ISBN-13: 9780312372613Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Published: September 2007
256 pgs
Source: Personal Library
I bought this book right after I finished reading Love in Translation last year because I loved it so much. Though it was fun reading Midori by Moonight, I have to say I enjoyed Love in Translation much better due to the premise (you can read my review here).
Midori by Moonlight is a story of a thirty-year-old Midori Saito, whose dreams is to be married to a foreigner and live her life in America. She has no intention of becoming a housewife and to cater to her husband's every needs, and knowing that her goals might not fit into the Japanese society, she hopes she could find her true love with a gaijin (which means foreigner in Japanese) and start a new life with him. She found her perfect man in Kevin, an American English teacher who has lived in Japan for a short while and Midori is feeling very happy that they are going to be engaged soon. However, her happiness is a short-lived one as she soon learns that he is dumping her for his blonde ex-fiancée. Midori has never felt so lonely and lost in her life, but she is glad to find acquaintance in Shinji Nishimura, a fellow Japanese and a friend of Kevin.
Shinji sympathise with Midori's situation, and offered to rent his apartment to her since he rarely live in there as he spend most of the time with his American girlfriend. Having not much money left and with her limited English language, she agrees to stay in Shinji's apartment and be his roommate since she needs to think of a plan as her visa is expiring soon. And she wouldn't want her parents to know about her pathetic situation, after all they had wanted her to marry a Japanese man back home right from the beginning.
Things became a challenge to Midori for she has to find a job while she continues to hold on to her American dreams. She has finally found a job being a bar hostess, and this experience will lead her to something unexpected that will change not only her situation but also her outlook on love and everything.
Did I mention that Midori by Moonlight is a fun read? I also loved Tokunaga's writing style because it flows smoothly and the dialogues are witty, especially when Midori attempts to construct sentences with idioms and I couldn't help but to laugh it off with her. Midori is a likeable character, and on top of that she has courage and determination in which I most admire about her.
Besides the plot and the characterisation, it is also interesting to learn more about the Japanese culture and I find Midori's perspective refreshing because her views are so entirely different from the typical Japanese women; not that it is a bad thing but it shows her other independent side.
I hope there will be a new release out soon by Wendy Nelson Tokunaga because I really enjoy reading her books.
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This sounds like a fun twist on the average chick lit novel--I think I might check this one out. :)
This does sound very fun - and also like an interesting analysis of the role of women in Japanese and American societies. I'd like to read it for that alone.
I thought Midori was so cute, I enjoyed this book! I'd love Love in Translation but haven't got my hands on it.. yet!
Oh, this sounds like such a fun read! Definitely something I'd love to read on those long, draggy days..Great review :)
Sounds perfect to me. Thanks for this great review, Melody!
This does sound like a fun read, Melody! I still have Love In Translation on my wish list after you mentioned it. I need to go book shopping :)
I remember you liking the other book from this author and this one sounds really good too. I'm going to have to look into it. Great review Melody!
This does sound like fun. And cute cover too.
Great review :)
http://thebookworm07.blogspot.com/
Interesting book, this one.
I love fun read, and glad to see that this book has it :)