This month I will be reviewing Fifth Words for Rain by Asha Lemmie. I learned about this book because it was the GMA book selection and since I've read two other of their recommendations and enjoyed them, I figured this one would be good too.
Truth is, I have mixed feelings about it. If I have to choose between a plot driven story and a character driven story, I will choose character driven story every time. I want to be invested in the characters and care what happens to them. If a character isn't sympathetic, the best plot doesn't help me care about the story. And I can forgive a bad plotline if I really care about the characters.
So, having said all that, I was emotionally invested in Nori from the very first paragraph of the Prelude (not prologue - prelude!). It starts with The first real memory Nori had was pulling up to that house. A couple of sentences later it goes on to describe the house. My immediate thought was it was reminiscent of Flowers in the Attic by V.C. Andrews. That first impression proved to be right but in one paragraph the author had drawn me in and I needed to know that Nori was okay.
Nori was born into a royal family in Japan after world war I but before world war II. The legacy of her family was of critical importance to her grandparents. After the war royalty in Japan lost its power but still had a reputation and the family had their pride. They still were rich after all. The problem was that Nori's father was a black american soldier her mother had an affair with while still married to another man. This made Nori a bastard child that was an embarrassment to the family and threatened their reputation in the community so her existence had to be kept secret at all costs.
The things Nori endured were horrible. I kept asking myself why I was continuing to read and it was because the author had made me care about her and I kept hoping things would get better for her.
At the end of the day I found the ending less than satisfying and felt that there were a few loose ends that should've been tied up but the author kept me invested in the character so that I read to the very end. So yeah, mixed feelings about the book overall. Can't say I would necessarily recommend it but it was compelling, at least for me.
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@Barrie Summy
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@Barrie Summy
