The Kappa Child

Again, I find that a three star is a compromise and thus I am prompted to write a review. I am a big fan of magical realism and thus was really looking forward to reading this book.

I really liked the writing style of the book, the way Hiromi Goto captured the spirit of Calgary, the intreplay between the quirky life of her main character, tough prairie existence of her childhood and Japanese folklore, as well as those little fleeting true to life moments that make the narrative real and touching. All these strong points made me enchanted with the book. Until the last couple of chapters...

I found the ending quite weak for such a great book (and my built-up expectations). It felt like the author got tired with writing and decided to show more quickly wrap up all remaining loose ends, while glaringly missing the main one. The happy ending was also a bit of a stretch and felt false.

Nevertheless, it was still a very enjoyable and original read and I am glad that I finally came around to this book. show less

This is a most unusual book. The protagonist is a one of four sisters in a Japanese family who settle on the Canadian prairies where the father tries to grow rice (wrong climate!) and she tries to model her life after Little House on the Prairie. This is interspersed with the pajama-wearing protagonist as an adult, now living in the big city (Calgary) and trying to sort out herself and her place in her dysfunctional family. There are Japanese mythological creatures, alien abductions, lesbians and lots of cucumbers.

The book started out strong, but then got kinda confusing. There were parts I thought were great, but there were too many time periods and places, and I wasn't sure where and when I was. Also, the author was really fixated on show more bodily fluids--she covered all of them, including eye boogers (though I think she missed belly button lint, ear wax and toe jam). Talking about bodily fluids is not really my thing. But in the second half of the book, things came together, I stopped being annoyed by the protagonist and had more fun with her, and the weirdness grew on me. I've always been a fan of weird art, but this was almost too weird, and honestly, if I didn't have to read this for class, I might have given up. But I didn't, and I'm so glad. I finished it this morning, and I've thought about the book all day in a very warm, happy way. I have to write a paper on it, so I'll reread it, and I'm looking forward to revisiting it. I initially gave it 3.5 stars, but I've reconsidered and raised it to 4.

Recommended for: Readers who enjoy weird books. show less

https://nwhyte.livejournal.com/3637918.html

A complex novel of a Japanese-Canadian girl whose family moves from British Columbia to the harsher landscape of Alberta, trying and failing to farm rice there. The Kappa is a Japanese water creature; the protagonist becomes mysteriously pregnant; she and her sisters are oppressed by their father and by the heat. The plot threads overlap and I found it a little hard to keep track, but I did enjoy the vivid writing.

I enjoyed it for what it was, but it's not really quite my thing.

Tiptree Winner 2001