Eight Million Gods and Demons by Hiroko Sherwin

Another great book. I'm really enjoying books in different times and different cultures.

This is set in Japan prior to WWII. The main character Taku is a very idealistic man who has served prison time for his political ideals. He marries a young, beautiful woman who has epilepsy and loses many children. Her husband full of ideals blasts men who get involved with geishas or keeps other women. Of course through the course of his business dealings he meets a geisha and ends up having a second family with this woman. During this time his wife becomes pregnant and gives birth to a healthy boy. When he is about 14 or maybe 15 his mother, Emi, dies and he is taken to the second family's home and raised with his father's other children.

The story was wonderful and multigenerational. It was weird though to read about WWII from the Japanese perspective. I found it very educational. I really enjoyed the book.

My Grade: A