The Blossom and the Firefly by Sherri L. Smith
320 pages
This blurb from the dust jacket is what
drew me to this novel: “Japan 1945. Taro is a talented violinist and a kamikaze pilot
in the days before his first and only mission. He believes he is ready to die
for his country . . . until he meets Hana. Hana hasn't been the same since the
day she was buried alive in a collapsed trench during a bomb raid. She wonders
if it would have been better to have died that day . . . until she meets Taro.”
Hana is 15 years old; Taro is 17. The war is starting to wind
down with Japan not on the winning side.
Hana is one of the local school girls who work at the
airbase. Their job is to support and companionship to the latest batch of
kamikaze pilots. The girls cook, wash
and mend their clothes, talk with them, and when it’s time to takeoff, the wave
goodbye with cherry blossoms.
Hana has watched her heart; she has never even learned any of
their names…that is until Taro arrives from training.
Both are musicians, Hana plays the koto while Taro plays the
violin. They are instantly drawn to
each, which makes both of their jobs very difficult.
I haven’t read any novels before that were from the perspective
of Japanese young adults. For me, the
plot dragged and there was little tension. Every time I ran across a Japanese
word, I was pulled out of the story.
Much to my chagrin, when I finished the book, I found a glossary in the
back. If I had known it was there, my feelings
might be different. Alas,
“The Blossom and the Firefly”
receives 2 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.
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