A Dictionary of Mutual Understanding by Jackie Copleton - 4 stars (Subdue)

[Joy D]

A Dictionary of Mutual Understanding by Jackie Copleton - 4* - My Review

The story opens in the 1980s with protagonist Amaterasu Takahashi opening the door to a man who claims to be her grandson: “Even the kindness of the half-light could not hide his disfigurement." She and her husband had moved to the US after the atomic bombing of her hometown of Nagasaki at the end of WWII. She believed her daughter, Yuko, and grandson, Hideo, had been killed in the blast. He tells her he was reared by the Sato family (a family well-known to Amaterasu) from age seven and has no earlier memories. Amaterasu is dubious that this man is her grandson, but he arrives with documents, which she reads, prompting reflections about what happened so long ago.

This novel is pleasingly structured. By including Sato’s letters and Yuko’s diaries, we obtain the perspectives of those who cannot speak for themselves. The points of view change frequently among these sources and Amaterasu’s first-person memories. I found it an effective way to convey the multiple storylines and the complex interrelationships among the characters almost simultaneously, without relying on the ubiquitous dual timeline narrative technique. Another part of the structure I particularly enjoyed is the inclusion, at the start of each section, of the definition of a word describing Japanese culture, which is elaborated within the chapter.

It is a book that takes a bit of time to fully develop, but once it gels, it becomes a compulsive read. The backdrop of the bombing of Nagasaki (which the Japanese residents call Pikadon) produces an overarching atmosphere of sadness of lives cut short without any ability to heal harsh words or express love to those who have suddenly vanished. This theme is carried forward in the lives of the main characters, and in particular, the survivor’s guilt harbored by Amaterasu. The author skillfully inserts elements of hope in what could otherwise have been a profoundly depressing story. I found it emotional and moving.

PBT Comments: Notwithstanding the cover, this book includes only a very small segment about the geisha community. Content warnings: (view spoiler)[gruesome but accurate descriptions of the atomic bomb's impacts on the people of Nagasaki. (hide spoiler)]

Tagged Japan x61: https://www.goodreads.com/work/shelve...