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Inheritors
Inheritors | Asako Serizawa
5 posts | 2 read | 16 to read
"This splendid story collection is a sword through the heart."--Ben Fountain From the O. Henry Prize-winning author comes a heartbreakingly beautiful and brutal exploration of lives fragmented by the Pacific side of World War II. Spanning more than 150 years, and set in multiple locations in colonial and postcolonial Asia and the United States, Inheritors paints a kaleidoscopic portrait of its characters as they grapple with the legacies of loss, imperialism, and war. Written from myriad perspectives and in a wide range of styles, each of these interconnected stories is designed to speak to the others, contesting assumptions and illuminating the complicated ways we experience, interpret, and pass on our personal and shared histories. A retired doctor, for example, is forced to confront the horrific moral consequences of his wartime actions. An elderly woman subjects herself to an interview, gradually revealing a fifty-year old murder and its shattering aftermath. And in the last days of a doomed war, a prodigal son who enlisted against his parents' wishes survives the American invasion of his island outpost, only to be asked for a sacrifice more daunting than any he imagined. Serizawa's characters walk the line between the devastating realities of war and the banal needs of everyday life as they struggle to reconcile their experiences with the changing world. A breathtaking meditation on suppressed histories and the relationship between history, memory, and storytelling, Inheritors stands in the company of Lisa Ko, Viet Thanh Nguyen, and Min Jin Lee.
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andioop
Inheritors | Asako Serizawa
Pickpick

I was dragging my feet a little here, some parts take place in the early 1900s and could be a little dry (to me). But it comes together so beautifully. I would say this sets out to do something similar to Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi, and does it in a really different way. Overall recommend.

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BookNAround
Inheritors | Asako Serizawa
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I used to be far more current with Asian and Asian-American literature (it was my area of concentration in school) but I‘m very much not on top of things anymore so I‘m looking forward to reading this one. #schnauzersoflitsy

ShelleyBooksie His mustache kills me!! I just want to give him a snuggle ♡♡ 4y
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Lindy
Inheritors | Asako Serizawa
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Pickpick

A heartbreaking family saga, told in interconnected stories. It starts in 1868 in Japan & ends in 2035 in the USA, with many connections to WWII. A family tree in the front helps to orient the characters & time frame of each story. Identity is a major theme, as well as the tragedy of war & imperialism on the part of both Japan & America. Deeply thought-provoking.

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Lindy
Inheritors | Asako Serizawa
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But here lies the problem: the issue of “transgression.” In peacetime all lines are clearer; one need only assemble one‘s motives and evidence for the courts to make the determination. And even if proceedings are flawed and verdicts inconclusive, in one‘s heart, one likely knows if one has transgressed. But in war? Does transgression still require intent?

(Internet photo)

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Lindy
Inheritors | Asako Serizawa
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I always assumed that the worst thing about betrayal would be the injustice. In fact it‘s the disappointment.

saresmoore Oof, that quote hits home. 4y
Lindy @saresmoore Yes, I think we have all experienced the disappointment of betrayal. 😕 4y
saresmoore And probably have been the source of it, as well. 😔 4y
Lindy @saresmoore True. We are only human. 🤗 4y
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