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Students Across the Seven Seas
Now and Zen
Nori Tanaka is thrilled to be studying abroad in Tokyo, Japan, but it isn't exactly what she had imagined. She expected tranquil gardens and swoopy-roofed houses, not concrete and neon. And everyone assumes that, with her traditional Japanese features, she's a native instead of the naïve Japanese-American that she really is. Even Erik, a gorgeous German student, mistakes Nori for Japanese, and treats her like a personal tour guide. Nori is sure that he'll like her for who she is once he gets to know her, so what harm can come of temporarily pretending to be Japanese? It doesn't take long to realize that she has a lot to learn about Japan, and about herself, before she can pass for a native. But after exploring the karaoke clubs in Tokyo, the peaceful temples in Kyoto, and the tranquil heights of Mt. Fuji, Nori knows she has a good chance of finding the hidden Japanese spirit and Zen mindset within herself.
214 pages, Paperback
First published September 7, 2006
14 people are currently reading
782 people want to read
About the author
Linda Gerber
15 books293 followersLinda Gerber recently returned to life in the Midwest after four years in Japan where she served as the RA for SCBWI Tokyo. Her books include SASS: Now and Zen, SASS: The Finnish Line, Death by Bikini, Death by Latte, Death by Denim and the upcoming novel, Trance.
She currently lives and writes in Dublin, Ohio, blissfully ignoring her husband, four kids, and one very naughty puppy"
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews
September 3, 2014
I’ve previously read “The Great Call of China” by Cynthea Liu in the SASS (Students Across the Seven Seas) series and found that book to appeal to various demographics (e.g. age, genders, and racial backgrounds). Liu offered an engaging story that combined romance, family values, with Asian culture. Unfortunately, “Now and Zen” by Lisa Gerber seems to do everything opposite the Liu book. For example, there is inconsistent pacing, a female lead that doesn’t mature or grow by the end of the book, no charismatic or appealing Asian male characters, and – for the most part - uninteresting supporting characters.
Gerber seems to have her Asian female lead Nori Tanaka surrounded by primarily Caucasians and seems to push the idea that European standards of beauty should be admired, especially by this Asian female. Early in the novel, Nori calls a group of Caucasian males ‘hotties’ – particularly one who is blonde.
American media tends to push the white male/Asian female relationships as ‘normal’ and have other relationships (e.g. usually a black individual opposite a non-black individual) as controversial or a time to discuss race. It’s interesting on Nori’s trip to Japan, she doesn’t notice any Asian males or any other men of color. Granted, she ‘can’ have a liking for white males, but we are not told why. As aforementioned, if the lead was a black female rather than Asian, there probably would have been a chapter devoted to discussing the why’s and how’s that hypothetical black female lead liked a non-black man; a long discussion of race. Hence, Gerber perpetuates the racial double standards for Asians and other non-whites, particularly black people. Gerber perpetuates the stereotypical focus on Asians as the ‘safe minorities’ or the ‘model minorities.’
Nori’s roommate, Amberly Bryson, is Caucasian and blonde as well. Only she is female. Amberly Bryson is as looking like a Barbie doll, and she is depicted as a bimbo. Yet, she turns out to be a voice of reason towards the end of the novel. (It comes off as awkward based on her characterization for most of the novel).
The moment when Nori is supposed to grow or find some sort of life enlightenment is when she meets an aunt and uncle while on her Japan trip. This is when the book slowed down for me. This is also when I felt the author didn’t fully immerse me in the surroundings or the relevance of said aunt and uncle.
If the aunt and uncle didn’t add much relevance to Nori’s growth of a person, her overall experiences didn’t teach her anything. Erik, a blonde German boy she is infatuated with refers to her as a geisha towards the end of the novel. Even though she tells him to stop and is depicted as uncomfortable, she still has a liking for him. Now, this can be attributed to her being a teenage girl, but this not only comes off as naïve…but dumb on her part. Is the author trying to say something about bad boys and the girls who go after them? Or is the author trying to comment on Asian female/white male relationships?
Erik turning villainous towards the end comes off as anticlimactic. For most of the novel, he is so wonderful, so handsome, but suddenly he verbally disrespects Nori. There is no buildup to his evilness and there is no follow-up to tell us ‘why’ he turned evil (or if he was always like that). He just comes off as a stereotypical white guy who feels entitled to Asian women.
There are a few characters in the novel that could have been jettisoned for better focus. For example there is Kiah, a tall white Australian girl with ‘fiery red hair’ who is depicted as down-to-Earth and reasonable. She probably could have been a better alternative to the Amberly character since I wanted to know more about Kiah. However, the Australian seems shoehorned in; she shows up in the beginning and the end, and doesn’t really affect the overall story.
Another character that could have been jettisoned is Michiko, a Japan-born girl Nori meets in Japan. Michiko seemed to only exist to tell Nori she’s not Japanese enough since Nori was grew up in America, and nothing else is made on that claim. Nori doesn’t really seem to be affected by Michiko, and the author doesn’t really go into what it means to be Japanese. The only relevance Michiko has is when she calls out Erik for calling her a geisha – something that should have gone to Nori for character growth. Interestingly, Michiko is not depicted as having a life outside disliking Nori and complaining; a nonsensical character.
Atsushi is a Japanese boy Nori meets during her trip in Japan, and another that probably could have been jettisoned. Even though Atsushi has a liking for Nori, he is depicted as being in the ‘friend zone;’ she is too enamored with Erik. Even towards the end when Nori supposedly has a ‘romantic’ feeling for Atsushi, it seems like a temporary interest; a friendship rather than an actual romance. Even towards the end after Erik and Nori break up their romance/friendship, and Atsushi gains Nori’s attention, Nori still has feelings for Erik despite how she was treated.
Nori definitely isn’t written as a strong heroine.
Overall, this book could have been developed more with stronger characters and not clichés or stereotypes. Characters that didn’t move the plot along could have been left out. The goals of the story, the goals of the heroine (i.e. what is she trying to achieve?) could have been made clearer.
Gerber seems to have her Asian female lead Nori Tanaka surrounded by primarily Caucasians and seems to push the idea that European standards of beauty should be admired, especially by this Asian female. Early in the novel, Nori calls a group of Caucasian males ‘hotties’ – particularly one who is blonde.
American media tends to push the white male/Asian female relationships as ‘normal’ and have other relationships (e.g. usually a black individual opposite a non-black individual) as controversial or a time to discuss race. It’s interesting on Nori’s trip to Japan, she doesn’t notice any Asian males or any other men of color. Granted, she ‘can’ have a liking for white males, but we are not told why. As aforementioned, if the lead was a black female rather than Asian, there probably would have been a chapter devoted to discussing the why’s and how’s that hypothetical black female lead liked a non-black man; a long discussion of race. Hence, Gerber perpetuates the racial double standards for Asians and other non-whites, particularly black people. Gerber perpetuates the stereotypical focus on Asians as the ‘safe minorities’ or the ‘model minorities.’
Nori’s roommate, Amberly Bryson, is Caucasian and blonde as well. Only she is female. Amberly Bryson is as looking like a Barbie doll, and she is depicted as a bimbo. Yet, she turns out to be a voice of reason towards the end of the novel. (It comes off as awkward based on her characterization for most of the novel).
The moment when Nori is supposed to grow or find some sort of life enlightenment is when she meets an aunt and uncle while on her Japan trip. This is when the book slowed down for me. This is also when I felt the author didn’t fully immerse me in the surroundings or the relevance of said aunt and uncle.
If the aunt and uncle didn’t add much relevance to Nori’s growth of a person, her overall experiences didn’t teach her anything. Erik, a blonde German boy she is infatuated with refers to her as a geisha towards the end of the novel. Even though she tells him to stop and is depicted as uncomfortable, she still has a liking for him. Now, this can be attributed to her being a teenage girl, but this not only comes off as naïve…but dumb on her part. Is the author trying to say something about bad boys and the girls who go after them? Or is the author trying to comment on Asian female/white male relationships?
Erik turning villainous towards the end comes off as anticlimactic. For most of the novel, he is so wonderful, so handsome, but suddenly he verbally disrespects Nori. There is no buildup to his evilness and there is no follow-up to tell us ‘why’ he turned evil (or if he was always like that). He just comes off as a stereotypical white guy who feels entitled to Asian women.
There are a few characters in the novel that could have been jettisoned for better focus. For example there is Kiah, a tall white Australian girl with ‘fiery red hair’ who is depicted as down-to-Earth and reasonable. She probably could have been a better alternative to the Amberly character since I wanted to know more about Kiah. However, the Australian seems shoehorned in; she shows up in the beginning and the end, and doesn’t really affect the overall story.
Another character that could have been jettisoned is Michiko, a Japan-born girl Nori meets in Japan. Michiko seemed to only exist to tell Nori she’s not Japanese enough since Nori was grew up in America, and nothing else is made on that claim. Nori doesn’t really seem to be affected by Michiko, and the author doesn’t really go into what it means to be Japanese. The only relevance Michiko has is when she calls out Erik for calling her a geisha – something that should have gone to Nori for character growth. Interestingly, Michiko is not depicted as having a life outside disliking Nori and complaining; a nonsensical character.
Atsushi is a Japanese boy Nori meets during her trip in Japan, and another that probably could have been jettisoned. Even though Atsushi has a liking for Nori, he is depicted as being in the ‘friend zone;’ she is too enamored with Erik. Even towards the end when Nori supposedly has a ‘romantic’ feeling for Atsushi, it seems like a temporary interest; a friendship rather than an actual romance. Even towards the end after Erik and Nori break up their romance/friendship, and Atsushi gains Nori’s attention, Nori still has feelings for Erik despite how she was treated.
Nori definitely isn’t written as a strong heroine.
Overall, this book could have been developed more with stronger characters and not clichés or stereotypes. Characters that didn’t move the plot along could have been left out. The goals of the story, the goals of the heroine (i.e. what is she trying to achieve?) could have been made clearer.
November 1, 2015
Maybe not quite a 4, but close and much better than I expected. Since it's target audience is YA and I'm quite a bit older (by the #'s at least), I go into reading knowing it might not work for me on all levels even if general topic or story is interesting to me, but this was much better. This is the first I've read in the Students Across the Seven Seas series, and since each one is about a different country, there are different authors for each, that I assume is more knowledgeable and first hand visiting or living experience. Well, if they are all as good this one (Japan), I can't wait to read more. Not only do I wish they had series like this when I was a teen, it was enjoyable at my current age: the story-telling, the underlying messages AND the cultural & geographical education & descriptions (& map included). In this installment, Nori, a third generation Japanese-American from Ohio, signs up for the Global Outreach study abroad summer just to get away from her parents and she wouldn't have cared where the Summit was held, so when it turns out to be in Japan she gets to see where her grandparents were from since she has never been to Japan before. We get to go along with Nori as she experiences the various sites (Tokyo Gov't Building/obsversation deck, Hachiko Square, Tsukiji Fish Market/District, Akihabara Electronics District, Mt. Fuji, Ryogo-ku Sumo District, Kyoto (a homestay w/relatives), Zen gardens and more) as well as deal being mistaken for native Japanese, and the struggles of people making her feel she is not Japanese enough not American enough along with some friend and boy troubles and learning experiences. IMO, it can be enjoyable to all ages!
May 17, 2020
I will admit that this book wasn’t as bad as the last two I read from this series. There was a frustrating love triangle where the MC was a total jerk and was somehow blind to the creepy words and actions of one of the characters.
This was just okay, though to be honest, the ending for one of the characters was very satisfying. I DID like seeing the MC growing as a character, that was satisfying. It wasn’t a sudden change, but a gradual one.
I’m glad I didn’t dislike this one as much as the last two. I was getting a little worried there.
Happy reading!
This was just okay, though to be honest, the ending for one of the characters was very satisfying. I DID like seeing the MC growing as a character, that was satisfying. It wasn’t a sudden change, but a gradual one.
I’m glad I didn’t dislike this one as much as the last two. I was getting a little worried there.
Happy reading!
Read
January 4, 2025Silly quick read I busted out within two hours of being at the airport
My aunt used to buy me all these books when I was in high school and they made me want to travel and study abroad so badly! In high school I mainly read the ones where the MC was going to Spanish speaking countries, but when I was home on break I found I hadn’t read the Japan book she gave me. It felt wrong, since I currently live in Japan.
Feels unfair to rate the book since it is for young teenagers: not for my demographic. But it was a cute read and I wish I could find all the books about Latin America that she gave me.
My aunt used to buy me all these books when I was in high school and they made me want to travel and study abroad so badly! In high school I mainly read the ones where the MC was going to Spanish speaking countries, but when I was home on break I found I hadn’t read the Japan book she gave me. It felt wrong, since I currently live in Japan.
Feels unfair to rate the book since it is for young teenagers: not for my demographic. But it was a cute read and I wish I could find all the books about Latin America that she gave me.
November 20, 2018
Unexpected book I found in a Little Free Library in San Diego. I only picked this because of the cover art and the title, boy am I so happy I did! This was a cute book and I wish I had this opportunity when I was in school. I do wish there wasn’t a love triangle and that she had more time with her family, but it was cute. I can’t wait to read more of these books!
June 10, 2008
Nori Tanaka is getting away from her feuding parents and going to Japan on an exchange program. She didn't particularly want to go to Japan, she just wanted to go SOMEWHERE to get away from her parents. Now that she's in Japan, she wants nothing more than to forget about their impending divorce. And once she spies the uber hottie Erik from Germany, she thinks she's got the perfect distraction.
There's just one problem with being in Japan. Because she's Japanese-American, the foreigners all assume she's local. And the locals all know she's foreign. When Erik mistakes her for a Japanese girl, she doesn't correct him right away because she wants him to like her. And the longer the deception goes on, the harder it is to 'fess up. The worst part is that Nori is taking advantage of her new Japanese friend Atsushi. How did Nori ever get into this mess? And can she come clean with everyone and fix her mistakes before it's time to head home?
I found this book in the Students Across the Seven Seas series to be a bit harder to get into than Heart and Salsa, mainly because Nori wasn't a very likable character at the beginning of the book. True, she was dealing with a lot of confusion and anger about her parents, but she was rude to everyone and got caught up in a bunch of lies. By the end of the trip, though, Nori had figured some things out and was more prepared to deal with her parents and life in general. Like Heart and Salsa, I found the descriptions of the surroundings to be one of the most appealing elements of the book. A light read for those who love travel.
There's just one problem with being in Japan. Because she's Japanese-American, the foreigners all assume she's local. And the locals all know she's foreign. When Erik mistakes her for a Japanese girl, she doesn't correct him right away because she wants him to like her. And the longer the deception goes on, the harder it is to 'fess up. The worst part is that Nori is taking advantage of her new Japanese friend Atsushi. How did Nori ever get into this mess? And can she come clean with everyone and fix her mistakes before it's time to head home?
I found this book in the Students Across the Seven Seas series to be a bit harder to get into than Heart and Salsa, mainly because Nori wasn't a very likable character at the beginning of the book. True, she was dealing with a lot of confusion and anger about her parents, but she was rude to everyone and got caught up in a bunch of lies. By the end of the trip, though, Nori had figured some things out and was more prepared to deal with her parents and life in general. Like Heart and Salsa, I found the descriptions of the surroundings to be one of the most appealing elements of the book. A light read for those who love travel.
April 12, 2011
I never really can find many books based in Japan (that are written in English, that is), which is part of the reason why I jumped at the chance to read this book.
I haven't read many of the SASS series (only one or two others at the most, but then again maybe not any...), so I cant really compare this author to others, but I must say I did really relate with how she wrote it. At the time I read this I was a young teen, and I said "like" as much as any stereotype out there, and because of this the book seemed to be in my own dialect and was an especially easy read.
Honestly, I would not be nearly as interested if this book were to be based in, say, Finland or something (no offense whatsoever to the Finnish! I'm just making a point that you're not Japan), but because this book was based in Japan, and it often traversed the topic of recycling and being eco-friendly (as Japan is known for being), this book has earned a special place in my heart.
I haven't read many of the SASS series (only one or two others at the most, but then again maybe not any...), so I cant really compare this author to others, but I must say I did really relate with how she wrote it. At the time I read this I was a young teen, and I said "like" as much as any stereotype out there, and because of this the book seemed to be in my own dialect and was an especially easy read.
Honestly, I would not be nearly as interested if this book were to be based in, say, Finland or something (no offense whatsoever to the Finnish! I'm just making a point that you're not Japan), but because this book was based in Japan, and it often traversed the topic of recycling and being eco-friendly (as Japan is known for being), this book has earned a special place in my heart.
March 28, 2023
It caused me to have a reading slump!
The book actually intrigued me at first and I impulsively bought it because the summary on the back fascinated me.
Well, it turns out that it was excruciating to read. The characters were so boring. I didn't even connect to the main character's personality. She's downright annoying and make poor choices all throughout the story.
The pacing also sucked, like it's fast but slow at the same time. I just don't get it. It had a very good concept for a book, however, it was executed poorly and it made a wonderful idea go to waste.
Luckily, I was able to push through it.
The book actually intrigued me at first and I impulsively bought it because the summary on the back fascinated me.
Well, it turns out that it was excruciating to read. The characters were so boring. I didn't even connect to the main character's personality. She's downright annoying and make poor choices all throughout the story.
The pacing also sucked, like it's fast but slow at the same time. I just don't get it. It had a very good concept for a book, however, it was executed poorly and it made a wonderful idea go to waste.
Luckily, I was able to push through it.
October 2, 2017
3.75 stars, but for my sentimental reasons, I'm bumping it up to a 4.
This was my second reread in this series, and I was a little more drawn to this book. I cringed at the recurring scenario of having to get away from the parents, but was able to ignore that for the most part. Loved when Nori stayed with her family in Kyoto - it was probably the sweetest and most heartfelt part of the book, and really made me feel more connected to the story. So many great characters, specifically Amberly and the great aunt and uncle, and am glad I picked it up again. Easy, enjoyable read.
This was my second reread in this series, and I was a little more drawn to this book. I cringed at the recurring scenario of having to get away from the parents, but was able to ignore that for the most part. Loved when Nori stayed with her family in Kyoto - it was probably the sweetest and most heartfelt part of the book, and really made me feel more connected to the story. So many great characters, specifically Amberly and the great aunt and uncle, and am glad I picked it up again. Easy, enjoyable read.
February 13, 2024
For my own future reference:
Starts off extremely predictable and annoying, she messes up her good friendships & has to fix everything, including her perspective. Her “interest” is a Very pushy, geisha-infatuated German, her attitude is bad and there’s mention of a man peeing in public. The Japanese culture is sort-of well represented but is not drastically interesting, which I personally found very unfortunate as it could’ve been done a bit better.
Starts off extremely predictable and annoying, she messes up her good friendships & has to fix everything, including her perspective. Her “interest” is a Very pushy, geisha-infatuated German, her attitude is bad and there’s mention of a man peeing in public. The Japanese culture is sort-of well represented but is not drastically interesting, which I personally found very unfortunate as it could’ve been done a bit better.
October 4, 2017
It's my first read book in the holiday before term 4. Life is quite light with such a book. At first, I just pick the book because my friend was going to have a trip in Japan for 2 weeks. By reading this book, I feel like I'm travelling with them, :P Her hesitance is similar to what I feel when go to other new places. Lesson from the book: Love at the first sight is not always true >.<
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 3, 2022
Wasnt expecting to like this book but I did! Picked it up by chance and thought I'd enjoy a virtual trip to Japan, which I did.
It's lacking the intensity of a full length novel but thats good to be expected as its fairly short. Its short and sweet though, with enough depth to keep me interested and thinking about it afterwards. I'm keeping this one on my bookshelf :)
It's lacking the intensity of a full length novel but thats good to be expected as its fairly short. Its short and sweet though, with enough depth to keep me interested and thinking about it afterwards. I'm keeping this one on my bookshelf :)
July 18, 2022
This was fine. Nori was somewhat of a brat, but she was also going through a lot of stuff with her parents’ impending divorce so I guess it’s understandable. I liked her roommate Amberly a lot more. Also, there was an unnecessary love triangle, so that was kind of a bummer.
September 26, 2025
Good quick simple YA binge-read. I got a bit annoyed at the main character, moody teen drama, but overall, pretty decent! I think I had grabbed it from a little free library. Will definitely be sharing it with another!
July 17, 2017
simpe and fresh story
June 22, 2017
This was a lot better than I thought it would be! Assumed it'd be really childish but it was actually cute and had some nice (yet cliche) messages in it. Cute small read
August 26, 2020
actually love these books so much
October 28, 2020
I liked all of the cultural references but it seemed strange that ecology would be the focus of the program but not actually part of the plot. Just thin overall.
February 25, 2022
re kinky el aleman lmfao
Read
October 4, 2022Loved it, and gave an insight and true look into a introverted life
November 23, 2019
She should’ve gotten with the Japanese guy from the beginning! Wow early 00s YA was very different back then. And Kia the Aussie character was in it very little but should've gotten her own book.
May 2, 2010
Nori Tanaka wants to escape from her home life and join S.A.S.S. (Students across the seven seas) in Tokyo, Japan for the summer. Studying abroad is not exactly what she expected though. First she runs into Amberly, the most bubbly girl who Nori has ever seen. They end up sitting next to one another and Nori just stays quiet as Amberly chats non-stop about everything. When they reach their destination, it is just Nori’s luck that Amberly ends up being her roommate. On the first day of classes, everyone is given a partner except the native students who are supposed to help people along, but when the list is done, Nori ends up with no partner. She is devestated because she was hoping that her partner would be the good-looking German boy, Erik. Everyone seems to think that she is native Japanese because of the way that she looks and her last name. However, she is an American and has no idea anything about Japan. She ends up getting separated from her group at the train station, one of the most packed places in the world, and misses her train. She even loses her backpack on the train that she was supposed to get on. Lucky for her, a native Japanese student noticed and grabbed her backpack, getting off at the next stop to go back for her. Atsushi finds her against a pillar in the train station and ends up being her guide through the rest of the story. Classes begin and Nori tries to find a way to impress Erik. When she finds out that Erik is interested in her, as a native Japanese girl, he asks her to show him around. Since Nori does not know Japan, she enlists Atsushi’s help. He reluctantly agrees. This continues with Nori’s lie building and building. She does not realize how many people she may end up hurting, and throughout the whole time she is really acting out of character and hurting herself. When they go to their home stay visit and Nori is off to meet her aunt and uncle for the first time, she begins to realize the faults that she has and what she must do to clear the air back home and in Tokyo.
Nori is not a terribly likable character, so I went back and forth on the novel as a whole. It is hard to not like the main character of the story you are reading and want to continue it. However, the cultural information was very interesting. If you have never been to Japan, you will learn some new things. I think my favorite part of the book was when they were describing the field trips that the students went on. Plus, I got to know a few Japanese words, even if I don’t pronounce them correctly. I did not like Erik. Throughout the whole story, he portrays a smooth talking bully. What happens to him at the end is justified, but not nearly as satisfying as I would have hoped. In some cases, I think the villain gets off to easily, and this happens to be one of those times. This is definitely a book that I would encourage my students to read because I think that they would be able to notice the changes in Nori and identify with the loss of self when you are trying to impress someone who you like.
4/5 stars
Nori is not a terribly likable character, so I went back and forth on the novel as a whole. It is hard to not like the main character of the story you are reading and want to continue it. However, the cultural information was very interesting. If you have never been to Japan, you will learn some new things. I think my favorite part of the book was when they were describing the field trips that the students went on. Plus, I got to know a few Japanese words, even if I don’t pronounce them correctly. I did not like Erik. Throughout the whole story, he portrays a smooth talking bully. What happens to him at the end is justified, but not nearly as satisfying as I would have hoped. In some cases, I think the villain gets off to easily, and this happens to be one of those times. This is definitely a book that I would encourage my students to read because I think that they would be able to notice the changes in Nori and identify with the loss of self when you are trying to impress someone who you like.
4/5 stars
February 15, 2017
This is a trimmed down version of my review, to view the full review visit The Book Ramble.
When Nori Tanaka signs up for SASS all she's looking for is an escape from the reality of her parent's impending divorce. What she finds in Japan is new friends, new family, and a lot of complication. She quickly gets entangled in a love triangle, hurts some friends, and spirals from the fear of her family falling apart. When she goes for a week long home stay with her distant relatives Nori begins to deal with her home life, the mistakes she's made, and the disconnect she's felt in Japan all along. Can she take what she learns in Kyoto and fix everything before she has to go home?
The book is corny and heavy on that fake-y teen drama that often clogs up the YA world. There is some serious contemplation on aspects of culture in this book that a lot of other SASS books kind of miss the mark on as well. I mean...this one does to but there is some interesting stuff about the divide that faces people like Nori who are ethnically Japanese but raised in America so they don't feel like they fit in either place. I just wish that had been more important than the ridiculous love triangle. It was that cheesiness and bad plotting that really let this book down.
Nori spends most of her time in Japan lying about who she is, and getting tangled in a complicated set of relationships with 2 fairly uninteresting and unlikable guys from the SASS program. This quickly becomes the focus of the book and we wind up ignoring the issues that really matter like Nori's parent's divorce and the sort of cultural dissonance Nori is feeling on her first trip to Japan.
The writing is simple in this book. It's an easy read, especially as it focuses on those kinds of predictable teen romance aspects. The whole thing only takes a couple hours to read. It was enjoyable for the most part I just felt left down by the lack of depth to anything in this book
It's an alright read, I'm just too disappointed to rate it any higher than this. The SASS books are all just sort of enjoyable but still bad books so this comes as no surprise.
When Nori Tanaka signs up for SASS all she's looking for is an escape from the reality of her parent's impending divorce. What she finds in Japan is new friends, new family, and a lot of complication. She quickly gets entangled in a love triangle, hurts some friends, and spirals from the fear of her family falling apart. When she goes for a week long home stay with her distant relatives Nori begins to deal with her home life, the mistakes she's made, and the disconnect she's felt in Japan all along. Can she take what she learns in Kyoto and fix everything before she has to go home?
The book is corny and heavy on that fake-y teen drama that often clogs up the YA world. There is some serious contemplation on aspects of culture in this book that a lot of other SASS books kind of miss the mark on as well. I mean...this one does to but there is some interesting stuff about the divide that faces people like Nori who are ethnically Japanese but raised in America so they don't feel like they fit in either place. I just wish that had been more important than the ridiculous love triangle. It was that cheesiness and bad plotting that really let this book down.
Nori spends most of her time in Japan lying about who she is, and getting tangled in a complicated set of relationships with 2 fairly uninteresting and unlikable guys from the SASS program. This quickly becomes the focus of the book and we wind up ignoring the issues that really matter like Nori's parent's divorce and the sort of cultural dissonance Nori is feeling on her first trip to Japan.
The writing is simple in this book. It's an easy read, especially as it focuses on those kinds of predictable teen romance aspects. The whole thing only takes a couple hours to read. It was enjoyable for the most part I just felt left down by the lack of depth to anything in this book
It's an alright read, I'm just too disappointed to rate it any higher than this. The SASS books are all just sort of enjoyable but still bad books so this comes as no surprise.
April 7, 2009
I picked this up last friday at the library on a whim. I had been wanting to read Death By Bikini, also written by Linda Gerber, and thought, 'the hell with it!' I love all of the covers for the SASS series as well; SO CUTE! This book is extremely short, and that definitely put a damper on things, but i still enjoyed this read.
Gerber combined the Japanese culture with the teen frill quite well, making this novel and educational yet entertaining read.
Nori comes to Japan expecting the worst, but when she meets Erik, things start to look better. And there's also Natsushi, a boy who Nori thinks only spends time with her because he feels it is his job or obligation, and boy is she wrong there. While Nori herself is not a great heroine--she does something very stupid related to a boy (Erik) she likes a lot for reasons i dont even UNDERSTAND, and takes a LOOONG time to realize how stupid she really is being, despite many, many many hints--I really enjoyed the descriptions of Kyoto and Tokyo. At the end of the book Nori finds out who her true friends are and most importantly she finds out who she really is.
I love to travel, (although i must say, i REALLY hate airplanes) and want to visit Japan, so this was a really interesting read for me. I enjoyed this book and i recommend it to teens who enjoy reading about different cultures.
In Now and Zen, the S.A.S.S. series travels to Japan in one of the most exotic--and fun--installments yet.
Gerber combined the Japanese culture with the teen frill quite well, making this novel and educational yet entertaining read.
Nori comes to Japan expecting the worst, but when she meets Erik, things start to look better. And there's also Natsushi, a boy who Nori thinks only spends time with her because he feels it is his job or obligation, and boy is she wrong there. While Nori herself is not a great heroine--she does something very stupid related to a boy (Erik) she likes a lot for reasons i dont even UNDERSTAND, and takes a LOOONG time to realize how stupid she really is being, despite many, many many hints--I really enjoyed the descriptions of Kyoto and Tokyo. At the end of the book Nori finds out who her true friends are and most importantly she finds out who she really is.
I love to travel, (although i must say, i REALLY hate airplanes) and want to visit Japan, so this was a really interesting read for me. I enjoyed this book and i recommend it to teens who enjoy reading about different cultures.
In Now and Zen, the S.A.S.S. series travels to Japan in one of the most exotic--and fun--installments yet.
March 13, 2022
I first read this in 2008 and my opinion has remained unchanged from teenager to adult. Nori was a little brat stuck in a love triangle who chose to lie consistently instead of being honest. I hated that she not only was dishonest, but she dragged her roommate and the very sweet secondary love interest into her deceit too. Annoying teen protagonist aside, Now and Zen was a beautiful love letter to Japan. The author stated in her bio that she participated in a foreign exchange program and currently resides in Japan. I loved all the locations Nori visited and you could really feel the love pouring out from the beautiful descriptions. The honorifics, culture, and the polite nature of the Japanese were all handled with respect. It makes me want to visit the Land of the Rising Sun even more. I bought a bunch of books in this series from a pop up book store where everything was a dollar. I found some that I read in middle school and my original opinion might change. I had sushi in honor of Now and Zen and who knows what culinary dish I choose next for another installment in the Students Across the Seven Seas series.
December 5, 2019
Okay, so... *checks date read* precisely seven months to the day of me having "finished" this, I'm finally writing this review, if only to be able to get rid of it (I go by the policy of not keeping any book on my shelves that I don't plan to reread). I'm keeping the book next to me while I write this review because I don't plan to just make wild, unsourced claims about it. I'm going to provide actual, real evidence with page numbers and RECEIPTS!!
*screams into the void*
EDIT: As I was writing this review and flipping through the book looking at the pages I'd marked to reference later, I started to think I'd been too harsh the first time reading this. Yes, this book is racist AF. Yes, the "romance" is cringey AF. But all the pages I'd marked with "Japanese language/culture mistake" suddenly don't feel that way anymore. Maybe I was too harsh with this book? So I think I will give this book one more chance first and then decide my rating for it.
*screams into the void*
EDIT: As I was writing this review and flipping through the book looking at the pages I'd marked to reference later, I started to think I'd been too harsh the first time reading this. Yes, this book is racist AF. Yes, the "romance" is cringey AF. But all the pages I'd marked with "Japanese language/culture mistake" suddenly don't feel that way anymore. Maybe I was too harsh with this book? So I think I will give this book one more chance first and then decide my rating for it.
April 9, 2011
Nori Tanaka is an American-Japanese girl who signs up to study abroad in Japan in the summer, in order to get away from her stressful parents and the boring, everyday life in Ohio. She meets a handful of people along the way, including the brawny German, Erik, the haughty and mean Michiko, the annoying and social butterfly, Amberly, and the loyal and trusting Atsushi. Everywhere she goes, Nori can't seem to fit in. All the non-Japanese people think she's a native Japanese, because of her looks, and all the Japanese know that she is a foreigner. She finally decides to pretend to be Japanese to Erik, since she has a growing interest in him and believes that he will like her more if he thinks that she is a native. She gets in deep trouble and must find a way to resolve all her problems.
This book was very interesting, mostly because I'm interested in Japanese culture. What I didn't like was that Nori was made into an obsessive (with Erik) and overall stupid person. She made such DUMB decisions. I wish I could just scream at her to make the right decisions. :D
3.5/5
This book was very interesting, mostly because I'm interested in Japanese culture. What I didn't like was that Nori was made into an obsessive (with Erik) and overall stupid person. She made such DUMB decisions. I wish I could just scream at her to make the right decisions. :D
3.5/5
January 4, 2015
Nori is off to Japan, by choice but not enthusiastically. She's less an exchange student than she is participating in a multicultural summer course, but she's hoping to connect with a bit of knowledge...and bit of heritage...and of course a lot of cute boy.
Now and Zen marks my halfway point through the S.A.S.S. series, and I'm finding -- unsurprisingly -- that I'm a lot happier with the heroines who are invested in the academic side of things and do not get caught up in a love triangle. There are plenty of interesting cultural tidbits here, but they tend to be overshadowed by Nori's very obviously going-nowhere relationship. (When you're lying to a boy to keep him interested, and he keeps fetishising geishas and the idea of you as a geisha, it's time to re-evaluate.) I wish she'd had more time to process family stuff and do a bit more maturing.
More general look at the series here.
Now and Zen marks my halfway point through the S.A.S.S. series, and I'm finding -- unsurprisingly -- that I'm a lot happier with the heroines who are invested in the academic side of things and do not get caught up in a love triangle. There are plenty of interesting cultural tidbits here, but they tend to be overshadowed by Nori's very obviously going-nowhere relationship. (When you're lying to a boy to keep him interested, and he keeps fetishising geishas and the idea of you as a geisha, it's time to re-evaluate.) I wish she'd had more time to process family stuff and do a bit more maturing.
More general look at the series here.
October 10, 2016
When I began this story, I thought it was going to be, just another one of those, corny, bratty student, contemporary, school girl stories, with a coming of age, love story setting, that would be an easy read, but not original or enjoyable, and while some of this was the frame for the setting, I found the historical facts, and the family traditions, and wisdom, to be sweet, and lovely. I like the way Nori figured out, how to correct her mistakes, and not judge people or situations too quickly. I liked how she learns to prioritize things in her life, and care about others, over herself, and I loved her family in Japan, (not so much, her parents) So even though this was a very easy, fast read, and I felt it to be a tad bit amateurish in the writting style, the Historical facts, traditions, and moral aspects, while Nori is in Japan, made me give it 4 out of 5 stars, because, I think we need more of that in books.
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