this months
featured book
Midori by
Moonlight by Wendy Nelson Tokunaga
A square peg in a round
hole. Midori is fond of American idiomatic
expressions and part of her charm is unknowingly misspeaking
them. This one in particular suits her well.
Midori doesn't want to be a traditional Japanese wife who
kowtows to her husband. She's a nonconformist who wants
to experience life in a place where her peg fits, so to speak.
Luckily Midori finds her
knight in shining armor, a handsome American who sweeps her
off her feet. She is thrilled with the promise of an
exciting new life in the United States and accepts his
marriage proposal. But poor Midori finds herself dumped
and her dreams dashed before she's barely had time to unpack.
Instead of the fairy tale
she had hoped for, Midori's life was beginning to resemble a
soap opera. Alone in San Francisco, with a small bank
account, little English and a visa set to expire, Midori is
desperate to hang on to her American dream.
Swallowing her pride,
Midori calls the one person who might be able to help, her ex-fiancé's
friend, Shinji. Shinji, a fellow Japanese
non-traditionalist, agrees to lend a helping hand. Now
with a place to stay, a little advice on under-the-table work,
and fantasies involving the cute blond guy down the hall,
Midori is filled with hope. She can do this; she can be
an independent woman leading an interesting and fulfilling
life. Maybe she'll even become the pastry chef she's
always wanted to be. This is America after all!
Armed with spunk and
determination, Midori attempts to turn her sad sack situation
around. Admittedly, she doesn't have the most
respectable job, she's not sure how she'll get a green card,
and her parents don't know about her broken engagement,
but things are bound to get better. And they do, in a very
unusual course of events. Kudos to the author for a
creative plot, an all around fun read, and happy endings.
About the Author:
Wendy Nelson Tokunaga's short stories have appeared in
The Abiko Literary Quarterly Review, The Plaza, and Yomimono,
among others. She lives in San Francisco with her
Japanese-born surfer-dude husband.
Midori by
Moonlight
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