Book #6 Week #6, The Street of a Thousand Blossoms by Gail Tsukiyama

This week's book was The Street of a Thousand Blossoms by Gail Tsukiyama. I was at the library recently (big surprise there huh!) and was looking for another book by Gail Tsukiyama that I've heard good things about but the library did not have it. I spotted this one on the shelf though and decided to take it home instead without even knowing what it was about or reading the summary. Can't say I was surprised to find the story takes place during World War II, ever since reading The Bronze Horseman I have found myself unconsciously surrounded by anything World War II related.

This tale focuses on two brothers, Hiroshi and Kenji, orphaned and being raised by their maternal grandparents. Their young lives are filled with much love and hope as Hiroshi aspires to be a great sumo wrestler and Kenji discovers himself and his path in the world. By the end we get to see two little boys grow into men.

But Hiroshi and Kenji are not the only important characters here. The author does a wonderful job at switching between characters throughout the book. There are the grandparents, Fumiko and Yoshio, the master of the sumo stable Tanaka-oyakata and his daughters Haru and Aki, and Kenji's sensei Akira Yoshiwara. At first I worried all these different branches, splitting off the story between so many characters wouldn't work and something would be lost along the way, but it worked and it worked beautifully.

I found this story riveting. Two boys growing up in a ancient culture that is unexpectedly rocked by a modern war. Now they must find a way to make it in a changing world and hold on to the past at the same time. By the time I finished this book I was bawling my eyes out but I want more! Truthfully I think the ending place of this tale was a good one but I still really want to know what happened after the fact. I don't know much about Gail Tsukiyama writing so I will be researching her and seeing if she ever picked up Hiroshi and Kenji's story again but I won't hold my breath.

My favorite quote: "To be noble,. . .was to account for the life you lived, to always account for your mistakes, and to have dignity and worth."