The Buddha in the Attic

The Buddha in the Attic (2011) by Julie Otsuka. The Buddha in the Attic tells the story of Japanese immigrants to the U.S., starting in the early 20th century and following their story up through the early years of World War II. Otsuka has adopted a unique story-telling style, which uses lists of different people, telling the tale of each in succession on the page as if they were not unique but were part of a large group of like-minded people. It's a technique which works extraordinarily well, and one finishes this book feeling as if one has some concept of what it must have been like to be a Japanese immigrant to the U.S. in the early part of the 20th century. Otsuka is a very good writer who has produced an excellent book. Grade: A