What do you think?
Rate this book
Gina in the Floating World
A bank internship in Japan’s booming 1981 economy is supposed to be twenty-three-year-old Dorothy Falwell’s ticket into a prestigious international MBA program. But the internship is unpaid—so, to make ends meet, she accepts an evening job as a hostess in a rundown suburban bar, a far cry from the sensuous woodblock prints she’s seen of old Tokyo’s “floating world.”
Like her namesake, Dorothy hasn't planned on the detours she encounters in her own twisted version of Oz. Renamed Gina by her boss, she struggles with nightly indignities from customers and confusing advice from new friends. Then her internship crumbles and the suave but mysterious Mr. Tambuki offers help. How can she resist?
With patience and the utmost respect for her opinions, Mr. Tambuki lures her into his exotic world of unorthodox Zen instruction, erotic art, and high-octane sex. Soon, bizarre sexual escapades with monks, salarymen, and gangsters begin to feel normal until one of her clients goes too far, and Dorothy realizes she’s in over her head. But can she find her way back from this point of no return?
Like her namesake, Dorothy hasn't planned on the detours she encounters in her own twisted version of Oz. Renamed Gina by her boss, she struggles with nightly indignities from customers and confusing advice from new friends. Then her internship crumbles and the suave but mysterious Mr. Tambuki offers help. How can she resist?
With patience and the utmost respect for her opinions, Mr. Tambuki lures her into his exotic world of unorthodox Zen instruction, erotic art, and high-octane sex. Soon, bizarre sexual escapades with monks, salarymen, and gangsters begin to feel normal until one of her clients goes too far, and Dorothy realizes she’s in over her head. But can she find her way back from this point of no return?
328 pages, Paperback
First published September 25, 2018
8 people are currently reading
988 people want to read
About the author
Belle Brett
2 books22 followersI am a proud graduate of Grub Street’s Novel Incubator program. My debut novel, GINA IN THE FLOATING WORLD, was published by She Writes Press in September 2018. As a child, I produced what would now be called graphic novels, but alas, only the drawings remain as the words were strictly in the oral tradition. Now, several degrees and careers later (teacher, career counselor, researcher), I write mostly novel length fiction (no pictures, but with a cinematic flavor) about coming of age across the life span. I also write posts for my own writing website, for my blog called "Slow Downsizing," and for other blogs). In addition to writing, I am an artist and enjoy traveling and dancing with my husband and aging contemporaries to live music in local dive bars . All of it is grist for my writing mill.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
September 22, 2018
I read this book as part of the #NSFW @Booksparks blog tour. I don't typically read anything that is NSFW and mostly prefer SFW (lol) but I'm reading a LOT out of my comfort zone lately and I'm realizing that the zone is most definitely getting a bit wider! NSFW does imply that the book might be a bit dirty, a tad naughty, and make you blush - definitely... but I LOVED this story. There was nothing raunchy or gross (OK maybe a teeny tiny bit but it wasn't like reading filthy smut) and the story is fascinating - I did not want it to end. I felt like a fly on the wall in this underground world that although I'd never be a part of, it's intriguingly dangerous and seductively captivating.
It's 1981, and Dorothy is a long way from Kansas. She's traveled to Tokyo, seeking a bank internship, in hopes of increasing her chances at getting into a prestigious MBA program at Wharton. Unfortunately the internship is unpaid and she needs to make ends meet, so she takes on a position as 'hostess' at a seedy bar, where she's given the 'stage name' Gina. There, she's lured into the exotic and erotic land of Oz, full of shady characters, possible gangsters, increasingly dangerous sexcapades and mindgames. She soon finds herself losing the internship, and drowning in questionable decisions, unsure if if she's gotten in too far to ever return. Kansas has never seemed so far away.
The temptation Gina faces is seriously fun to watch unfold and the depiction of this Tokyo underbelly flourishes with incredibly detailed grittiness, but somehow it all seems quite beautiful and enticing. She's in a sort of coming-of-age self-discovery situation where the lure of money, gifts and sexual desires, can outweigh any sort of self worth or self control. The writing is sharp, the pace is fast and the visuals of Japan, the art, the culture and gardens is exquisite. A fantastic story written exceptionally well. Comfort zone officially expanded!
Thanks to @Booksparks and Belle Brett for the opportunity to read this gem!
It's 1981, and Dorothy is a long way from Kansas. She's traveled to Tokyo, seeking a bank internship, in hopes of increasing her chances at getting into a prestigious MBA program at Wharton. Unfortunately the internship is unpaid and she needs to make ends meet, so she takes on a position as 'hostess' at a seedy bar, where she's given the 'stage name' Gina. There, she's lured into the exotic and erotic land of Oz, full of shady characters, possible gangsters, increasingly dangerous sexcapades and mindgames. She soon finds herself losing the internship, and drowning in questionable decisions, unsure if if she's gotten in too far to ever return. Kansas has never seemed so far away.
The temptation Gina faces is seriously fun to watch unfold and the depiction of this Tokyo underbelly flourishes with incredibly detailed grittiness, but somehow it all seems quite beautiful and enticing. She's in a sort of coming-of-age self-discovery situation where the lure of money, gifts and sexual desires, can outweigh any sort of self worth or self control. The writing is sharp, the pace is fast and the visuals of Japan, the art, the culture and gardens is exquisite. A fantastic story written exceptionally well. Comfort zone officially expanded!
Thanks to @Booksparks and Belle Brett for the opportunity to read this gem!
September 20, 2018
Not your standard-fare plot for erotica. Refreshing and exciting!
4/5 stars.
ARC ebook, 328 pages.
Read from September 11, 2018 to September 14, 2018.
Review at The Pluviophile Writer: https://bit.ly/2DnH2Ay
Erotica novels are a great pick-me-up and an escape from everyday life, that is if they're done well. I am very selective when it comes to choosing an erotica novel; the plot either has to sound extremely interesting or the sex scenes have to sound insanely hot. What's even better is if the two, the plot and the sex scenes, come together to create a book that completely consumes you with intrigue, which, with erotica novels, more often than not, is not the case. This book is a rare exception. Thankfully you won't have to wait long to get a copy as you purchase this gem for yourself on September 25, 2018.
Dee Dee, or as her clients know her, Gina, has come to Japan for an internship to help her get some international banking experience so that she can get into a coveted university program. This is also how she became an escort. After her housing situation falls through she desperately needs to find income to manage the rest of her internship. Through an acquaintance, Dee Dee becomes Gina, her working nickname, and starts working at a bar in which she entertains male-clients. It's uncomfortable for her at first but in the beginning its harmless work. She just has to look nice, deal with the crude comments from customers, flirt and sing karaoke. She then, however, starts going out on paid dinner dates in which her customers pay for her time. Here she meets an older man, potentially a gangster, who takes extreme interest and care in her. He pays her handsomely for the time they spend together and while she is attracted to him her morals question whether or not she should engage in sexual acts with him for money. One thing leads to another and Gina finds herself with multiple clients in which she avalanches into the world of prostitution. The term 'floating world' or Ukiyo (浮世), was coined in the Edo period in Japan which describes a pleasure-seeking type lifestyle and popular art form.
Source: Culture 24
Gina is definitely living life at its best in the floating world. She is taking risks and doing things she had never even dreamed of doing but her two lives, Dee Dee's and Gina's, are at odds and her life as Gina has begun to get dangerous. Gina needs to find a way to escape from the floating world that she is deeply entwined in before she is trapped in it forever.
The sex scenes are not as numerous as other erotica novels nor are they as long but it's quality over quantity for this book. I wasn't even bothered by the fact that the steamy sex scenes didn't kick in until a little bit later because the plot was so captivating. The ending is that of an empowered and self-sufficient Dee Dee who has learned more about herself and her life with the short time she has been in Japan than she ever would have at a bank or at back at home. The unique plot setting, along with solid writing and character work make for a story that is interesting on its own, even without the sex. What also made this book a success for me is that the author did not have to stretch my reality too much to make this story interesting and sexy at the same time.
The one thing I did find disappointing in this book is that the plot did not feel like it was set in the 1980s at all but perhaps that is because I have no point of reference for what Japan would have been like in the 80s. There are a couple of music references that indicate the 80s but I found even the clothing description could have easily been applied to the present day.
This novel is a perfect place to start for any first-time erotica reader, though it may set the bar pretty high for anything afterwards. I really enjoyed reading this book and will be placed on my short list of recommendations for this genre.
4/5 stars.
ARC ebook, 328 pages.
Read from September 11, 2018 to September 14, 2018.
Review at The Pluviophile Writer: https://bit.ly/2DnH2Ay
Erotica novels are a great pick-me-up and an escape from everyday life, that is if they're done well. I am very selective when it comes to choosing an erotica novel; the plot either has to sound extremely interesting or the sex scenes have to sound insanely hot. What's even better is if the two, the plot and the sex scenes, come together to create a book that completely consumes you with intrigue, which, with erotica novels, more often than not, is not the case. This book is a rare exception. Thankfully you won't have to wait long to get a copy as you purchase this gem for yourself on September 25, 2018.
Dee Dee, or as her clients know her, Gina, has come to Japan for an internship to help her get some international banking experience so that she can get into a coveted university program. This is also how she became an escort. After her housing situation falls through she desperately needs to find income to manage the rest of her internship. Through an acquaintance, Dee Dee becomes Gina, her working nickname, and starts working at a bar in which she entertains male-clients. It's uncomfortable for her at first but in the beginning its harmless work. She just has to look nice, deal with the crude comments from customers, flirt and sing karaoke. She then, however, starts going out on paid dinner dates in which her customers pay for her time. Here she meets an older man, potentially a gangster, who takes extreme interest and care in her. He pays her handsomely for the time they spend together and while she is attracted to him her morals question whether or not she should engage in sexual acts with him for money. One thing leads to another and Gina finds herself with multiple clients in which she avalanches into the world of prostitution. The term 'floating world' or Ukiyo (浮世), was coined in the Edo period in Japan which describes a pleasure-seeking type lifestyle and popular art form.
Source: Culture 24
Gina is definitely living life at its best in the floating world. She is taking risks and doing things she had never even dreamed of doing but her two lives, Dee Dee's and Gina's, are at odds and her life as Gina has begun to get dangerous. Gina needs to find a way to escape from the floating world that she is deeply entwined in before she is trapped in it forever.
The sex scenes are not as numerous as other erotica novels nor are they as long but it's quality over quantity for this book. I wasn't even bothered by the fact that the steamy sex scenes didn't kick in until a little bit later because the plot was so captivating. The ending is that of an empowered and self-sufficient Dee Dee who has learned more about herself and her life with the short time she has been in Japan than she ever would have at a bank or at back at home. The unique plot setting, along with solid writing and character work make for a story that is interesting on its own, even without the sex. What also made this book a success for me is that the author did not have to stretch my reality too much to make this story interesting and sexy at the same time.
The one thing I did find disappointing in this book is that the plot did not feel like it was set in the 1980s at all but perhaps that is because I have no point of reference for what Japan would have been like in the 80s. There are a couple of music references that indicate the 80s but I found even the clothing description could have easily been applied to the present day.
This novel is a perfect place to start for any first-time erotica reader, though it may set the bar pretty high for anything afterwards. I really enjoyed reading this book and will be placed on my short list of recommendations for this genre.
September 23, 2018
Gina in Floating World is part erotica, part travelling log. You get to follow "Gina's" adventures while she tries to improve her cultural adaptability to Japan, a place as far away as possible from her home, geographically and culturally.
It is not your typical erotica book, not in the sense of the boring ones we come across now. The writer knows how to write an interesting story, and you end up really caring about what happens to the characters. Even though I have to say my favourite was not Gina, as one would expect, but Mr. Tambuki, who I found very interesting.
Refreshing and a good surprise, as I thought we couldn't find these type of books anymore.
It is not your typical erotica book, not in the sense of the boring ones we come across now. The writer knows how to write an interesting story, and you end up really caring about what happens to the characters. Even though I have to say my favourite was not Gina, as one would expect, but Mr. Tambuki, who I found very interesting.
Refreshing and a good surprise, as I thought we couldn't find these type of books anymore.
September 17, 2018
Like a wizard of Oz and Alice down the rabbit hole...but spiraling out of control, erotica. Dee Dee finds herself taking on additional jobs as her internship gets dropped and she has no where else to go. She slips into a realm of keeping businessmen happy...flirting.... dating and other things. She thinks she is in control but can she get herself out of this “floating world” before she loses herself all together ?!?!?! Such a tantalizing erotic story..... twists and turns. I just loved it!!!!
September 27, 2018
BookSparks often has blog book tours or book challenges that span over the course of a season, or just a few books. Today's book, Gina in the Floating World by Belle Brett, is a book that is part of this year's BookSpark Book Tour called the #NSFW - the Not Safe For Work Blog Tour!! At first, I was a bit reluctant since I'm really not a fan of anything labeled "erotica," but once I read the synopsis of this book, I knew I' be okay.
It's 1981, 23-year old Dorothy Falwell ("Dee Dee") has come to Japan for a banking internship to help her get some international banking experience with the hope of increasing her chances of getting into a coveted MBA program at Wharton. After her housing situation falls through, Dee Dee is desperate to find income to make ends meet, so she takes on a position as a 'hostess' at a seedy bar. Her boss gives her a "stage name" of sorts - Gina - after his favorite actress, Gina Lollobrigida. Gina starts working at the bar dealing with crude customer comments, flirting and singing karaoke. While at first it's harmless work, Gina is lured into the exotic/erotic entertainment of male clients - going out on dinner dates where male customers pay for her time.
The internship falls to the wayside as Gina meets an older gangster guy who is really interested in her. and pays her well for the time they spend together. The lure of money, gifts and sexual desires ends up causing Gina to lose the internship and “dating” multiple clients as she enters the world of prostitution.
Belle Brett is a great storyteller as she shares this coming of age story with readers. I loved how Brett provides readers with very fascinating insights into the underworld of Japanese culture throughout the story. I can't wait to see what Brett writes next!
I was provided with a complimentary paperback copy of this book from BookSparks in exchange for my post. No positive review was required.
It's 1981, 23-year old Dorothy Falwell ("Dee Dee") has come to Japan for a banking internship to help her get some international banking experience with the hope of increasing her chances of getting into a coveted MBA program at Wharton. After her housing situation falls through, Dee Dee is desperate to find income to make ends meet, so she takes on a position as a 'hostess' at a seedy bar. Her boss gives her a "stage name" of sorts - Gina - after his favorite actress, Gina Lollobrigida. Gina starts working at the bar dealing with crude customer comments, flirting and singing karaoke. While at first it's harmless work, Gina is lured into the exotic/erotic entertainment of male clients - going out on dinner dates where male customers pay for her time.
The internship falls to the wayside as Gina meets an older gangster guy who is really interested in her. and pays her well for the time they spend together. The lure of money, gifts and sexual desires ends up causing Gina to lose the internship and “dating” multiple clients as she enters the world of prostitution.
Belle Brett is a great storyteller as she shares this coming of age story with readers. I loved how Brett provides readers with very fascinating insights into the underworld of Japanese culture throughout the story. I can't wait to see what Brett writes next!
I was provided with a complimentary paperback copy of this book from BookSparks in exchange for my post. No positive review was required.
September 25, 2018
Erotic. Funny. Tense. And full of heart. Gina in the Floating World is a story about how little decisions can turn life in ways you never imagined. What a fascinating premise: A young American woman schooled by nuns goes to Japan after college in the early 1980s for a banking internship, but when that doesn't work out, suddenly finds herself working as a paid escort...and worse. I was hooked from the first page. Needless to say, Gina (formerly Dorothy) encounters a lot of men...a mysterious Svengali, a goofy local boy with a crush, a free-spirited expat, a perverse monk, and Japanese mafia thugs. And that's just the beginning! It's a wild rice, but in the end, Gina makes lasting friend and takes away important lessons about Zen and Japanese culture. But mostly, this unsure young woman matures and learns a lot about herself.
September 24, 2018
An extremely likable young heroine struggles to maintain balance between an unpaid internship in international banking while supporting herself in the steamy underworld of Japanese hostess clubs. Gina in the Floating World is a fascinating, thought-provoking and very sexy journey of self-discovery complete with erotic zen lessons, Japanese gangsters and a marvelous cast of ex-pat friends. A compulsive and ultimately empowering read, I thoroughly enjoyed this novel!
September 24, 2018
A fun peek into life in Japan for a wide-eyed innocent American out to forge her own way, break from her parents and get herself into business school. Brett shows us all how quickly small choices can snowball into one big turn in life!
August 18, 2018
This well written erotic thriller was so suspenseful I had to put it down. Literally. Since I typically read at night before bed, it was too unsettling to keep reading as the protagonist, Gina, got pulled deeper into a dangerous, dark world. I finished it on the weekend (in the light of day) in one sitting, desperately hoping Gina could find her way out. Belle Brett is a wonderful storyteller in this captivating coming of age tale. A great debut that will definitely stay with me for a while!
September 3, 2018
Belle Brett's erotic coming-of-age novel, GINA IN THE FLOATING WORLD, is also a cultural field trip into the "Floating World," where celebration of experience beyond the mundane, of the now, is prized in Zen practice, in paintings, in Kabuki theater, tea ceremonies and sex.
Brett locates our heroine in time in the first sentences. "In 1981, the same year Dolly Parton’s feminist hit “9 to 5” reached number one on the charts and Sandra Day O’Connor was sworn in as the first female justice on the Supreme Court, I became a whore in Tokyo. At the time, it seemed like the natural thing to do."
It is in this cultural moment that the heroine, fledgling American college grad Dorothy Falwell, lands halfway around the world in Tokyo for a banking internship. She plans to beef up her application to Wharton and shed the constraints of conventional female choices. Not for Dorothy her sister's suburban home with nights at the PTA. Dorothy longs to explore a much wider world.
Tokyo obliges. Dorothy's internship falls through, her resources dwindle and Dorothy is too proud to go or even call home for help. In short order she is working as a hostess at a suburban bar. The men's overtures are easily rebuffed and Dorothy's confidence grows as she picks and chooses her sexual partners and her limits. She feels liberated and in control.
As the men and the sex become more unorthodox, Dorothy questions just who is in control: the transcendent now, her Zen teacher the mysterious Mr. Tambuki, the client or her? And whoever is in control, will Dorothy figure out what she wants before it's too late?
This hard-to-put-down debut novel will appeal to adventurous adult readers.
Brett locates our heroine in time in the first sentences. "In 1981, the same year Dolly Parton’s feminist hit “9 to 5” reached number one on the charts and Sandra Day O’Connor was sworn in as the first female justice on the Supreme Court, I became a whore in Tokyo. At the time, it seemed like the natural thing to do."
It is in this cultural moment that the heroine, fledgling American college grad Dorothy Falwell, lands halfway around the world in Tokyo for a banking internship. She plans to beef up her application to Wharton and shed the constraints of conventional female choices. Not for Dorothy her sister's suburban home with nights at the PTA. Dorothy longs to explore a much wider world.
Tokyo obliges. Dorothy's internship falls through, her resources dwindle and Dorothy is too proud to go or even call home for help. In short order she is working as a hostess at a suburban bar. The men's overtures are easily rebuffed and Dorothy's confidence grows as she picks and chooses her sexual partners and her limits. She feels liberated and in control.
As the men and the sex become more unorthodox, Dorothy questions just who is in control: the transcendent now, her Zen teacher the mysterious Mr. Tambuki, the client or her? And whoever is in control, will Dorothy figure out what she wants before it's too late?
This hard-to-put-down debut novel will appeal to adventurous adult readers.
September 24, 2018
It is 1981, and Dorothy Falwell is a recent "straight A" graduate looking to start her internship in the international banking in Japan. As her internships flop, and she finds herself low on cash, Dorothy becomes desperate to leave her hostile, but not desperate enough to go home and admit defeat. Thankfully she is introduced to the hostessing world via a newfound friend, and offered some confusing advice that wins her financial stability, but causes her to questions her conservative morals. From gangsters to English students and businessmen to risqué women, Dorothy, now dubbed Gina by her new boss, meets them all. But when the Zen starts to fade and the danger starts to set in, will Dorothy be able to make it out of this downward spiral and safely get herself back home?
This one took me out of my comfort zone a bit. Though I did read 50 Shades of Grey, I am not typically an "erotica reader". That being said, I am happy this one landed on my doorstep. I loved Brett's rendition of a twisted, Japanese Oz complete with Dorothy, silver slippers, and the Great and Powerful Oz. Belle Brett took a potentially nightmarish situation, a twenty three year old out of her element in Japan, finding herself forced to make money via her body, and turned it into a coming of age, woman's empowerment read. Loaded with a lot more than some steamy scenes, Gina explores the sights, food, and culture of Japan leaving the reader a little more "culturally adaptable". Creating an inner struggle between her morals and her experiences, Brett poses the question many of us encounter in our lives- "Do we succumb to the actions of our surroundings because we believe in them, or because it is easier to fit in?" Truly an impressive writer, I look forward to more from Belle Brett.
This one took me out of my comfort zone a bit. Though I did read 50 Shades of Grey, I am not typically an "erotica reader". That being said, I am happy this one landed on my doorstep. I loved Brett's rendition of a twisted, Japanese Oz complete with Dorothy, silver slippers, and the Great and Powerful Oz. Belle Brett took a potentially nightmarish situation, a twenty three year old out of her element in Japan, finding herself forced to make money via her body, and turned it into a coming of age, woman's empowerment read. Loaded with a lot more than some steamy scenes, Gina explores the sights, food, and culture of Japan leaving the reader a little more "culturally adaptable". Creating an inner struggle between her morals and her experiences, Brett poses the question many of us encounter in our lives- "Do we succumb to the actions of our surroundings because we believe in them, or because it is easier to fit in?" Truly an impressive writer, I look forward to more from Belle Brett.
September 29, 2018
So the first one is part of the #NSFWreads for Booksparks. This is part of their fall line up. The #NSFWreads is not safe for work and shouldn’t be read at work just in case you would get catch with these steamy books.
Thank you to Booksparks for my copy! It is very much appreciated.
So to begin with, this book feels like the Wizard of Oz and Alice in Wonderland rolled into one. Dorothy (Dee Dee) isn’t in Kansas anymore and she falls down the rabbit hole of the floating world.
What is the Floating World? Well in Japan is was the world of entertainment or play.
Wait what!?!?!?! World of entertainment and play. Yup if you are thinking it then you’re right.
The book is set in Japan in the 1980s. Dee Dee has come for a bank internship that an ex (her professor) had set up for her. She soon realizes that it is not at all what she expects and learns that if she’s going to survive she’s going to need a job.
Through a few people she meets along the way she meets some helpful people who help her find a job in the floating world. Dee Dee receives a new name of Gina and off she’s thrown into the Floating World working as a hostess.
This book is almost like a travel journal for Dee Dee rather than an erotica. It really doesn’t feel like an erotica book. You also don’t feel like you are in the 1980s. I’m sure the floating world is around today and it’s a lot different than portrayed in this book.
You’ll have to read Gina in the Floating World for yourself to find out more about how her internship goes and about her job as a hostess.
I would give this book a solid 3.5 stars.
Thank you to Booksparks for my copy! It is very much appreciated.
So to begin with, this book feels like the Wizard of Oz and Alice in Wonderland rolled into one. Dorothy (Dee Dee) isn’t in Kansas anymore and she falls down the rabbit hole of the floating world.
What is the Floating World? Well in Japan is was the world of entertainment or play.
Wait what!?!?!?! World of entertainment and play. Yup if you are thinking it then you’re right.
The book is set in Japan in the 1980s. Dee Dee has come for a bank internship that an ex (her professor) had set up for her. She soon realizes that it is not at all what she expects and learns that if she’s going to survive she’s going to need a job.
Through a few people she meets along the way she meets some helpful people who help her find a job in the floating world. Dee Dee receives a new name of Gina and off she’s thrown into the Floating World working as a hostess.
This book is almost like a travel journal for Dee Dee rather than an erotica. It really doesn’t feel like an erotica book. You also don’t feel like you are in the 1980s. I’m sure the floating world is around today and it’s a lot different than portrayed in this book.
You’ll have to read Gina in the Floating World for yourself to find out more about how her internship goes and about her job as a hostess.
I would give this book a solid 3.5 stars.
November 14, 2018
I don’t read erotica and I honestly wasn’t aware that it was Brett’s intended genre when I added this book to my to-read list. I was genuinely drawn in by the plot of a naive American woman navigating the sexual underbelly of Tokyo while trying to make it as a serious international banking intern. Brett is a good writer and while some of Dee Dee’s trysts are pretty steamy, the language wasn’t excessive or outright pornographic (not that there’s anything wrong with that, just not my thing).
I think this book would work fine for erotica fans looking for something more plot-heavy or for general fiction readers who like stories about Tokyo’s sex industry. Personally, I was interested in the book after reading a few Ryu Murakami novels and becoming interested in Japan’s very different attitude toward sex work compared to the US’s. It definitely has similar elements to Ryu Murakami’s work in terms of subject matter, but we get to hear it from a woman’s point of view this time which I liked.
I did have a few moments where I wasn’t super comfortable with its classification as an erotica because Dee Dee does find herself in some dangerous situations that tainted the sexiness of some of the consensual experiences she has. I wouldn’t call this a “sexy” book myself. It’s a story of a young woman finding her identity by pushing past her own boundaries and becoming empowered when she realizes that she doesn’t have to totally change herself to become the person she was meant to be.
I think this book would work fine for erotica fans looking for something more plot-heavy or for general fiction readers who like stories about Tokyo’s sex industry. Personally, I was interested in the book after reading a few Ryu Murakami novels and becoming interested in Japan’s very different attitude toward sex work compared to the US’s. It definitely has similar elements to Ryu Murakami’s work in terms of subject matter, but we get to hear it from a woman’s point of view this time which I liked.
I did have a few moments where I wasn’t super comfortable with its classification as an erotica because Dee Dee does find herself in some dangerous situations that tainted the sexiness of some of the consensual experiences she has. I wouldn’t call this a “sexy” book myself. It’s a story of a young woman finding her identity by pushing past her own boundaries and becoming empowered when she realizes that she doesn’t have to totally change herself to become the person she was meant to be.
January 2, 2019
Best Title I’ve Seen All Year
Gina in the Floating World is a wonderful title for an intriguing coming of cross-cultural age story of a smart (as she tells us) but surprisingly naïve young girl who heads to Tokyo for an internship at a bank without due diligence—leaving her to fend for herself in a dangerously complicated culture she doesn’t understand. She stumbles into a job as a “hostess,” the beginning of a dark plunge along the very slippery slope of an underground that more than pays the bills as it sucks her into a lifestyle she can’t imagine for herself even as she fully appreciates it’s pleasures and, ultimately, dangers. Be prepared for this erotica, which gives Shades of Grey more than a run for its money. Though mostly an engrossing page turner, the narrative often stretches credulity when the heroine is subjected to experiences that would send anyone running, but leave her with little insight, always making the wrong choice. Though an interesting read, the sex at times is so graphic it’s distracting and it’s hard to get a handle on the choices and mind-set of the supposedly smart main character and her effect on the many men who handily are available to both threaten and rescue her. That said, the floating world is fascinating indeed and the swift read more than worth it.
Gina in the Floating World is a wonderful title for an intriguing coming of cross-cultural age story of a smart (as she tells us) but surprisingly naïve young girl who heads to Tokyo for an internship at a bank without due diligence—leaving her to fend for herself in a dangerously complicated culture she doesn’t understand. She stumbles into a job as a “hostess,” the beginning of a dark plunge along the very slippery slope of an underground that more than pays the bills as it sucks her into a lifestyle she can’t imagine for herself even as she fully appreciates it’s pleasures and, ultimately, dangers. Be prepared for this erotica, which gives Shades of Grey more than a run for its money. Though mostly an engrossing page turner, the narrative often stretches credulity when the heroine is subjected to experiences that would send anyone running, but leave her with little insight, always making the wrong choice. Though an interesting read, the sex at times is so graphic it’s distracting and it’s hard to get a handle on the choices and mind-set of the supposedly smart main character and her effect on the many men who handily are available to both threaten and rescue her. That said, the floating world is fascinating indeed and the swift read more than worth it.
June 30, 2019
Gina in The Floating World is a coming-of-age novel set in the early 1980s and told by an unreliable narrator. She's a 20-something who has left her conventional life in the midwest US for a banking internship in Japan, but when she gets there she discovers that nothing is what she expects. I'm approaching 50 and don't usually pick up coming-of-age stories anymore, but I'm so glad I picked this one up. Brett handles themes of erotic labor, culture shock, and socialization thoughtfully and artfully. I was taken in by the vivid descriptions of the dive bars where DeeDee, as Gina, finds work as a hostess and begins to contend with the sexual desires of the clientele, and by the absolutely believable, charming, and frightening characters she meets along the way. Each of these characters is complex, intriguing, and contributes significantly to DeeDee's growth, though sometimes in unexpected ways. One last thing: Brett manages to avoid every cliche that can trap a person trying to write about sex, and that's no simple feat. She takes sex scenes head-on, without resorting to coy euphemisms or clinical description.
September 5, 2018
Just as the deferential, Japanese salarymen find a parallel world in which they can drink themselves to oblivion and make crude comments about the women who serve them without repercussions, Dee Dee, a young American traveler, falls into a parallel existence as a bar hostess when her paid internship at a Japanese bank falls through. Under her hostess name, Gina, she drifts down a slippery slope of flirting, “dating” and eventually situations in which she thinks she’s in control, but perhaps isn’t. Belle Brett does a marvelous job of capturing the milieu of young ex-pats who spend months and even years kicking around the world, and the risks they take and the quirky relationships they form with fellow travelers and with kind and not so kind strangers. This is a quick, engaging read, that exposes reader to a slice a Japan most tourists do not see. I found the sexual politics of the book a bit murky, and imagine this book would stimulate heated debate in a women’s or gender studies course, especially in the era (or moment?) of "Me Too”.
June 19, 2019
"Gina in the Floating World" is a breathtaking journey of a coming-of-age Midwestern, convent-educated twenty-something young woman wanting to escape her dull and somewhat dysfunctional family for a cultural experience abroad. So, Dorothy Falwell (intentionally named after the Wizard of Oz character), moves to Tokyo in 1981 to become a bank intern just at the cusp of the meteoric rise of Japan's economy. Unfortunately, that route does not pay her bills so Dorothy (DeeDee aka Gina) ends up in the "floating world", aptly and metaphorically named for the beautiful woodblock prints (ukiyo-e translated as "floating world) depicting geisha, courtesans, and the exclusive world of the men engaged in sensuous and expensive entertainment, some of it highly sexual. Finding her identity as she becomes aware of her own naiveté, the reader is with Dorothy all the way as she discovers what is "behind the curtain" of Oz and what her self-worth truly is. A worthwhile read of a young woman pushing the boundaries to an extreme to find out who she wants to be.
Read
September 6, 2024A first novel by writer - set in the 1980s in Japan . A young bossomy American lady goes to Japan for an internship at a bank , with the hope that this will help secure her a place in a prestigious MBA program back in the USA.
She is plunged into a dark world of love hotels, men only bars and kinky sex . She had brushes with Yakazu gangsters but also develops caring relationships with a local Japanese student (her “Hiro”) and also expats in the country .
The novel has lots to tell of male dominance in Japan, the stifling office culture of the “salary man” and there is no space nor voice in this novel of a Japanese female .
I wonder what a Japanese lady would think of this novel in today ‘s context ? How much , if it did , have Japan changed ? Am curious .
Novel - straight forward plot but I find it difficult to picture or imagine a Japanese man with at times very fluent English conversation …. I suppose this is one of the difficulties of writing a novel of another culture and having all important characters speak English
August 12, 2018
I don’t imagine I’ll ever forget the first line of this novel. Wow! Hooked me from the get-go. The writing is clear, evocative, engaging, and utterly believable. I learned so much about a side of Japan I’d never even heard of before. Cultural insights abound in this delightful first novel, all handled with frankness and good taste, something not easily managed. I cared a great deal about the young protagonist trying to find herself in her twenties, in a foreign country no less, without the support of family or friends. I got so engaged I overheard myself talking aloud to her, Gina, warning her, laughing with her, and, at times, congratulating her. This book is a wonderful coming-of-age story, but, more than that, it posed questions that challenged my thinking and made me grow as a person. What more can one ask of a novel?
December 24, 2019
Three things signal to me that I love a book. One: I reach for it when I wake up, even briefly in the middle of the night. Two: It stays with me long after I’ve read it. Three: something in the work sets up an argument that I have a hard time resolving. Belle Brett’s Gina in the Floating World is the book I never wanted to love, but do! A story of a twenty-something who becomes stranded in 1980s Japan after a business internship gone bad and who makes all the wrong choices with a naivete that’s painful to observe — and yet — the exploration of a seamier side of Japanese culture, a maturing of her sexuality, and her growing sense of self determination, all transmitted with powerful storytelling by Brett kept this reader engaged and enthralled.
November 27, 2018
This sounded like an interesting plot and at first I thought it was possibly self-aware homage to a seedy pulp or noir. So I kept reading but it just got worse and worse and fell flat. It isn’t well written enough to resemble decent adult fiction literature, it’s not fun enough or a fast read enough to even be like pop chick lit entertainment and it’s not remotely sexy enough to be called erotica. The supposed sexy parts were painfully bad. So bad, I wondered if the writer had ever read a book or seen a movie with a hot sex scene, let alone experienced it. I’m confused about anyone who read it and thought it was meant to be erotica.
June 24, 2019
"Gina in the Floating World"--Belle Brett
"Gina in the Floating World" is a breathtaking journey of a coming-of-age Midwestern, convent-educated twenty-something young woman wanting to escape her dull and somewhat dysfunctional family for a cultural experience abroad. So, Dorothy Falwell (intentionally named after the Wizard of Oz character), moves to Tokyo in 1981 to become a bank intern just at the cusp of the meteoric rise of Japan's economy. Unfortunately, that route does not pay her bills so Dorothy (DeeDee aka Gina) ends up in the "floating world", aptly and metaphorically named for the beautiful woodblock prints (ukiyo-e translated as "floating world) depicting geisha, courtesans, and the exclusive world of the men engaged in sensuous and expensive entertainment, some of it highly sexual. Finding her identity as she becomes aware of her own naiveté, the reader is with Dorothy all the way as she discovers what is "behind the curtain" of Oz and what her self-worth truly is. A worthwhile read of a young woman pushing the boundaries to an extreme to find out who she wants to be.
"Gina in the Floating World" is a breathtaking journey of a coming-of-age Midwestern, convent-educated twenty-something young woman wanting to escape her dull and somewhat dysfunctional family for a cultural experience abroad. So, Dorothy Falwell (intentionally named after the Wizard of Oz character), moves to Tokyo in 1981 to become a bank intern just at the cusp of the meteoric rise of Japan's economy. Unfortunately, that route does not pay her bills so Dorothy (DeeDee aka Gina) ends up in the "floating world", aptly and metaphorically named for the beautiful woodblock prints (ukiyo-e translated as "floating world) depicting geisha, courtesans, and the exclusive world of the men engaged in sensuous and expensive entertainment, some of it highly sexual. Finding her identity as she becomes aware of her own naiveté, the reader is with Dorothy all the way as she discovers what is "behind the curtain" of Oz and what her self-worth truly is. A worthwhile read of a young woman pushing the boundaries to an extreme to find out who she wants to be.
August 21, 2018
Gina in the Floating World is a total page-turner! The story of twenty-something Gina (Dorothy Falwell) navigating her way on her own in 1981 Japan is creative, sensual and spine-tingling. I was with Gina with each visit to the Snack, each encounter with Mr. Tambuki, every twist and turn on her journey deeper and deeper into the "floating world" or the dark side of Japanese night life. Belle Brett masterfully brings characters and a foreign culture to life to create a coming-of-age story that I could not put down. I highly recommend!
March 16, 2020
This book is a first work put out by a small press, and I think it was labeled erotica. I am not sure if I would have enjoyed it as much if I had not gotten the chance to visit Japan a few months earlier, but the story is somewhat based on the author's life, and despite taking place in the 1980s with all of its associated hangups and prejudices, it's a nice "coming of age" tale about a young woman who takes a huge risk traveling to someplace wholly different from her home. The snack was my favorite setting in this book, I pictured it as a sort of Japanese Happy Days.
November 8, 2018
An amazing cast of characters in a world that is part fairy tale, part gangster, part erotica and part love. When Dorothy sets out from her Midwestern sheltered life for a Japanese education in International Banker she has no idea what she is about to be educated in. Is it cliche to write I couldn't put it down? I read this book in one day. I closed it 5 minutes ago and I miss Gina already!
October 25, 2018
I started to read this book (I was sent an advanced reader copy from NetGalley). The writing is amazing and I really felt like I was there in the story in the setting. However I was not enjoying reading this at all hence I stopped reading at 25% way through.
August 8, 2019
A fascinating coming of age story / travelogue set in Japan, this book details an American college girl’s business internship in Tokyo, gone off-course into the ‘floating world’ of hostessing, modeling and sensual education. A compelling journey!
October 7, 2018
Fun, entertaining, thought provoking, well crafted.
December 18, 2018
A light and interesting romp through the sordid "floating world" of modern Japan. What an interesting portal to follow Gina through, into quite an erotic and transformative adventure.
April 27, 2019
Enjoyed this book about a young woman’s very unexpected learning experience in Japan.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews