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Kami No Sekai Short Story Series #2
Washing Statue Wanderlust
Shhh… Listen To The Gods.
The Japanese believe the gods live in all things. Trees, appliances, animals, buildings — they all have a spirit living within them. Maybe, if you listen carefully, you can hear them too.
This statue doesn’t want to sit around. Can it persuade someone to take it on a holiday?
Yuki has been wishing for good health her whole life, and now she has the chance to get that wish fulfilled.
The Japanese believe the gods live in all things. Trees, appliances, animals, buildings — they all have a spirit living within them. Maybe, if you listen carefully, you can hear them too.
This statue doesn’t want to sit around. Can it persuade someone to take it on a holiday?
Yuki has been wishing for good health her whole life, and now she has the chance to get that wish fulfilled.
ebook
First published April 23, 2015
About the author
S.J. Pajonas
53 books158 followers
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Stephanie (S. J.) is a writer, knitter, Capricorn, Japanophile, and USA Today Best Selling author. She loves summer, downtempo beats, yoga pants, foxes, owls, dogs, sushi, pasta, and black tea. She lives outside NYC with her husband, two great kids, and her dog who always wants to play. When it comes to her work, she writes about everyday women and uncommon worlds. Find her online at https://www.spajonas.com
Stephanie (S. J.) is a writer, knitter, Capricorn, Japanophile, and USA Today Best Selling author. She loves summer, downtempo beats, yoga pants, foxes, owls, dogs, sushi, pasta, and black tea. She lives outside NYC with her husband, two great kids, and her dog who always wants to play. When it comes to her work, she writes about everyday women and uncommon worlds. Find her online at https://www.spajonas.com
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
April 8, 2015
I received a copy in exchange for an honest review
I need more great short stories like these! They are just so fun, short enough to read them in one sitting and long enough to tell a story and leave a lasting impression. Just like Rice Cooker Revenge, Washing Statue Wanderlust features a normally inanimate object in which a god lives and it comes into contact with a person that hears them. In this case the statue Arai and the girl Yuki already have know each for a little while, but something changes and the statue is trying to convince Yuki to go on a trip and take her with her.
It's a short story, so things happen pretty quickly, but Pajonas manages to make sure the story is well paced and only during one scene did I feel like the pace was a bit rushed. It was a fun story and the statue is in such a difficult situation as she wants to travel, but can't and it isn't so easy to move a statue and be discrete about it.
I liked how much we still got to know about the two main character, like how Arai wants to travel and what she thinks of the temple she lives at or the cat that sometimes visits her. And how Yuki is a diabetic and how that impacts her live. I really could relate to her, as I am pretty sure if I was diabetic I would freak out about it as well and make sure to keep track of it. I also like my daily routines, just like her. It was fun to see Yuki realize that even while she was diabetic there was still so much she could do, it was powerful to see her change during this story. there definitely was a lot of character growth going on! Yuki also has a friend, who knows the statue talsk to her and she takes it in stride, she was a great friend to Yuki!
We learn a bit more about the gods and how multiple people can hear them. While in the first book there was only one character who could hear the rice cooker, here there were multiple people who could hear the statue. It was interesting to see, although I did wonder how the people who could hear it differed from the others. There's also a tidbit about how long the god in the statue exists already.
To conclude: Another fun book in this series and I am already eager for the next book. These books are so fun, they are a quick read, but still long enough to tell a story. I liked the characters in this book and could relate to them. There's even some character development going on which was nice to see. There is some information about the world building added, but in a really low key way that fits the story.
I need more great short stories like these! They are just so fun, short enough to read them in one sitting and long enough to tell a story and leave a lasting impression. Just like Rice Cooker Revenge, Washing Statue Wanderlust features a normally inanimate object in which a god lives and it comes into contact with a person that hears them. In this case the statue Arai and the girl Yuki already have know each for a little while, but something changes and the statue is trying to convince Yuki to go on a trip and take her with her.
It's a short story, so things happen pretty quickly, but Pajonas manages to make sure the story is well paced and only during one scene did I feel like the pace was a bit rushed. It was a fun story and the statue is in such a difficult situation as she wants to travel, but can't and it isn't so easy to move a statue and be discrete about it.
I liked how much we still got to know about the two main character, like how Arai wants to travel and what she thinks of the temple she lives at or the cat that sometimes visits her. And how Yuki is a diabetic and how that impacts her live. I really could relate to her, as I am pretty sure if I was diabetic I would freak out about it as well and make sure to keep track of it. I also like my daily routines, just like her. It was fun to see Yuki realize that even while she was diabetic there was still so much she could do, it was powerful to see her change during this story. there definitely was a lot of character growth going on! Yuki also has a friend, who knows the statue talsk to her and she takes it in stride, she was a great friend to Yuki!
We learn a bit more about the gods and how multiple people can hear them. While in the first book there was only one character who could hear the rice cooker, here there were multiple people who could hear the statue. It was interesting to see, although I did wonder how the people who could hear it differed from the others. There's also a tidbit about how long the god in the statue exists already.
To conclude: Another fun book in this series and I am already eager for the next book. These books are so fun, they are a quick read, but still long enough to tell a story. I liked the characters in this book and could relate to them. There's even some character development going on which was nice to see. There is some information about the world building added, but in a really low key way that fits the story.
April 5, 2015
What a delightful short story by S.J. Pajonas! Within minutes I was transported to Japan and the custom of washing the statue named Arai in exchange for good health. Yuki has visited the statue all of her life wishing for help to keep her diabetes under control. Arai (the statue) manages to talk Yuki into trying to take her to see the world.
This is the second short story where we get the POV of a normally inanimate object. I have no problem not only buying into the fact that the statue is speaking, but I found it (her) completely endearing.
Very cute story! I look forward to the next story in this series.
I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
This is the second short story where we get the POV of a normally inanimate object. I have no problem not only buying into the fact that the statue is speaking, but I found it (her) completely endearing.
Very cute story! I look forward to the next story in this series.
I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
April 23, 2015
*I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.*
When I first heard about this story, I knew I wanted to read it. A statue that wanted to travel? Count me in! So I was very excited to receive an ARC, and I’m even happier to say that this story delivered.
The main characters were Yuki and Arai. Yuki was a college student who wanted to experience the world, but was afraid to do so since she was diabetic and had a highly important routine. Arai was the statue with wanderlust. The story was, once again, told from both the main characters’ point of view. And again, I found it pretty fascinating to read from a (supposedly) inanimate object’s perspective.
The plot was all about Yuki and Arai wanting to travel. Yuki had talked to Arai since she was a little kid, and kept the tradition of going to see her every week even when she grew up. Yuki admitted to Arai that she wanted to travel, but also wanted to be healthy enough to do so. Arai also wanted to travel, and did her best to get Yuki to take her on her adventures. I thought it was a fun little book, with just enough depth to really get me thinking. S.J. Pajonas always makes me want to learn more about the culture of Japan with these stories, and this one was no exception.
In the end, this was another delightful story in the Kami no Sekai series. Wanderlust is a relatable thing, because who hasn’t wanted to travel all over the world? Having Yuki have to contend with her health gave the story a real-life feel, even though she was interacting with a statue. I highly recommend this story, and this series if you haven’t checked it out. It’s fun, it’s quirky, and even thought-provoking.
When I first heard about this story, I knew I wanted to read it. A statue that wanted to travel? Count me in! So I was very excited to receive an ARC, and I’m even happier to say that this story delivered.
The main characters were Yuki and Arai. Yuki was a college student who wanted to experience the world, but was afraid to do so since she was diabetic and had a highly important routine. Arai was the statue with wanderlust. The story was, once again, told from both the main characters’ point of view. And again, I found it pretty fascinating to read from a (supposedly) inanimate object’s perspective.
The plot was all about Yuki and Arai wanting to travel. Yuki had talked to Arai since she was a little kid, and kept the tradition of going to see her every week even when she grew up. Yuki admitted to Arai that she wanted to travel, but also wanted to be healthy enough to do so. Arai also wanted to travel, and did her best to get Yuki to take her on her adventures. I thought it was a fun little book, with just enough depth to really get me thinking. S.J. Pajonas always makes me want to learn more about the culture of Japan with these stories, and this one was no exception.
In the end, this was another delightful story in the Kami no Sekai series. Wanderlust is a relatable thing, because who hasn’t wanted to travel all over the world? Having Yuki have to contend with her health gave the story a real-life feel, even though she was interacting with a statue. I highly recommend this story, and this series if you haven’t checked it out. It’s fun, it’s quirky, and even thought-provoking.
July 31, 2015
Yuki has been visiting the washing statue for many years, praying to it for good health. When the wanderlust stricken statue asks something of Yuki, she's game for trying to make it happen. A quirky little read, and well worth it. I love the concept of gods living in regular objects. Just the right length and left me with deeper thoughts than I expected.
January 19, 2017
Wow!!! A box set of books, this was among one I downloaded for free.... what a cute story! I learned a little about Japan, and read all of the stories in the set. Will be looking for more from this author!!!!
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July 29, 2019You can find out more about WASHING STATUE WANDERLUST and the rest of the Kami No Sekai series on my website.
http://www.spajonas.com/washing-statu...
http://www.spajonas.com/books/#kns
http://www.spajonas.com/washing-statu...
http://www.spajonas.com/books/#kns
June 13, 2016
A little slower than the other short stories of the collection, so I would say this one is my least favourite, but it still deserves four stars for the fun I had to read it.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews