 2008 at 5:53 amI was also going to recommend Obasan. I read it at the wrong time of my life. I need to pick it up again. I thought Otsuka’s book was very very good. My review is here:
http://readingrantsandraves.blogspot.com/2006/01/50bc06-1-when-emperor-was-divine.html
on September 8th, 2008 at 6:51 amI’ve heard of this book, but never read a review - now you’ve convinced me that I should read it! I’ll add it to my TBR list.
In the meantime, I’ll also add Obasan. I read it in high school and thought it was very good.
on September 8th, 2008 at 6:56 amThe emotional punch of this book just came back to me when I read your line about the father being taken away in his slippers. It is amazing how vivid and painful a single detail like that can be.
on September 8th, 2008 at 7:43 amThis books sounds great. I agree with Jen…the line about the father being taken away in his slippers with a toothbrush, it just shows how unexpected and unjust many of the acts of this time were. I also think that the fact that the characters have no names is really interesting.
Natasha, I am having trouble keeping up with you! I want to know how you do it. I read pretty fast, but you seem to speed read to me. I also have two small children and especially with your Blogging for Darfur campaign…I just want to know how you do it all.
If no one else has told you this…you are amazing, for being a mommy, a reader and a blogger, a person who gets behind something and is truly passionate about it!
Wow, that sounds a little cheesy, but I mean it!
on September 8th, 2008 at 8:58 amNymeth - Check out Weedflower for sure. I liked it.
Nicki - I love Snow Falling on Cedars! I forgot about that one. Plus, it’s one of those books that the movie is just as great.
Rebecca - I’ll have to look into Obasan.
Meghan - It’s a great book. Read it sooner than later.
Jen - That’s what I remembered about the father as well, the slippers and toothbrush.
Jenn M. - I’ll you how I do it: my house is slowly becoming a mess! And I haven’t made dinner in a long time! I told my husband that during September I wasn’t doing anything but blogging and reading. He’s doing his best trying to keep up. Every couple of days I have to take a couple of hours and clean up. Last night I went to bed at 1:30 in the morning only to turn on my lamp to do a bit of reading before I fell asleep. I thought I was crazy. Right now just one child is awake and he’s sitting here next to me looking at what else . . . books! And also jumping off the couch.
on September 8th, 2008 at 9:14 amI think this is so admirable what you’re doing. I’m going to add your button to my blog as soon as I can.
Keep up the good fight.
on September 8th, 2008 at 11:05 amLove the cover! This reminds me of a particularly sad Cold Case episode
on September 8th, 2008 at 11:45 amI’ve read this book! It had to be at least 3 years ago and I completely forgot about it until I was reading your review and it started sounding really familiar.
on September 8th, 2008 at 12:25 pmOne of my professors in college did his dissertation on Japanese camps during WWII. I have a list somewhere with lots of sources and books on the topic but it would take some digging for me to find it. If I think of anything or if I find the paper, I’ll let you know.
I find this time period fascinating, but the story line just didn’t work for me. I thought it was just okay.
on September 8th, 2008 at 1:18 pmadding to list…
on September 8th, 2008 at 1:52 pmI’ve just picked up two ex-library copies of When the Emperor Was Divine that I’ll be giving away as part of the Reading & Blogging for Darfur campaign. Click here for details on what you need to do to be eligible to win.
on September 8th, 2008 at 2:16 pmEmily - Thanks for joining up!
Ladytink_34 - I’ve never watched Cold Case. Going to check out the link now.
Jeanette - Don’t go to any trouble. I’m sure if I just did some internet searching I could probably find something.
Joy - You wouldn’t like Weedflower then because it’s a very similar story line. What I found fascinating is that this story line was the same for so many Japanese.
Ginger - I seem to be doing that to you a lot lately.
on September 8th, 2008 at 2:19 pmThis book sounds really great… you always read books that I’ve never heard of but end up wanting to read!
Just adds to that TBR list even more…
on September 8th, 2008 at 6:34 pmI’m adding this to my TBR list. My teen is reading Farewell to Manzanar right now.
on September 8th, 2008 at 8:32 pmIts funny I had the same thoughts as Jenn M on how you keep up with everything. I have 2 toddlers and a high schooler but no blog and I cant keep up with you either. Dont worry about your house just dont let anyone come over.
on September 8th, 2008 at 9:50 pmLaura H….she needs to slow down….she’s making us look bad! My kids are at school most of the day and I can’t seem to get nearly as much done as she can. Maybe there is something special in the water out there in Utah.
on September 8th, 2008 at 10:05 pmI’d second Obasan and Snow Falling on Cedars but I see you’ve read SFOC. I agree with you that the movie was also great! A short one on life in the internment camps that I read earlier this year is Farewell to Manzanar.
on September 10th, 2008 at 8:20 amI’ve had When the Emperor Was Divine in my TBR piles for years! One of these days I need to just read it!
I haven’t read it yet but I’ve heard that Tallgrass by Sandra Dallas is good. It’s another of the many books I have on my TBR list and now I’ll have to add a few more.
on September 10th, 2008 at 9:50 pmHeather - I picked this one up because I really liked the cover and then I read the synopsis where it said it was about Japanese internment during WWII, which of course sold me immediately.
SmallWorld - I’ll have to look into that one. Thanks.
Laura H. - I forgot to mention the fact that I’m letting my kids watch way to much TV lately! Feeling very guilty . . .
Jenn M. - If there was something in the water here in Utah, I’d be able to read, blog, shower, and clean the house! As it is right now, I’m lucky to get the shower in!
Tanabata - I’d never heard of When the Emperor was Divine until I picked it up a couple of months ago. I’m glad I didn’t let it sit in the TBR for years!
Kim - I’ll have to look into Tallgrass as well. It’s interesting to read these books that took place in Topaz because it’s so much of our local history. The book mentioned Ogden, Provo, Spanish Fork, Salt Lake, etc. It definitely helps with the visualization.
on September 10th, 2008 at 10:08 pmI read Tallgrass and thought it was great, Natasha. You’d like it for sure.
on September 11th, 2008 at 6:27 amThis sounds really amazing, and the cover is beautiful.
on September 13th, 2008 at 9:35 amI was going to recommend Obasan, but I see it’s been mentioned several times already. Great review, btw, and I plan on checking out this book. Thanks!
on September 14th, 2008 at 1:06 pmI have a couple other recommendations here for you on my review of Tallgrass:
on October 17th, 2008 at 7:47 pmhttp://smallworldreads.blogspot.com/2008/10/book-review-tallgrass.html
[...] the same topic I recently read When the Emperor Was Divine by Julie Otsuka (my book review) a book for adults that I really enjoyed, which was preceded by Weedflower by Cynthia Kadohata (my [...]
on November 6th, 2008 at 11:16 pm