In 1948, in Kyota, Japan, a mother leaves her eight year old daughter at her grandparents house with the words: “Promise you will obey: Do not fight. Do not question. Do not resist.” Noriko “Nori” Kamiza has no idea what is in store for her. Her grandmother is a rich, powerful and cold woman, and keeps Nori inside her house for three years, since she is a bastard child. Until her half brother comes to live with them, Nori is miserable. But the relationship that she develops with Akira, her brother, will be a lasting bond. Asha Lemmie’s first novel is brutally honest about the powerlessness of a young girl in 1940’s Japan, and the cruelty that can result from power and riches. But it is balanced by the innocence and love of a brother and sister. I thoroughly enjoyed this well-written novel and look forward to her next book.
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