Once Removed

-After a long separation Claudia finally meets her stepsister Rei again. Claudia’s father had left her mother to be with Rei’s Japanese mother. Thus the two girls from different worlds formed an unexpected and strong bond despite Claudia resentment of her new stepmother. The girls claim to be long lost sisters, twins despite the fact that they are near opposites in personality and appearance. Now in their 30’s, Claudia and Rei have found their way back into each other’s lives when they need it most. Rei is come to recuperate from a bout with cancer and a falling out with her mom, a long time protector and idol while Claudia is found herself the other woman, falling in love with a married man. The long separation brings the girls show more together even as it brings out old secrets and hurts as the help each other repair the wounded relationships through their bond. The book is accomplished, written chapter by chapter through the eyes of different principles. The emotional content is the star here as are the background characters and their role in influencing the bond and growth of Rei and Claudia. Yoshikawa makes use of her experiences in the US and Japan in creating 3D characters brought up in a multicultural, multi-family home. It is a bit slow going for me though some of the emotional material is repeated multiple times, blunting some of its impact. At times, it feels like Yoshikawa is trying to include too many cultural perspectives and relationships, once again watering down the strengths of the prose. Not really a quick read it is interesting though the lessons that are supposedly learned never really seem to be learned. Hugs, tears and sisters cure all. show less

In this novel, Mako Yoshikawa continues to explore the theme of family relationships — especially those between mothers and daughters — which was the theme of her first novel, “One Hundred and One Ways.”

This time there are additional explorations about what constitutes a family, in spite of cultural differences, as well as the ethical implications of having an affair with a married man and breaking up his home. Both books are built up on the stories the characters tell each other about their family relationships.

The story in this novel describes how Rei and Claudia become stepsisters when Claudia’s father Henry falls in love with Rei’s mother Hana and leaves his wife to marry her. In spite of Claudia’s dislike of Hana for show more breaking up her parents’ relationship, and in spite of the cultural differences between the two families, she and Rei become as close as twins. They are constantly together until Hana and Henry mysteriously break up just as the girls are entering puberty. Afterwards there is no contact between them for many years.

The story shifts back and forth from these childhood years to the present, when Rei suddenly reappears in Claudia’s life. They both have stories they need to reveal to each other as they become reacquainted. Claudia has found the love of her life, but he is married. So Claudia must come to terms with her hypocrisy and her conflicting emotions about coming between her love and his family. Rei is recovering from skin cancer, which precipitated her mother’s revelation about her past, causing a rift between Rei and her mother.

How do people overcome the distance of time, secrets and rigid beliefs? By listening to each other’s stories and by the act of forgiving. show less

This is a story of 2 step-sisters, Rei and Claudia, who were brought together with Claudia's father left her mother to marry Hana, Rei's mother. It's a story of the effects of the Hiroshima blast on people who weren't even in the city that August in 1943. It's a story of forgiveness and letting go. But most of all, it's a story of love and recognizing it as something to protect and cherish.

Rei and Claudia were once each other's soul sisters, but haven't seen each other in 17 years after Hana left their father. Claudia, who hated Hana for breaking up her original family, now finds herself emulating her stepmother, and having an affair with a married man with 2 children. Rei finally contacts Claudia and arranges to meet her, but she has show more a secret that she thinks Claudia now needs to know.

It's a story of 3 women, each with their own strengths and weaknesses, coming together at last in the acknowledgement that no matter how it came about, they are family. show less

Finally found a "Y" for my list! The writing in this story was beautiful, even if it sometimes seemed the characters didn't develop as deeply as I'd hoped.

Unfinished