ILLUSIONS
A BOOK REVIEW
BY
C. NEUROTICUS ABSOLUTUS
Japan is a world
of illusions, of facades and masks worn for the world to see, from views of
happy, prosperous families seen from neighbors’ windows to television images of
Japanese society a world away. The face presented to the world is an illusion,
a well-crafted projection to entice others to perceive circumstances that may
not reflect the unvarnished truth.
Kenji Sasaki is a
mid-level manager in a large trading company with a wife and three children.
Kenji’s devotion to the company allows little time for his family. The task of
running the household falls to his wife Akiko, who sacrifices her own comforts
for her husband and her aging parents, while guiding her children into the new
world that Japan has become. Grandmother Sada epitomizes the wartime generation
and remembers the sacrifices they made to bring Japan from the ashes of war to a world-class
economic power. Nineteen-year-old daughter Nami, who is imbued with modern
ideas and ideals foreign to her society, yearns to break free from the
constricting girdles of traditions and customs. Akiko lives in the world in
between, trying to honor centuries of tradition while preparing her children
for the changing world.
As with all stories of author Wayne White - who lived in Japan for 9 1/2 years - drama, mystery and romance are sprinkled throughout the book, enough to keep the reader turning pages.
