Fifty Words for Rain

Historical fiction stories do it for me every time. I love getting caught up in the details of a different era or culture. And I love the way they make me think. This book is fantastic, not only in content and writing style but in descriptions as well. The author also created beautifully flawed yet believable characters.

As I got to know them, I felt more and more attached to some and more and more sympathy (or anger) for others. FIFTY WORDS FOR RAIN is a coming-of-age story that tells the journey of Nori, born into Japanese aristocracy during WWII. At eight years of age, her mother leaves her on the doorstep of her maternal grandmother. Her grandmother shames her for being biracial and illegitimate. She locks Nori in the attic, so neighbors won't see her, and subjects her to a lot of emotional and physical abuse. This is an epic tale that is engaging from beginning to end. Nori is challenged many times and yet remains kind and giving.