Chieri Uegaki

**reviewed from free copy via LT Early Reviewers**

teen fiction - a flirty reimagining of Emma with Japanese-Canadian protagonist living in a small coastal town in British Columbia.

This was a cute story; Kenzo and Emiko are super cute and really shine together and I love the way Emiko must own up to herself and make her apologies to everyone after her evening of atrocious behavior (it's just so rare to see anyone genuinely apologize these days). The other characters don't quite shine as much show more but it is an interesting update to Emma, with lots of delicious food and appreciation for how these two families continue to celebrate Japanese culture (as well as their extravagantly decorated Christmas). I also liked how Emiko was hesitant to apply and enroll in university after high school, not merely for the sake of her Ojiichan in his empty house, but because she doesn't feel the rush to immediately jump into college. show less

A fun retelling of Austen's classic that effortlessly captures modern pop culture and both the strength and pressures of growing up in immigrant communities. Lively Emiko's misguided but well-meant attempts at matchmaking are colored by uncertainty about what happens after high school, her Japanese heritage, and her love for her family. While the original Emma is strongly linked to the social hierarchies of the time, those dynamics have been deftly translated to a contemporary setting in a show more way that I found relatable and respectful to the inspiration. The writing is accessible to young YA readers and I enjoyed the easy and fluffy read.

(Gosh, that sounds pretentious. The book is not. Emiko and Kenzo do cute things like kayaking under the stars and having a waterfight. Very cute, very fun.) show less

Over the summer Suki's grandmother visited and together they attended a festival. Now it's the first day of school and Suki wants to wear the kimono her grandmother gave her, but her older sisters tell her it's not appropriate for first grade. What should Suki do?

This is a very sweet story that has so many positive aspects to it. For starters, I loved that the glossary of Japanese words is at the front of the book instead of the end, so anyone reading this aloud to children will right away show more be able to help the listeners to define words and can feel comfortable themselves in pronouncing the unfamiliar nouns. (It's worth nothing that pretty much all of the definitions could be inferred in the context of the story anyhow, but it's still nice to have a direct translation readily available.)

Without being heavy-handed or didactic, the book talks about how cultural norms may vary and how being true to oneself is the best route to go. Suki displays perseverance and wins over her critics as a result of her gentle but strong stance.

The watercolor illustrations are a perfect match for this book -- somehow they are both airy and substantive at once. The beautiful colors and the dancer-like movements to the lines are appealing and draw the eye in to each page. Little details like the family's cat or the teacher's decorative scarf further pull the viewers in and engage them in the story.

All of the named characters are female, which is nice in a world where women and girls tend to be secondary characters only. However, I know I would be unhappy if the only female characters were unnamed ones, so I could see how men and boys might not like that being the case for them here. show less

I received this book as part of the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program. Thank you to the author and publisher!

Emiko Kimori can sense when two people belong together - she helped her aunt fall in love with a strategic “meet-cute,” and even pairs up shelter dogs with forever homes at her volunteer position. Living with her Ojiichan, or grandfather, in picturesque British Columbia, Emiko appears to lead a charmed life. She is part of a close-knit Japanese-Canadian community, has a show more thriving social life, and fills her free time with several hobbies including baking, volunteering, and, of course, matchmaking. Beneath the surface, Emiko struggles to define what her world might look like after high school, without the people and places she’s known her whole life - including her childhood best friend Kenzo. When Emiko decides her new friend Harumi would be the perfect target for a matchmaking scheme (which is also the perfect distraction), she realizes that love can be a messy business, especially when her own feelings are involved.
The first YA entry from author Chieri Uegaki, “Emiko” is a delightful homage to the Jane Austen classic “Emma”. While the two novels share the same core plot points, “Emiko” is a fresh and modern take that also showcases Uegaki’s Japanese-Canadian identity. With rich details and story-building throughout, my favorite scenes were the cultural celebrations that Emiko and Ojiichan host for their community throughout the year. The author manages to teach the reader about each of the elements of the celebrations while still conveying the joyous atmosphere associated with each occasion.
Emiko’s bubbly, kind, and helpful nature is well-defined from the first pages, but as the story progresses her personality comes to echo that of Jane Austen’s Emma. Where I’ve always struggled with Emma is her lack of self-awareness - and that same stubbornness and delusional mindset lead to problematic situations for Emiko. While necessary for the plot, some of Emiko’s decisions felt very out of character and juvenile. With Emiko being the narrator, I found myself struggling to root for her in the same way I did at the beginning of the story. Fans of Emma will know, however, that in spite of numerous transgressions, Emiko eventually finds her way to redemption.
A fun and vibrant read, “Emiko” manages to present a fresh spin on a tried and true plot, despite having a main character who makes decisions so questionable they verge on unrealistic. Further hampering what should be a great YA read is the occasionally unnatural dialogue and writing that can feel more appropriate for a younger, children’s audience. Overall, I really appreciated the way that Uegaki shared her Japanese culture, and the story itself was enjoyable and relatively fast-paced. I look forward to seeing what else Uegaki has to offer.
4/5 stars show less