A Tale For The Time Being by Ruth Ozeki - Book Review

Today I have an in-depth but spoiler-free review of A Tale For The Time Being for you. If you've read this book, please feel free to share your thoughts in the comments about the things I've discussed here.

The Plot

One day, as she's walking along the beach, Ruth stumbles upon a strange package that has washed ashore. Inside, she finds the diary of a 16-years old Japanese girl. And thus, as she starts to read the diary, we discover through Ruth's eyes the story of this young girl called Nao.

** Despite the author and the character of Ruth sharing the same name and profession, this is not actually an autobiography.**

Illustration of Nao's Hello Kitty lunchbox swept away by the sea by Adam Fisher and found here. 

My Review

The Story

This book is very character-driven, relying more on character development than actual plot to move the story along. But despite the sparse elements of action, the narrative thread unfolded in a really nice pacing. 

Though the book has a few dark passages, the general narrative voice is often very witty and light. While you may not laugh aloud at every page, you will find yourself chuckling every now and then. Though it has a lot of dramatic elements, it's not a depressing book at all.

The Characters

Nao, the young girl writing in the diary, is by far my favorite character in the book. She narrates her story in a straightforward voice, occasionally laced with teen sarcasm and fantasy. Her playful way of going about her otherwise rather dramatic story often makes you wonder whether or not she's being entirely honest with you. Yet, while Nao isn't the most reliable of narrators, she certainly has one of the most interesting narrative voices in the book.

While I devoured the chapters narrated by Nao, I found those from Ruth's POV a bit slow. Her chapters were interesting enough but I just couldn't really connect with her character.

I loved reading about Nao's family and while her parents were hardly a happy duo, it was very interesting to read about them. However, when it comes to Ruth's side of the story, the cast of secondary characters were just okay. I could see why their presence in Ruth's story was relevant but I just didn't find them particularly interesting. Pesto the grumpy cat was probably the most interesting side character from Ruth's storyline. 

Ruth and Nao. Original illustration found here.

Another of my favorite characters though is Nao's great-grandmother, an old Japanese nun named Jiko. She is a fascinating character and the coolest nun I've ever read about, not that I read lots of books about nuns or anything. Despite being supposedly "104 years old", she really gets Nao in a way the girl's own parents can't. The parts where she dispersed cryptic but soothing words of advice to Nao were among my favorites. 

My second favorite narrator in this book was Haruki #1, Nao's great-uncle and Jiko's son, who died during WWII. Though we don't get to read about his thoughts and confessions until later in the book, these passages were really well-written and were among my favorites.

The Prose

The book has a light but well-written prose. Ozeki's writing flows pleasantly while being to the point, sparing the reader from overly lavish descriptions and unnecessarily complex sentences. She manages to make you both gasp and chuckle without going over the top with her prose. And yet, her writing is such that after a little while, you'll find it harder and harder to put down the book.

The Ending 

While Nao's diary doesn't quite give us a definitive conclusion to her story, we do get a few hints from other sources as to what happened to her following what we've discovered in the pages she wrote. So, while the ending does retain some level of mild ambiguity, it remains overall quite satisfying. 

My Rating: 4/5 Stars

The only things I didn't quite like in the book were Ruth's weird dream sequences. They just felt too weird and out of place. It was like quietly reading about mysterious diaries and Japanese nuns and have Haruki Murakami suddenly sneak up on you with lots of weirdness. Dream sequences are actually among my reading pet peeves because often, they don't quite add to the story. Except for that though, this book was really good and I'd fully recommend it.

Giveaway reminder

I hope you guys enjoyed this review. Let me know your thoughts down in the comments! Also, I'd like to quickly remind you of the giveaway I'm currently hosting. If you haven't entered the giveaway yet, you can do so by clicking here. Good luck!

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Magic and Wonder Giveaway 1 (Open Internationally)

Hey guys! This month I'm starting a new feature and this time, I'm having some guests over! I've always been a fan of art and creative ventures and so, I decided to feature Etsy sellers on my blog each month in order to promote their work. Each month I'll also have giveaways where one of you will be able to win a free product from the store of the Etsy seller I'm working with. 

I also thought that it would be fun to assign a theme to each month and for September, the theme is Magic and Wonder. I'll be hosting two giveaways in line with this theme, so make sure you visit my blog again for the second giveaway which is coming up soon. 

Today my Etsy guest is Audra from Mrs Sprocket's Trinkets. Audra is from Florida and makes steampunk handmade jewelry and other trinkets. Her one of a kind artwork is what first caught my eye. The first time I visited her store, it reminded me a bit of the atmosphere from the Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. Strange and beautiful at the same time. 

Interview With Audra 

Here's an interview I had with Audra, in which she talks about her early inspirations, her creations and her passion for Anime and Cosplay! You'll find the giveaway at the end of the interview. 

1. How did you start your craft?

I have always been into arts, crafts and drawing since I was little, doing things here and there for fun. Friends have told me they liked what I did and the ideas I had and suggested I start making things to sell. So I decided to open up a store. I also take my creations to different conventions.

2. From whom did you take your inspiration? 

My mom was very artsy and crafty and my dad was very artistic. So I learned the craft aspects from her and I also love to draw which I got from my dad.

Steampunk charm bracelet

3. Did you take any special classes?

The only thing close to classes were art and sculpture classes I took throughout middle school and high school. Other than that, I’m self-taught with a hint of YouTube watching if I wasn't completely sure how to make something technically come together.

4. What was the first thing you ever crafted? 

When I was young the first thing was a clay cup that I made in pottery class and a cat picture I did in art class. They didn't look great, but it was awesome to go through the process of learning how to do both.

5. What was the experience like?

The first time I decided to try making jewelry it was an awesome feeling of “Holy cow I made that and it looks good!”

But the more I make the better they get and the more fun I have. Since I make every piece differently, I get to experiment with what I think looks good but also about what I think the person purchasing it would like and how good would it look with the costume or outfit they would wear it with.

6. What is the favorite thing you ever crafted? Can it still be found in your store?

So far the piece I've made that I liked the most was an Octopus that was made out of melted plastic. And it is still for sale in my store.

7. Are you working on anything new at the moment?

Right now I am working on a steampunk battery operated lamp that will be made from a really awesome bottle that a friend gave to me. I hope to have it ready for the next convention I'm going to in the middle of September. Depending on how much people like it I have quite a few other ideas in mind for similar lamp projects with bottles.

8. What are your other passions and hobbies?

I really love to draw Anime and animals. I enjoy reading, and writing poems. Also love to put together puzzles. I also love going to different conventions like Anime and Cosplaying.

9. Who are your favorite artists?

I love a lot of the old time artists like Monet or Picasso. Their paintings are just beautiful and weird. And I can't think of the specific artists’ names but I love Greek architecture and sculptures.

10. What would you say to an aspiring artist who wishes to commercialize his or her creations?

Do what you enjoy, and if you decide to commercialize your product and you make several different types of things, try to get an idea of what other people like and what others sell.

If you only do one type like drawing or just making jewelry etc. just do what you like and you're good at.

Most importantly make sure to get as much info out on social media as possible since that is the most popular means of communication and buying today. 

And if you're able to do so, going to conventions, like Anime, SciFi or comic book conventions, and having a booth or table is a great way to get your name/brand out. I've found from experience that even if what you do isn't directly related to the convention, it doesn’t really matter cause people love the dealer rooms and sometimes, you may sell even better since you have something that is unique to that convention.

The Giveaway 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Enter the giveaway to win the Into The Mine necklace, made with Bottle, Gear, Clock and Key Charms and Guitar String that was used by the Steampunk band, The Cog Is Dead, in concert!

Here are a few things to know about this giveaway:

1. It's open internationally.
2. All the Magic and Wonder giveaways end on the 30th of September.
3. The winners of all the Magic and Wonder giveaways will be announced on the 1st of October.

Good luck everyone!

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Cover Art by Of Stacks and Cups via Pagemodo

August Wrap-Up (15 books!)

September is here and it's time for another monthly wrap-up. It's so weird to think that Halloween is next month. I mean, this year seems to be flying by so fast! 

So this month I read a total of 15 books. While I didn't read as many novels as I did last month, I read quite a few comics and a bunch of children books. And starting with these, we have...

The Children Books

I was tidying up the cupboard where I keep all my childhood books when I found the Enid Blyton novels I used to love as a kid. I don't have any full series of hers or anything but the ones I own are quite well-loved. Feeling a bit nostalgic, I decided to re-read a few of those books. The first two I read were story collections involving fairies, pixies, talking toys and lots of magic. While some stories have aged a little bit, Enid Blyton's writing remains as beautiful and addictive as ever. The collections I read were The Fairies' Shoemaker and Other Stories and The Smickle Smockle and Other Stories. I gave both 4 stars. The next Enid Blyton book I read was The Secret of Moon Castle. While their families are renting an old castle, a group of children stumble across a mystery and strive to uncover it, finding secrets and having exciting adventures along the way. I loved re-reading this one. I gave it 4 stars as well.  

I also read The Adventures of Miss Petitfour by Anne Michaels, which I gave 3 stars. While the illustrations were absolutely charming, the stories came off as a bit too naive, and that too, even for a children book. The illustrations are so gorgeous though that if I had to give a rating based on that alone, I would have given the book 5 stars. 

The Comics

I also read volumes 1-7 of Fables, written by Bill Willingham. OMG, this series. It started out just okay and turned out to be utterly amazing. I gave vol. one 3 stars, vol. two 4 stars and vol. three 3 stars. At that point I thought the storyline was rather unique and the characters quite interesting. Then I read vol. four and it BLEW ME AWAY. This one is called March Of The Wooden Soldiers and it's where the action really begins. So if you read the first volumes and aren't much impressed, do read on! I promise you won't regret it. I gave volumes four, five and six a rating of 5 stars each. Vol. seven wasn't my favorite and I gave it only 3 stars. I'm very eager to read the next volumes as soon as I get my hands on them though because this series in general is just fan-tas-tic! And the artwork, too, is really cool. 

The Classics 

"Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again..." This famous quote is the first line of Rebecca, the bestselling classic by Daphne du Maurier. While it took me a few chapters to really get into the story, this book ended up winning me over. It's a classic suspense novel with hints of romance and I had honestly never really read a novel like this before. A young, and rather naive woman arrives at the estate of Manderley as Maxim de Winter's second wife. While she's at first as eager as she is intimidated by her new life, she soon realizes that the shadow of her husband's first wife, Rebecca de Winters, lingers still in the great house. So strong is Rebecca's presence that though she's dead, she begins to unravel the new Mrs de Winter's life. I loved this book and gave it 4 stars. It has Gothic undertones and comes to a correspondingly befitting ending. 

I also read To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee and again, really loved it. I gave it 5 stars and devoured it over the course of a couple of days. It's a coming of age story that shows themes like racism and social acceptance through the eyes of a child. I loved it so much that I was actually a bit scared to read Go Set A Watchman. I'm reading it though and I'll be sharing my thoughts on it in my next wrap-up.

I also really enjoyed A Room With A View, by E.M. Forster. During her vacations in Italy, Lucy meets two men. One is a lower class young man who unexpectedly catches her attention and the other is the richer and more socially acceptable man she ends up getting engaged to. The other man's presence in her life however soon starts to change Lucy and the way she looks at the world. As the story unfolds, Lucy now has to choose between the man whom society would have her marry and the one she believes she might find true happiness with. 

This Month's Favorite

I can't believe I waited so long to read this book! The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger is a book that will give you all the feels, gut you mercilessly and make you feel all warm and fuzzy again, all within a few pages. Henry has a rare disease that makes him uncontrollably travel back and forth in time. Clare is his soulmate. While Henry was 28 when he first met her, Clare actually met him for the first time when she was 6 when an older Henry time-traveled to her. This book brings a new take on the subject of time-traveling and shows how these two people fall in love, more than once, and move ahead despite the uncontrollable forces in their lives. A truly beautiful book that I would recommend to everyone. 5 stars, of course.

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Cover Art by Of Stacks and Cups via Pagemodo