Tuesday, September 13, 2016

The Emperor of Any Place, by Tim Wynne-Jones

Evan's father dies unexpectedly with a hand-bound yellow book open on his desk, which starts a series of events that completely changes Evan's life. With no family left, Evan's grandfather, a former Marine and a lifelong military man comes to live with him after a lifetime of estrangement. Evan's dad skipped out on the draft for the Vietnam War and his father, Griff, never forgave him. Evan and Griff's relationship is rocky, and more so after Evan begins to read the mysterious book his father was reading when he died. The book is a diary of a Japanese soldier, marooned on an island during WWII, and Griff plays a role in mysterious circumstances.

The book alternates between present day (Evan's dad's death, conflicts with Griff) and the events taking place in the diary during WWII. Mysteries unfold in both storylines, which can make the book occasionally infuriating -- there are lots of cliffhangers between chapters that make you want to flip ahead -- but overall this book is totally engrossing and a quick, enjoyable, thought-provoking read.

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