Otsuka, Julie. When the Emperor Was Divine. Borzoi Book: New York. 2002.Annotation: A Japanese family during the Second World War. The father was arrested for treason, the mother, daughter, and son are sent to an internment camp, where the girl tells her brother bedtime stories about the desert beyond the barbed-wire fence, and the boy whispers the forbidden name of the Japanese emperor when he thinks no one is listening.
Justification for Rejection: I wasn't expecting to reject this book. I was disappointed that the author didn't go into more depth with the characters, specifically the Japanese family in the internment camps. I felt this book needed to be improved. I felt like this was a rough draft of what the authors intent was. It felt like a shell that with more nurturing aspects it would have grown into a beautiful piece of writing. The story line is so disconnected that it was hard to stay focused. I also felt the ending of the book could have been changed to leave the reader hanging and make for a better sequel by telling more depth to the Japanese family. I did think the cover of this book was beautiful, the leafy green color was the biggest reason I chose this book and it had a traditional Japanese plant as well. The title of the book was also appealing it had a bit of a mystery to it. This book however, gave me more insight on the emotions that is felt in a Japanese internment camp.
Genre: Adult "Market", Historical fiction,
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