Cute little book. Great idea, passable execution. Most of the story is told from the perspective of "we" or "us," the brides, but later switches to a specific "I" and sometimes a non-specific all-knowing narrator. Later passages, about the war, talk about children (or grand-children), not so much the brides. Pleasant read.

Hearbreaking story of picture brides--Japanese women who came to this country to marry men whom they knew only by a photo.

Have to start off by saying that I loved this book. Budda in the Attic is the story of Japanese Brides that come to California with no real idea of what life will be like. The format is a little different as it is written from the perspective of the brides and covers their lives through the milestones of thier first nights of marraige, childbirth etc but what I loved most was how the author seemed to make the various voices flow with a grace that can only be called poetry

This book will rock you. It will having you gasping,crying, reflecting, laughing, and more with the subtlest of movements in the writing. If you are familiar with the history of Japanese-Americans in your community, you will be taken aback when you recognize a name or story. It is a book just as much about American society, then and now, as it is giving voice to Japanese American women. The structure is fascinating and an essential part of the success of this book. Part of the power of it is that unabashedly forces you to take part and confront your place in the making up of the history of Japanese-American women or any marginalized immigrant community.

I really enjoyed this book. Otsuka has great voice, one of the reasons that Buddha in the Attic felt so personal and was so touching. The stories of the Japanese women that she details is one that all people should understand.

The story of sad deception and the process of the collective to make their way in this world despite amazing disappointment and the need to make it work out.

While I appreciate Otsuka's research and empathy with her characters, I found the book depressing. The women, and the Japanese American community as a whole seem like victims. Of course, they were victims of racism and U.S. nationalism and the greed of white farmers who coveted their land, and it is true that many Issei (first generation) men oppressed their wives, but great oppression also creates great characters - people who develop a serious political understanding of their situation and then act. Many Japanese Americans moved to the left as a result of their experiences here, but intelligent, activist dialogue and action is missing from this book. Otsuka also ignores the significant positive social relations - and marriages - between Japanese and African and Latino Americans. And, even though the Japanese were racist, I don't like books which make comments, for example, about Mexican workers not being sober and leave it at that, even if the depiction is supposed to be through the eyes of a character. This perpetuates a racist stereotype. Finally, at the end of the book the writer passes the "voice" of the novel on to white characters. The Japanese are just passive ghosts, shipped off to the camps. This reminds me of books which depict Native people as ghosts of a bygone day, roaming the plains with the ghosts of the buffalo. All immigrant groups are powerful and resilient, and Native peoples around the world are the moral and political leadership of the movement to save Mother Earth, not just victims.

Very touching, honestly. Even though the format of the book was quite abnormal, but by having it in a thid person form and by presenting it through so many different standpoints, it made me truly feel as if I was witnessing the Japanese women.

A short novel by Julie Otsuka, tells the stories of mail-order brides coming from Japan to meet their new husbands. They arrive with hopes but are quickly met with the realities of their new lives in California. This is a quick read and gives a different perspective of American history, including WWII.

i am glad it was short after 75 pages i was tired of the style which did not vary