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Above the East China Sea
In her most ambitious, moving, and provocative novel to date, Sarah Bird makes a stunning departure. Above the East China Sea tells the entwined stories of two teenaged girls, an American and an Okinawan, whose lives are connected across seventy years by the shared experience of profound loss, the enduring strength of an ancient culture, and the redeeming power of family love. Luz James, a contemporary U.S. Air Force brat, lives with her strictly-by-the-rules sergeant mother at Kadena Air Base in Okianawa. Luz’s older sister, her best friend and emotional center, has just been killed in the Afghan war. Unmoored by her sister’s death and a lifetime of constant moving from base to base, Luz turns for the comfort her service-hardened mother cannot offer to the “Smokinawans,” the “waste cases,” who gather to get high every night in a deserted cove. When even pills, one-hitters, Cuervo Gold, and a growing crush on Jake Furusato aren’t enough to soften the unbearable edge, the desolate girl contemplates taking her own life.In 1945, Tamiko Kokuba, along with two hundred of her classmates, is plucked out of her elite girls’ high school and trained to work in the Imperial Army’s horrific cave hospitals. With defeat certain, Tamiko finds herself squeezed between the occupying Japanese and the invading Americans. She believes she has lost her entire family, as well as the island paradise she so loved, and, like Luz, she aches with a desire to be reunited with her beloved sister. On an island where the spirits of the dead are part of life and your entire clan waits for you in the afterworld, suicide offers Tamiko the promise of peace. As Luz tracks down the story of her own Okinawan grandmother, she discovers that, if she surrenders to the most unbrat impulse and allows herself to connect completely with a place and its people, the ancestral spirits will save not only Tamiko but her as well. Propelled by a riveting narrative and set at the very epicenter of the headline-grabbing clash now emerging between the great powers, Above the East China Sea is at once a remarkable chronicle of how war shapes the lives of conquerors as well as the conquered and a deeply moving account of family, friendship, and love that transcends time.This eBook edition includes a Reading Group Guide.
338 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2014
107 people are currently reading
2881 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Bird
24 books600 followersSarah Bird is a bestselling novelist, screenwriter, essayist, and journalist who has lived in Austin, Texas since long before the city became internationally cool. She has published ten novels and two books of essays. Her eleventh novel, LAST DANCE ON THE STARLITE PIER--a gripping tale set in the secret world of the dance marathons of the Great Depression--will be released on April 12th.
Her last novel, DAUGHTER OF A DAUGHTER OF A QUEEN--inspired by the true story of the only woman to serve with the legendary Buffalo Soldiers--was named an All-time Best Books about Texas by the Austin American-Statesman; Best Fiction of 2018, Christian Science Monitor; Favorite Books of 2018, Texas Observer; a One City, One Book choice of seven cities; and a Lit Lovers Book Club Favorites.
Sarah was a finalist for The Dublin International Literary Award; an ALEX award winner; Amazon Literature Best of the Year selection; a two-time winner of the TIL’s Best Novel award; a B&N’s Discover Great Writers selection; a New York Public Libraries Books to Remember; an honoree of theTexas Writers Hall of Fame; an Amazon Literature Best of the Year selection; a Dobie-Paisano Fellowship; and an Austin Libraries Illumine Award for Excellence in Fiction winner. In 2014 she was named Texas Writer of the Year by the Texas Book Festival and presented with a pair of custom-made boots on the floor of the Texas Senate Chamber.
Sarah is a nine-time winner of Austin Best Fiction Writer award. She was recently honored with the University of New Mexico’s 2020 Paul Ré Award for Cultural Advocacy. In 2015 Sarah was one of eight winners selected from 3,800 entries to attend the Meryl Streep Screenwriters’ Lab. Sarah was chosen in 2017 to represent the Austin Public Library as the hologram/greeter installed in the Austin Downtown Library. Sarah was a co-founder of The Writers League of Texas.
She has been an NPR Moth Radio Hour storyteller; a writer for Oprah’s Magazine, NY Times Sunday Magazine and Op Ed columns, Chicago Tribune, Real Simple, Mademoiselle, Glamour, Salon, Daily Beast, Ladies Home Journal, Good Housekeeping, MS, Texas Observer; Alcalde and a columnist for years for Texas Monthly. As a screenwriter, she worked on projects for Warner Bros., Paramount, CBS, National Geographic, Hallmark, ABC, TNT, as well as several independent producers.
She and her husband enjoy open-water swimming and training their corgi puppy not to eat the furniture.
Her last novel, DAUGHTER OF A DAUGHTER OF A QUEEN--inspired by the true story of the only woman to serve with the legendary Buffalo Soldiers--was named an All-time Best Books about Texas by the Austin American-Statesman; Best Fiction of 2018, Christian Science Monitor; Favorite Books of 2018, Texas Observer; a One City, One Book choice of seven cities; and a Lit Lovers Book Club Favorites.
Sarah was a finalist for The Dublin International Literary Award; an ALEX award winner; Amazon Literature Best of the Year selection; a two-time winner of the TIL’s Best Novel award; a B&N’s Discover Great Writers selection; a New York Public Libraries Books to Remember; an honoree of theTexas Writers Hall of Fame; an Amazon Literature Best of the Year selection; a Dobie-Paisano Fellowship; and an Austin Libraries Illumine Award for Excellence in Fiction winner. In 2014 she was named Texas Writer of the Year by the Texas Book Festival and presented with a pair of custom-made boots on the floor of the Texas Senate Chamber.
Sarah is a nine-time winner of Austin Best Fiction Writer award. She was recently honored with the University of New Mexico’s 2020 Paul Ré Award for Cultural Advocacy. In 2015 Sarah was one of eight winners selected from 3,800 entries to attend the Meryl Streep Screenwriters’ Lab. Sarah was chosen in 2017 to represent the Austin Public Library as the hologram/greeter installed in the Austin Downtown Library. Sarah was a co-founder of The Writers League of Texas.
She has been an NPR Moth Radio Hour storyteller; a writer for Oprah’s Magazine, NY Times Sunday Magazine and Op Ed columns, Chicago Tribune, Real Simple, Mademoiselle, Glamour, Salon, Daily Beast, Ladies Home Journal, Good Housekeeping, MS, Texas Observer; Alcalde and a columnist for years for Texas Monthly. As a screenwriter, she worked on projects for Warner Bros., Paramount, CBS, National Geographic, Hallmark, ABC, TNT, as well as several independent producers.
She and her husband enjoy open-water swimming and training their corgi puppy not to eat the furniture.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 303 reviews
October 10, 2018
“Above The East China Sea”, is an outstanding - ambitious -tour de force historical novel.
You could say it’s taken me 4 years to finish this book....which is when I first met Sarah Bird - while in Austin - and heard her talk about her ‘then’ new book. Oh.....I bought her book - was intrigued by this Caucasian woman and her own background.....( she grew up in a military family - earned the name ‘military brat - constantly moving from country to country), but I started and stopped my reading many times.
Strong memories of Okinawa stayed with Sarah Bird enough to write about it.....but Okinawa was still a foreign name and place to me. I’ve done more homework since 4 years ago.
Once I had a better experience about Okinawa myself - I felt better about finishing the interweaving stories of the two young women who are the focus of this novel while in the context looking at how war shapes heroes, villains, families, the young and old.
I’ve taken away new thinking about duty & honor ..... loyalty & legacy. I have tried to compare life today - looking at ‘what’s similar’ - to that in 1945. One thought that rings true for me - ( and tragically sad) - is that it’s always the younger generation that pays the highest price for our mistakes.
A ‘little’ information .....some basic facts & history for those interested- as I knew next to nothing about Okinawa before this book — ( I’ll always associate this book with my expanded education of Okinawa- the war - people - culture - values - traditions- beliefs - spirits of the dead - from now on):
Okinawa is part of the Ryukyu Islands chain which is in Japan. They have their own unique culture. It’s a little like Hawaii to Americans. They live in Okinawa and they are Japanese. Often when talking to foreigners- they simply say they are Japanese - it’s just easier. But many of the Okinawans feel they have gotten the short shrift for a few centuries. They don’t appreciate many of the decisions made on the mainland half - reaching ramifications on their little island.
In this story...we learn about the “Battle of Okinawa”, from the perspective of the Okinawan people themselves. The battle was 82 days long - setting this story during the 3- day Obon Festival: which is a Japanese Buddhist custom to honor the spirits of one’s ancestor’s. *Kami* are spirits ....they are both positive & negative - having good and evil characteristics.
During the war itself - the Okinawan civilians believed the Japanese leaders would definitely be on their side and save them from when the Americans came in and attacked. But after the battle, they were left wondering who there enemy really was.
Part 1 ....UNKEK The first Day....Welcoming the Dead Home.....
Page 1 starts smack in the middle of danger.
The first sentence begins with: “The choking black smoke from the fires raging rises up, trying to claim me and my child.”
Further down on page 1.....
“The soldiers, either Japanese or American, will kill us as soon as the sunrises. We cannot die such a violent death. If we do, we will be condemned to haunt this place for ever and never be reunited with our clan. I won’t permit my child to endure such a cruel fate”.
Further down....( next few pages).... “Jump or don’t jump?”
Luz James, is contemplating suicide. She is a contemporary US Air Force brat, living with her single mother - a sergeant at the air base. Luz is grieving having recently lost her sister to death - and best friend - who was killed in the Afghan war.
Tamiko Kokuba - a native Okinawan about the same age as Luz - was attending an elite high school, when she was picked to train and work in the Imperial Army’s cave hospitals. The conditions are horrific- she thinks she has lost her family.....and wants to enter the afterworld - join her ancestors — also contemplating suicide.
As you might guess Luz and Tamiko cross paths. Their voices are completely distinct.
This book really is a little like the Okinawan Wonderful Wizard of Oz.....with entertaining storytelling - and educational history.
If the characters - and history don’t move you - and or open your eyes - the setting and descriptions just might......
“That every one of the 2,046 ancestors of our *munchu* for ten generations into the past would meet there after death to feast on pigs ears in vinegar, sweet potato in green tea sauce, Stirfried bitter melon, and pork stewed in squids ink, all washed down with cool wheat tea sweetened with black sugar for the children and millet brandy for the adults. That we would dance beneath the vast roof of a banyan tree while our legendary great-great-great grandfather Ryo plucked tunes from his *sanshin*. That that timid dwarf deer, the emerald frog, the long haired mouse, and the orchard leaf butterfly will all emerge from hiding to marvel at the beauty of our movements, the liveliness of our steps”.
This highly imaginable historical novel is *ineffable* ( too great to be expressed in words)
5 strong stars
You could say it’s taken me 4 years to finish this book....which is when I first met Sarah Bird - while in Austin - and heard her talk about her ‘then’ new book. Oh.....I bought her book - was intrigued by this Caucasian woman and her own background.....( she grew up in a military family - earned the name ‘military brat - constantly moving from country to country), but I started and stopped my reading many times.
Strong memories of Okinawa stayed with Sarah Bird enough to write about it.....but Okinawa was still a foreign name and place to me. I’ve done more homework since 4 years ago.
Once I had a better experience about Okinawa myself - I felt better about finishing the interweaving stories of the two young women who are the focus of this novel while in the context looking at how war shapes heroes, villains, families, the young and old.
I’ve taken away new thinking about duty & honor ..... loyalty & legacy. I have tried to compare life today - looking at ‘what’s similar’ - to that in 1945. One thought that rings true for me - ( and tragically sad) - is that it’s always the younger generation that pays the highest price for our mistakes.
A ‘little’ information .....some basic facts & history for those interested- as I knew next to nothing about Okinawa before this book — ( I’ll always associate this book with my expanded education of Okinawa- the war - people - culture - values - traditions- beliefs - spirits of the dead - from now on):
Okinawa is part of the Ryukyu Islands chain which is in Japan. They have their own unique culture. It’s a little like Hawaii to Americans. They live in Okinawa and they are Japanese. Often when talking to foreigners- they simply say they are Japanese - it’s just easier. But many of the Okinawans feel they have gotten the short shrift for a few centuries. They don’t appreciate many of the decisions made on the mainland half - reaching ramifications on their little island.
In this story...we learn about the “Battle of Okinawa”, from the perspective of the Okinawan people themselves. The battle was 82 days long - setting this story during the 3- day Obon Festival: which is a Japanese Buddhist custom to honor the spirits of one’s ancestor’s. *Kami* are spirits ....they are both positive & negative - having good and evil characteristics.
During the war itself - the Okinawan civilians believed the Japanese leaders would definitely be on their side and save them from when the Americans came in and attacked. But after the battle, they were left wondering who there enemy really was.
Part 1 ....UNKEK The first Day....Welcoming the Dead Home.....
Page 1 starts smack in the middle of danger.
The first sentence begins with: “The choking black smoke from the fires raging rises up, trying to claim me and my child.”
Further down on page 1.....
“The soldiers, either Japanese or American, will kill us as soon as the sunrises. We cannot die such a violent death. If we do, we will be condemned to haunt this place for ever and never be reunited with our clan. I won’t permit my child to endure such a cruel fate”.
Further down....( next few pages).... “Jump or don’t jump?”
Luz James, is contemplating suicide. She is a contemporary US Air Force brat, living with her single mother - a sergeant at the air base. Luz is grieving having recently lost her sister to death - and best friend - who was killed in the Afghan war.
Tamiko Kokuba - a native Okinawan about the same age as Luz - was attending an elite high school, when she was picked to train and work in the Imperial Army’s cave hospitals. The conditions are horrific- she thinks she has lost her family.....and wants to enter the afterworld - join her ancestors — also contemplating suicide.
As you might guess Luz and Tamiko cross paths. Their voices are completely distinct.
This book really is a little like the Okinawan Wonderful Wizard of Oz.....with entertaining storytelling - and educational history.
If the characters - and history don’t move you - and or open your eyes - the setting and descriptions just might......
“That every one of the 2,046 ancestors of our *munchu* for ten generations into the past would meet there after death to feast on pigs ears in vinegar, sweet potato in green tea sauce, Stirfried bitter melon, and pork stewed in squids ink, all washed down with cool wheat tea sweetened with black sugar for the children and millet brandy for the adults. That we would dance beneath the vast roof of a banyan tree while our legendary great-great-great grandfather Ryo plucked tunes from his *sanshin*. That that timid dwarf deer, the emerald frog, the long haired mouse, and the orchard leaf butterfly will all emerge from hiding to marvel at the beauty of our movements, the liveliness of our steps”.
This highly imaginable historical novel is *ineffable* ( too great to be expressed in words)
5 strong stars
June 30, 2014
A dual story line, two teenage girls, one Luz on a Okinawa military base in present day and the other Tamiko, living in Okinawa during World War II. These girl have more in common than is known at the books beginning.
I found both stories fascinating and they are tied together seamlessly.
He present day story takes place during Oban, three days where the dead are invited to return to their families for days of feasting and goodwill, until they are chased away at the end of the third day.
Luz has had a tragic occurrence and her searching for answers will bring more than she ever could have thought possible.
Tamiko lives in Okinawa with her family, they are very loyal to the Japanese emperor and have know doubt that they will win the war. Her older sister is a Princess Lily girl, one of the highest aspirations a girl from Okinawa could have. The war will turn their world upside down and few would survive.
I learned so much about their culture, their belief in the spirit world where all would be reunited, if they are buried together. So many bones have turned up harmony of them sit in warehouses waiting to be identified, an overwhelming task. The invasion later 82 days, and 222 Lily girls, girls unused to the sight of horror were commandeered from their schools and made to act as nurses for the wounded Japanese soldiers. Japan did not think highly of the Okinawans and basically sacrificed Okinawa as a killing field. I was astonished to lean that more people died here, than in Hiroshima and Nagasaki together. The survivors would find little left of the place they called home.
A powerful book that highlights the consequences of war, past and present. A look at a culture I knew little about and a story about two teenagers connected by that past. A look at military life and the challenges that presents for family.
I found both stories fascinating and they are tied together seamlessly.
He present day story takes place during Oban, three days where the dead are invited to return to their families for days of feasting and goodwill, until they are chased away at the end of the third day.
Luz has had a tragic occurrence and her searching for answers will bring more than she ever could have thought possible.
Tamiko lives in Okinawa with her family, they are very loyal to the Japanese emperor and have know doubt that they will win the war. Her older sister is a Princess Lily girl, one of the highest aspirations a girl from Okinawa could have. The war will turn their world upside down and few would survive.
I learned so much about their culture, their belief in the spirit world where all would be reunited, if they are buried together. So many bones have turned up harmony of them sit in warehouses waiting to be identified, an overwhelming task. The invasion later 82 days, and 222 Lily girls, girls unused to the sight of horror were commandeered from their schools and made to act as nurses for the wounded Japanese soldiers. Japan did not think highly of the Okinawans and basically sacrificed Okinawa as a killing field. I was astonished to lean that more people died here, than in Hiroshima and Nagasaki together. The survivors would find little left of the place they called home.
A powerful book that highlights the consequences of war, past and present. A look at a culture I knew little about and a story about two teenagers connected by that past. A look at military life and the challenges that presents for family.
May 27, 2014
I have a new favorite book of the year: Sarah Bird’s Above the East China Sea. This is one of those deeply satisfying reads that works on many levels. It moves among several settings: the U.S. military base on Okinawa in the present day and Okinawa outside of the base; Okinawa during World War II when the Island served as a defensive barrier between Japan and U.S. warships; the Okinawan spirit world, led by spirits called kami.
This book is the story of two young women and is narrated in their voices. The first, Luz James, is a military brat (a term she uses to describe herself), daughter of a single mother. Luz’s world has been torn apart by her older sister’s unexpected enlistment in the Air Force and her death in Afghanistan. She is responding to her sorrow with drug use and risk-taking, common pastimes among her two groups of friends: the “Quasi” crowd composed of other military brats (quasi because that’s the only sort of friendship one can establish with the constant moves of military life) and the Smokinawans, the local stoners.
The second young woman is Tamiko Kokuba, an Okinawan originally a fanatical supporter of Japan (many Okinawans at the time considered it a compliment to be mistaken for Japanese), who works in the cave hospitals set up on the island for the Japanese forces, and who, pregnant at age fifteen after being raped by soldiers on both sides of the conflict, chooses to commit suicide. Okinawan custom requires recovery of the body and regular tending to the remaining bones in order to to have a life after death. Because she has committed suicide by throwing herself into the sea and her body was never recovered, Tamiko and her unknown child have been unable to move on. Their spirits await guidance by the kami, hoping the kami will provide them with a body whose spirit they can displace, which will allow them to move on to the afterlife. Tamiko spends the years as a waiting spirit by recounting her life story to her unborn child.
Luz and Tamiko’s paths cross in both literal and spiritual senses as Luz contemplates suicide and Tamiko waits for a body to house her spirit. At several moments I was sure I’d guessed how these two different crises would be resolved, but Bird’s nuanced story-telling keeps adding complexity to the narrative, taking it to deeper, richer places than I’d imagined.
I don’t want to say more than this because readers deserve the pleasure of following the several paths of this novel without having parts of the narrative revealed ahead of time. Whatever your preferred genre—history, historical fiction, contemporary fiction, mystery, fantasy—Above the East China Sea offers a satisfying read that will stay with you long after you close the book.
This book is the story of two young women and is narrated in their voices. The first, Luz James, is a military brat (a term she uses to describe herself), daughter of a single mother. Luz’s world has been torn apart by her older sister’s unexpected enlistment in the Air Force and her death in Afghanistan. She is responding to her sorrow with drug use and risk-taking, common pastimes among her two groups of friends: the “Quasi” crowd composed of other military brats (quasi because that’s the only sort of friendship one can establish with the constant moves of military life) and the Smokinawans, the local stoners.
The second young woman is Tamiko Kokuba, an Okinawan originally a fanatical supporter of Japan (many Okinawans at the time considered it a compliment to be mistaken for Japanese), who works in the cave hospitals set up on the island for the Japanese forces, and who, pregnant at age fifteen after being raped by soldiers on both sides of the conflict, chooses to commit suicide. Okinawan custom requires recovery of the body and regular tending to the remaining bones in order to to have a life after death. Because she has committed suicide by throwing herself into the sea and her body was never recovered, Tamiko and her unknown child have been unable to move on. Their spirits await guidance by the kami, hoping the kami will provide them with a body whose spirit they can displace, which will allow them to move on to the afterlife. Tamiko spends the years as a waiting spirit by recounting her life story to her unborn child.
Luz and Tamiko’s paths cross in both literal and spiritual senses as Luz contemplates suicide and Tamiko waits for a body to house her spirit. At several moments I was sure I’d guessed how these two different crises would be resolved, but Bird’s nuanced story-telling keeps adding complexity to the narrative, taking it to deeper, richer places than I’d imagined.
I don’t want to say more than this because readers deserve the pleasure of following the several paths of this novel without having parts of the narrative revealed ahead of time. Whatever your preferred genre—history, historical fiction, contemporary fiction, mystery, fantasy—Above the East China Sea offers a satisfying read that will stay with you long after you close the book.
February 23, 2014
I think this is one of Sarah Bird's best books. I was resentful that life got in the way of reading this in one sitting as I wanted to completely lose myself in the lives of the two protagonists. I found that I cared very deeply for them. I am also a fan of any book that teaches me about something I really don't know anything about as this one did about Okinawa in two different times, 1945 and current time. This book, simply put, has so much heart in both its fictional characters and historical fact.
July 4, 2014
This is on the top of my favorites list. There are two stories that move along quickly. I read it fast the first time to follow the story. It carried me along. Then (and I usually don't do this) turned around and read start to finish immediately again. I loved the story both times. The first read was for the story and the second for more details. I highly recommend it.
July 7, 2014
Wonderful Book
July 16, 2014
Ten years ago, Sarah Bird's Yokota Officer's Club was one of my favorite books. She returns to the world she knows well, that of being a military dependent, with this stunning, original, illuminating and multi layered story. Two fifteen-year-old girls, both living in Okinawa 70 years apart, form the nexus of a complex, beautifully realized story, encompassing the grief, beauty and turbulent history of Okinawa. Okinawa was a colony of Japan, with its own traditions, language, and strong spiritual connections. The blurb above best describes the plot, so I won't go further except to say this is a great read.
August 3, 2014
I had no knowledge of Okinawa before picking up this novel... I have never read anything pertaining to Japan come to think of it! That said I learned so much from this about the Okinawan culture and the strong ancestral beliefs they hold! It truly fasinated me! This was told in a past/present format that worked perfectly to give the reader a true sense of the Okinawan culture and the part they played in WW II! I really enjoyed!
August 20, 2014
Two stories twined around each other, Okinawa during WWII and Okinawa today. But what a story, starting as a coming of age teen fiction, moving on to a war story, fragments of magical realism entwined throughout. This is my favorite book this year. Well written, good plot and oh so satisfying ending...some things are well telegraphed but not annoyingly so...more satisfying. "Ah so that is who that is"
And how could I have lived there in the mid 60s and not known that almost a third of the civilian population died? True I was only 10, but still many of the okinawans I met had lived through unimaginable carnage...and they were/are amazing.
And how could I have lived there in the mid 60s and not known that almost a third of the civilian population died? True I was only 10, but still many of the okinawans I met had lived through unimaginable carnage...and they were/are amazing.
February 20, 2014
Having won this historical fiction book on Goodreads, I couldn't wait to read it. It was a hard book to get into however I'm glad I stuck with it. Any book that enlightens me on a subject is a winner to me. I had no idea of the plight of the people from Okinawa whether from the Japanese or later the Americans. The dual story of the two girls was well told. I wasn't sure about the "spirit" part but I now understand what an important part of Okinawan life it is.
February 5, 2015
I love this book. It's beautiful. And fascinating. The characters are well-written and have believable strengths and weaknesses. The book is occupied by ghosts (spirits), maybe as a book that covers WW2 should be, but it is not a supernatural or occult book. The horrors here are all too real, too man-made. It offers a perspective on WW2 that I admit I'd never considered. And some knowledge about Okinawa that is new and...unsettling. Read it.
February 8, 2017
This book was truly unique for me. Living in Hawaii, I have many Okinawan friends. This was the first book set in Okinawa that I've every come across. I know a little about the culture. I found the book very enlightening. We all know that Japan took advantage of Okinawa during WWII, but I had no idea as to what extent!
Ms. Bird expertly wove the past in with the future to make the island come to life. Kami (spirits of the dead) narrate their own story, while the modern day element takes the shape of high school age Luz, an Air Force brat whose tougher than nails mom gets stationed at Kadena AFB. Again, no spoilers ever, but the way the drama plays out will move you deeply.
Ms. Bird expertly wove the past in with the future to make the island come to life. Kami (spirits of the dead) narrate their own story, while the modern day element takes the shape of high school age Luz, an Air Force brat whose tougher than nails mom gets stationed at Kadena AFB. Again, no spoilers ever, but the way the drama plays out will move you deeply.
September 4, 2016
Review also found at http://kristineandterri.blogspot.ca/2...
I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher Knopf via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. The expected publication data is May 27, 2014.
This story started a little odd for me. Talking about spirits and the spirit world and giving a voice to those who have left the earth. I was concerned that the story was going to be different than I expected and one that I would have to say. One piece of advice that I would give to anyone who is reading this and feels the same is to stick with the story. It becomes worth it.
As the story tells the present day story of Luz and her struggles to come to terms with the loss of her sister it also tells the story of Tamiko and the battle that occurred on the island of Okinawa during world war II. You know while reading the story that their stories are intertwined somehow however I will not be the one to divulge how.
The highlight of this story is the Island of Okinawa and it's history during the war. Although I know this story is one of fiction it baffles me how I can learn a piece of our world history that I did not know about through pieces of literature. As I am a big fan of stories written about the war I really enjoyed learning about another piece of it that doesn't appear to be widely known, at least it wasn't to me.
As the story progressed it left me with a haunting feeling which is always a sign of a good book to me. I can't put my finger on what it was that has stayed with me but all I can say is that the reader is left rewarded after a somewhat shaky start to the book.
If you are a fan of wartime stories, tragedy and a little bit of romance then this is a book that I would recommend. A little different from the usual string of wartime stories however not too far from the formula that one can not sit back and be lost in the pages. I really enjoyed this book.
I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher Knopf via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. The expected publication data is May 27, 2014.
This story started a little odd for me. Talking about spirits and the spirit world and giving a voice to those who have left the earth. I was concerned that the story was going to be different than I expected and one that I would have to say. One piece of advice that I would give to anyone who is reading this and feels the same is to stick with the story. It becomes worth it.
As the story tells the present day story of Luz and her struggles to come to terms with the loss of her sister it also tells the story of Tamiko and the battle that occurred on the island of Okinawa during world war II. You know while reading the story that their stories are intertwined somehow however I will not be the one to divulge how.
The highlight of this story is the Island of Okinawa and it's history during the war. Although I know this story is one of fiction it baffles me how I can learn a piece of our world history that I did not know about through pieces of literature. As I am a big fan of stories written about the war I really enjoyed learning about another piece of it that doesn't appear to be widely known, at least it wasn't to me.
As the story progressed it left me with a haunting feeling which is always a sign of a good book to me. I can't put my finger on what it was that has stayed with me but all I can say is that the reader is left rewarded after a somewhat shaky start to the book.
If you are a fan of wartime stories, tragedy and a little bit of romance then this is a book that I would recommend. A little different from the usual string of wartime stories however not too far from the formula that one can not sit back and be lost in the pages. I really enjoyed this book.
August 9, 2014
Half of "Above the East China Sea" is historical fiction chock full of Okinawan folklore, and centers around Tamiko, an Okinawan girl living during WWII. The other half is a YA (Young Adult) social situation story about Luz James, an army brat in present day Okinawa. Add an additional element that readers will probably describe as either paranormal or spiritual, and the result is a complex, lush journey that reveals that when we heal our ancestors, we also heal ourselves.
Though alternating viewpoints, we see how Luz is cut off from a sense of home, identity, and belonging. It is during her suicide attempt that she awakens an energetic (spiritual, quantum, karmic) connection to the long deceased Tamiko. The story that Sarah Bird spins from here reveals the depth and complexity of Luz's life as it has been molded through the wounds of generations. Tamiko's life is told from her watery grave and reveals the way that Japanese culture imbued a kind of self-hatred among the Okinawans, and how that was used against them. The Japanese pride-filled propaganda machine rivaled American bombs in destructiveness, as it robbed the Okinawans of the ability to make wise choices and led them toward sure annihilation.
What was most interesting to me, however, was the experience of women during war and in its aftermath. Ironically, we learn most of the sordidly truthful things from a rather crass, indifferent old man. I also appreciated the brief acknowledgement of Korean comfort women. Amazingly, Sarah Bird brings Luz and Tamiko's stories together into a tight, serendipitous conclusion. I'm kind of surprised that this was not released as a YA book. I think its cross-genre nature would fit well into the huge YA fantasy market, while exposing young readers to the historical at the same time. Epic read!
Though alternating viewpoints, we see how Luz is cut off from a sense of home, identity, and belonging. It is during her suicide attempt that she awakens an energetic (spiritual, quantum, karmic) connection to the long deceased Tamiko. The story that Sarah Bird spins from here reveals the depth and complexity of Luz's life as it has been molded through the wounds of generations. Tamiko's life is told from her watery grave and reveals the way that Japanese culture imbued a kind of self-hatred among the Okinawans, and how that was used against them. The Japanese pride-filled propaganda machine rivaled American bombs in destructiveness, as it robbed the Okinawans of the ability to make wise choices and led them toward sure annihilation.
What was most interesting to me, however, was the experience of women during war and in its aftermath. Ironically, we learn most of the sordidly truthful things from a rather crass, indifferent old man. I also appreciated the brief acknowledgement of Korean comfort women. Amazingly, Sarah Bird brings Luz and Tamiko's stories together into a tight, serendipitous conclusion. I'm kind of surprised that this was not released as a YA book. I think its cross-genre nature would fit well into the huge YA fantasy market, while exposing young readers to the historical at the same time. Epic read!
February 8, 2018
This is the most memorable, thought provoking, emotional book I have read in a long long time. Set in both WWII and current eras, the setting was described in such vivid detail I found myself back on Okinawa, and the base at Kadena, where I spent limited time in the 90's. The rich portrayals of families and cultural practices, in both eras, drew me right into the scenes. Few people are aware that Okinawa was not always a part of Japan (or a significant US military location)and know little of its rich history which is accurately and colorfully represented. Though the main characters are youth, this is not a book for the young, but for people who understand what it means to be family, have connections, value (and search for) one's place in terms of heritage, and struggle through life in it's most devastating and rewarding moments. There is both humor and sorrow, belief and suspension of belief, love stories and stories of break-up in families. Read this.
July 29, 2014
I always love Sarah Bird's books--the funny ones and the lyrical ones, the ones that show me the world and make me think, and the ones that take a microscope to the everyday challenges and . . . oh, look at that, make me think. Bird hits a chord with me every time with her tight, beautiful prose and her universal yet unique stories. This is among her best--a tale that effortlessly bridges the lives of a modern military brat and a World War II Okinawan girl thrust into the war. Beautiful, evocative, moving, and relatable, ABOVE THE EAST CHINA SEA is a haunting read that stays with you long after you close the cover.
May 16, 2014
This is a new Sarah Bird. "Above the East China Sea" reads like a love letter to the people of Okinawa in that there is a sadness about how the Okinawans have been treated by the Americans. It is a ghost story that matches a very real story of the school girls who acted as nurses to the wounded troops on the island and the current day teens of American Air Force personnel stationed in Okinawa. A grisly discovery will help Luz reunite a ghost girl with her family spirits. Beautifully crafted with an obvious love of the Japanese way of life this book will haunt you for some time.
July 18, 2014
Loved this book. To me, it's a book about our connections to our ancestors, our families and to history.
It so happens that the story takes place on Okinawa and is told in two timeframes. One is during WWII and one is contemporary--the two principal characters being teenage girls who are suffering loss and depression. The contemporary girl, Luz, is a beautiful nuanced character. Some reviewers find this to be a ghost story, but in my view, that is a disservice to the book. The story does personalize the influence of ancestors in our lives, but in a lovely, philosophical way.
It so happens that the story takes place on Okinawa and is told in two timeframes. One is during WWII and one is contemporary--the two principal characters being teenage girls who are suffering loss and depression. The contemporary girl, Luz, is a beautiful nuanced character. Some reviewers find this to be a ghost story, but in my view, that is a disservice to the book. The story does personalize the influence of ancestors in our lives, but in a lovely, philosophical way.
July 3, 2014
This is one of my favorite books of 2014! It's a compelling and very interesting story of two teenage girls living in Okianawa. In the present day, there's the daughter of a military mom, living on the air force base with challenges beyond the usual teenage angst. The second teenager lived seventy years prior and faced very different challenges, in the midst of the war and the American occupation. As you might expect, the stories evolve and get closer as the book progresses. Another wonderful book by Sarah Bird!
August 11, 2014
Disclaimer: had I realized this was the author of 'The Yokota Officers Club', I'd have left this book at the library.
As it was, I tried. Made it to page 120 and quit.
Sarah Bird's military brats live in a world that is even more angsty than the average teens, simply because they have all that military brat baggage. They whine a lot, which is natural for teens, but Ms. Bird seems to feel that their lives would be fine were they the progeny of civilian parents, I guess. This irks me, as it shifts the blame from the dysfunctional parents rife in TYOC and Above the East China Sea, to the military, and it's just so heavy-handed. WE ARE DIFFERENT, WE MILITARY BRATS. OUR LIVES ARE HARDER THAN YOURS. Buffy the Vampire Slayer said HER life sucked beyond the describing of it and she was cute, blonde and had super-powers. Jeez, honey, quit making it out to be the WORST THING EVER. High School isn't the most fun thing ever, for anybody.
Our angsty beyond angst teen this time is Luz, who is confusingly somewhat Okinawan and other...stuff too. I lost track. Mixed race + mother's lousy parenting + moving around + death of sister = irritating mopey narrator.
In addition to this, Ms Bird adds a historical parallel, an Okinawan teen living in WWII. Okinawa was the site of an incredible battle, with incredible undercurrents given that the island was regarded as 'not quite our kind, dear', by the Japanese. So it's a fascinating background for a story, in the right hands. These are the wrong hands.
The writing, adequate for modern day if you can get over the whining, is downright embarrassing in the WWII story. The clunkiest dialog, the silliest premises. There is some kind of supernatural thread running through here, involving the dead Okinawan girl's ghost & the ghost of her unborn child, that is just indescribably stilted and yicky.
But I had to quit at page 120, so don't take my word for it. Just don't say I didn't warn you.
October 17, 2014
Self-described mid-list literary novelist Sarah Bird raised the bar with her most recent release, Above the East China Sea. The novel revolves around two families from different cultures separated by more than a half century. The two families are similar in that they have two sisters (who are close), a strong mother figure, and an almost invisible father figure. The setting is Okinawa, Japan where Bird spent some of her formative years. The complex novel begins with the two families’ separate stories and slowly weaves the stories together until the fascinating and improbable ending. The novel relies heavily on the spiritual lives of the Okinawan people.
Above the East China Sea is not your standard summer beach read. To fully appreciate the book requires acceptance of uncommon mores and a cultural understanding that we Americans are not known for. That being said, I would consider this one of the premier novels of the year. If you appreciate a complex literary journey that has the ability to open your understanding of a world that you may not be familiar with, this is a novel for you. If you like political intrigue or religious tension, this is the novel for you. If you like superbly beautiful writing that can carry all five of your senses into a place you’ve never experienced, this is the novel for you.
Having read and enjoyed previous books by Sarah Bird I can honestly say that this is far and above her best effort yet and is likely to propel her above the mid-list literary writer into the company of such writers as Joan Didion and Ann Patchett. Her life may never be the same having written this book, and after reading Above the East China Sea, your life will never be the same.
Above the East China Sea is not your standard summer beach read. To fully appreciate the book requires acceptance of uncommon mores and a cultural understanding that we Americans are not known for. That being said, I would consider this one of the premier novels of the year. If you appreciate a complex literary journey that has the ability to open your understanding of a world that you may not be familiar with, this is a novel for you. If you like political intrigue or religious tension, this is the novel for you. If you like superbly beautiful writing that can carry all five of your senses into a place you’ve never experienced, this is the novel for you.
Having read and enjoyed previous books by Sarah Bird I can honestly say that this is far and above her best effort yet and is likely to propel her above the mid-list literary writer into the company of such writers as Joan Didion and Ann Patchett. Her life may never be the same having written this book, and after reading Above the East China Sea, your life will never be the same.
April 18, 2024
3.5 I have felt conflicted about this book since finishing it, because I enjoyed the story but also have some fairly big issues with it.
First, the positives. The stories were both fascinating to read, and I thought the dual timelines were done well. The two different perspectives made sense, and each character was well written. The pain each girl felt was visceral and felt incredibly real.
The book really examined the consequences of war, both immediate and through the years and decades that follow. The sheer number of lives lost during the Battle of Okinawa is staggering, and I appreciate the author bringing light to the island’s loss of life and the loss of autonomy that followed.
There were a few things that niggled at me that probably wouldn’t even be noticed by someone who doesn’t live on the island she’s describing, such as navigational mistakes between various places on the island. I wish those had been double checked prior to publishing. They were small in the overall scope of the purpose of the book, but they made me question the accuracy of some of the larger events and details.
I will also admit that I felt a bit icky that this book had an American writing from the perspective of an Okinawan girl, especially given the rocky history and the enduring feeling many Okinawans feel about American occupation of the island. I feel that this should have been a collaboration, with the author writing the present timeline and an Okinawan author writing (or at least collaborating on) the past timeline. I know this is a hot area of debate in the book world and many people have differing opinions on the matter.
I did think the book was well written and overall it was a good story.
First, the positives. The stories were both fascinating to read, and I thought the dual timelines were done well. The two different perspectives made sense, and each character was well written. The pain each girl felt was visceral and felt incredibly real.
The book really examined the consequences of war, both immediate and through the years and decades that follow. The sheer number of lives lost during the Battle of Okinawa is staggering, and I appreciate the author bringing light to the island’s loss of life and the loss of autonomy that followed.
There were a few things that niggled at me that probably wouldn’t even be noticed by someone who doesn’t live on the island she’s describing, such as navigational mistakes between various places on the island. I wish those had been double checked prior to publishing. They were small in the overall scope of the purpose of the book, but they made me question the accuracy of some of the larger events and details.
I will also admit that I felt a bit icky that this book had an American writing from the perspective of an Okinawan girl, especially given the rocky history and the enduring feeling many Okinawans feel about American occupation of the island. I feel that this should have been a collaboration, with the author writing the present timeline and an Okinawan author writing (or at least collaborating on) the past timeline. I know this is a hot area of debate in the book world and many people have differing opinions on the matter.
I did think the book was well written and overall it was a good story.
June 5, 2014
This book is a "must read" for anyone who enjoys a different and unusual story. It's the first Sarah Bird book since Alamo House that really appealed to me. (I must say that Alamo House was one of the cleverest and funniest books I've read and remember.)
Above the East China Sea, and warning, it's a slow starter and has some very graphic descriptions of war and its consequences. Don't give up. It is worth pursuing. Army brats will probably relate from the beginning, but any intelligent reader will be enchanted by the history and beliefs of pre-World War II Okinawa natives.
The characters and situations are beautifully detailed and speak to your heart. Although the present day part of the story, involving Luz and her Staff Sergeant mother at Kadena Air Base were less so, I was moved to tears at the ending.
Many ancestor-worshiping cultures such as those in China and Japan are difficult for us Westerners to understand. Above the East China Sea may make you want to build a shrine to your own forebears.
Above the East China Sea, and warning, it's a slow starter and has some very graphic descriptions of war and its consequences. Don't give up. It is worth pursuing. Army brats will probably relate from the beginning, but any intelligent reader will be enchanted by the history and beliefs of pre-World War II Okinawa natives.
The characters and situations are beautifully detailed and speak to your heart. Although the present day part of the story, involving Luz and her Staff Sergeant mother at Kadena Air Base were less so, I was moved to tears at the ending.
Many ancestor-worshiping cultures such as those in China and Japan are difficult for us Westerners to understand. Above the East China Sea may make you want to build a shrine to your own forebears.
August 12, 2014
This is a departure for Sara that might put her in the literary hall of fame -- Sara is a writer for Texas Monthly and lives in Austin, ( I think?). Thank you Book People for putting this one on my horizon.
This book about Okinawa then and now is beautiful and haunting and wonderful, and I'd like to go hear Sara discuss how she wrote it. It somewhat reminds me of The Good Earth meets Memoirs of a Geisha. Fictional story that promotes the idea of Americans getting in touch with their history and beautifully shows the history of Okinawa even prior to its occupation by Japan and then America. What is family? What is love? How does a young girl know the path to take? How do we deal with loss? What place in our lives do our ancestors have? How does our country matter in our lives? These questions are all raised, as each character encounters life, family, love and country on a grand scale.
Note: it does start slowly with a dual time line of teen angst that is almost wearying. But then bam, it takes off so don't quit it. This is not just another YA pining offering.
This book about Okinawa then and now is beautiful and haunting and wonderful, and I'd like to go hear Sara discuss how she wrote it. It somewhat reminds me of The Good Earth meets Memoirs of a Geisha. Fictional story that promotes the idea of Americans getting in touch with their history and beautifully shows the history of Okinawa even prior to its occupation by Japan and then America. What is family? What is love? How does a young girl know the path to take? How do we deal with loss? What place in our lives do our ancestors have? How does our country matter in our lives? These questions are all raised, as each character encounters life, family, love and country on a grand scale.
Note: it does start slowly with a dual time line of teen angst that is almost wearying. But then bam, it takes off so don't quit it. This is not just another YA pining offering.
May 1, 2015
I'm a long time Sarah Bird fan. I still count Alamo House as one of the funniest books I have ever read. This one was very different however. In fact,it was so bleak and depressing in the beginning that I was worried I wouldn't be able to get through it. It didn't help that the book I got from the library was for one week only, so I knew I would have to read fast. But once I got into it, I tore through the book. It was wonderful. Great characters, prose, everything. It is one of my favorite books this year.
March 10, 2014
This is an extraordinarily original book. It weaves the past, the present, and the Okinawan spiritual world into a beautiful and satisfying story that I had to read twice. It's there-exciting and sad Asian history, modern teen coming of age (crossover!), and the best ending I've read since Sarah Bird's early book, The Mommy Club. Book clubs will love it.
July 15, 2014
This story was deeply moving. I love historical fiction, and the tragedy endured by the people of Okinawa was truth that I had not learned before. Sarah Bird wove the two girls together so thoughtfully. Their connections were surprising and magical. I won't forget this story.
July 13, 2014
I loved this book, a real standout in Sarah Bird's oeuvre. It's a beautiful novel that feels like both an ambitious departure from her earlier fiction and a perfectly natural evolution of her unique voice and vision.
May 19, 2014
What a great story! I enjoyed this one VERY MUCH, so happy to have won an advanced readers copy! I think it'll be one of those stories that stays with you for a while. Book hangover for sure.
July 17, 2014
A beautifully written and well-researched ghost story about family and culture. I already want to read it again.
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