Translation of Love (Kutsukake)

Book Reviews
Lynne Kutsukake, a third-generation ­Japanese-Canadian and first-time novelist, conjures the voices of [an] agonized time with graceful simplicity.... The plainness of Kutsukake’s prose can verge on threadbare, with patches of earnest research peeking through, but these lapses are balanced by moments of indelible poignancy.
Janice P. Nimura - New York Times Book Review


[A]lthough the stakes are never quite high enough for the novel to gather significant momentum, many scenes pack an emotional punch and are enhanced by the author’s clarity and restraint.... The Translation of Love offers rich insights into an underreported period in history, despite holding some of its subject matter at arm’s-length. Certainly, there is plenty to suggest that Kutsukake’s next novel can deliver on the promise of this one.
Trilby Kent - Toronto Globe and Mail


Kutsukake is an accomplished writer, adroitly handling the dark effects of discrimination, hunger, poverty, and disease after the war.... [A]n engaging and compelling read.
Asian Review of Books


(Starred review.) Kutsukake’s moving debut novel focuses on the intertwining stories of several protagonists in post–World War II Tokyo.... Kutsukake’s story is consistently engaging, though a smattering of unlikely plot points can be distracting. The result is a memorable story of hope and loneliness with a cathartic ending.
Publishers Weekly


(Starred review.) This poignant first novel is set in postWorld War II Japan during the American occupation. Told from multiple viewpoints, it is a story of nationality and identity, family and friendship, love and loss.... [A] fresh perspective on life in postwar Japan. —Catherine Coyne, Mansfield P.L., MA
Library Journal


(Starred review.) Kutsukake skillfully weaves these characters’ varied perspectives together to create a vivid and memorable account of ordinary people struggling to recover from the devastations of war.
Booklist


(Starred review.) Emotionally rich without turning saccharine, twisting without losing its grounding in reality, Kutsukake's novel is classic historical fiction at its best. A vivid delight chronicling a fascinating—and little-discussed—chapter in world history.
Kirkus Reviews