What do you think?
Rate this book
Sakura+Maple
Edokko
Lily Jennings is Going. To. Japan.
Sixteen and on top of the world, Lily's BEYOND excited to be setting off for an entire year as an exchange student in Tokyo. Fashion and fun are foremost on her mind as she arrives ready to meet her new host family and embark on a grand adventure, livestreaming all the way.
What Lily isn't expecting, however, is for her urban host family to cancel at the last moment and leave her hanging with nowhere to live. She's shipped off to the small town of Ajimu (sorry, where!?), a billion miles from anywhere cool and exciting, with a neurotic host sister, straight-up-vile classmates and a microscopic community watching over her every move.
Too bad for the people of this small town—nothing's going to hold Lily back when she wants something!
Sixteen and on top of the world, Lily's BEYOND excited to be setting off for an entire year as an exchange student in Tokyo. Fashion and fun are foremost on her mind as she arrives ready to meet her new host family and embark on a grand adventure, livestreaming all the way.
What Lily isn't expecting, however, is for her urban host family to cancel at the last moment and leave her hanging with nowhere to live. She's shipped off to the small town of Ajimu (sorry, where!?), a billion miles from anywhere cool and exciting, with a neurotic host sister, straight-up-vile classmates and a microscopic community watching over her every move.
Too bad for the people of this small town—nothing's going to hold Lily back when she wants something!
- GenresYoung AdultJapanFiction
332 pages, Paperback
Published May 17, 2021
3 people are currently reading
660 people want to read
About the author
Loren Greene
3 books34 followersRaised just outside of St. John’s, Newfoundland, Loren grew up hoping to become the next Gordon Korman. She wasn’t particularly funny, which quickly became a serious problem. Then she dreamed of being an exchange student in Japan and using her newfound fluency to consume comic books by the boatload. That plan didn’t work out, either.
Instead, she went off to teach English in Osaka, and has been writing about Japan ever since.
She has two published novels set in Japan, Meet You By Hachiko, and a same-universe not-quite-sequel, Edokko. Both titles are part of the Sakura+Maple series banner and published by HachiPress.
If you’re interested in becoming part of the advance reader/launch team and gaining early access to new titles, check out http://arc.lorengreene.com
Instead, she went off to teach English in Osaka, and has been writing about Japan ever since.
She has two published novels set in Japan, Meet You By Hachiko, and a same-universe not-quite-sequel, Edokko. Both titles are part of the Sakura+Maple series banner and published by HachiPress.
If you’re interested in becoming part of the advance reader/launch team and gaining early access to new titles, check out http://arc.lorengreene.com
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
May 11, 2021
Highly recommend reading!
I thoroughly enjoyed myself while reading this beautiful book💖
Edokko was completely different from what I expected just like Japan was completely different from what Lily expected it to be, and I loved it.. It's been a while since I've read such a warm read and it was like I lived their life with them. I didn't feel as if time passed because I was enraptured by this beautiful and cute story. The plot was amazing and the characters were also really interesting and relatable. There was a lot of good character development and I found myself sad when the book ended because I won't have more of them in my daily life now. Definitely recommend reading to everyone. I also loved all the new words I got to learn in Japanese and the cultural diversity in the books was fantastic. I wish I had the opportunity to become an exchange student in my high school after reading this book. So all in all, I loved it and Loren I'm gonna be reading more of your works for sure❤
I thoroughly enjoyed myself while reading this beautiful book💖
Edokko was completely different from what I expected just like Japan was completely different from what Lily expected it to be, and I loved it.. It's been a while since I've read such a warm read and it was like I lived their life with them. I didn't feel as if time passed because I was enraptured by this beautiful and cute story. The plot was amazing and the characters were also really interesting and relatable. There was a lot of good character development and I found myself sad when the book ended because I won't have more of them in my daily life now. Definitely recommend reading to everyone. I also loved all the new words I got to learn in Japanese and the cultural diversity in the books was fantastic. I wish I had the opportunity to become an exchange student in my high school after reading this book. So all in all, I loved it and Loren I'm gonna be reading more of your works for sure❤
June 6, 2021
I won this book in a goodreads drawing.
An entitled Canadian girl becomes an exchange student, on her way to Tokyo, but finds herself way out in the sticks instead, far from any city. She doesn't speak Japanese, and can't really communicate with anybody.
As the year goes by, she settles in and finds what the small town has to offer.
An entitled Canadian girl becomes an exchange student, on her way to Tokyo, but finds herself way out in the sticks instead, far from any city. She doesn't speak Japanese, and can't really communicate with anybody.
As the year goes by, she settles in and finds what the small town has to offer.
May 2, 2021
I don't think I would have been as empathetic to Lily if I was her age. I mean, she's sixteen and gets to go to Japan for a year and complains for the first half of the book!
But because I'm an adult, I have much more of a grasp on how it's really not her fault that she was told she was going to Tokyo and wasn't informed that something could change. The company had no back ups for situations like this and led her along by the nose.
What's really great about Edokko is how the main character changes as a person and is enriched by her year abroad in ways that you wouldn't expect.
This is a beautiful book with some wish fulfilment. The main character feels like a real teenage girl and I just adored her journey from reacting like a frightened brat to really understanding what she's doing and falling in love with Japan, not just the idea of it.
The company that facilitates these trips did my head in though, haha.
I received a copy of Edokko in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
But because I'm an adult, I have much more of a grasp on how it's really not her fault that she was told she was going to Tokyo and wasn't informed that something could change. The company had no back ups for situations like this and led her along by the nose.
What's really great about Edokko is how the main character changes as a person and is enriched by her year abroad in ways that you wouldn't expect.
This is a beautiful book with some wish fulfilment. The main character feels like a real teenage girl and I just adored her journey from reacting like a frightened brat to really understanding what she's doing and falling in love with Japan, not just the idea of it.
The company that facilitates these trips did my head in though, haha.
I received a copy of Edokko in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
June 3, 2021
This was so wonderful.
One of the reasons why I liked this so much was because it is a YA contemporary that DOESN'T focus on romance. It was really good because it had such development on the relationships of siblings, friendship, and family.
The bonds that she builds with her host family and all of the boys at school are so heartwarming.
This is such a feel-good book. Very wholesome and refreshing.
The only reason I am rating this 4 stars rather than 5, is because, in the beginning, I found lily to be extremely annoying:)
While the book is super jubilant and happy, it also had its heartfelt moments. Talking to her dad on the phone, discovering more about Fuyumi, THe teacher Ono, etc.
Everything was very good and this book was very enjoyable.
Highly Recommend! :)
One of the reasons why I liked this so much was because it is a YA contemporary that DOESN'T focus on romance. It was really good because it had such development on the relationships of siblings, friendship, and family.
The bonds that she builds with her host family and all of the boys at school are so heartwarming.
This is such a feel-good book. Very wholesome and refreshing.
The only reason I am rating this 4 stars rather than 5, is because, in the beginning, I found lily to be extremely annoying:)
While the book is super jubilant and happy, it also had its heartfelt moments. Talking to her dad on the phone, discovering more about Fuyumi, THe teacher Ono, etc.
Everything was very good and this book was very enjoyable.
Highly Recommend! :)
May 16, 2021
3.5 stars. This is a really cute story about a 16 year old girl from Canada who thinks she's going cool and hip Tokyo for a year abroad, but ends up in a small town in Kyushu. It's a predictable teen story but the location and characters give it special merit and if you have any interest at all in Japan you will enjoy this story. Kudos for authenticity and a great introduction to the "real" Japan. I think both teens and adults can enjoy this.
Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book.
Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book.
April 26, 2021
“Edokko” by Loren Green is a wonderful timeless story aimed to younger readers, that would nevertheless, fully appeal to adult readers, will be instantly reconnect with her own inner teenager.
This is Lily Jennings story, sixteen-years-old Torontonian, open, modern, blogger and ready for adventure and escape her helicopter parents. And Lily has a great plan: She is going to Japan in year-study-abroad program with the WorldFriends organization, something both her parents can come on board, it’s education after all. To be honest, Lily is more interesting in strolling through Shinjuku, enjoy Tokyo’s street life and wear the total stylish uniform of the Koen Gakuin, the elite school where she will be filling in for her “exchange sister” Moemi Tanaka who is currently in her own study-abroad year in Italy. Lily has all planned out, living her best life for a year, blogging for her fans, in a dead-ringer for her favourite manga ‘Shinjuku Days and Nights’ version.
Only a couple of days before the Japanese school years begins (April 1st) Lily arrives in Osaka, full of plans, dreams, and expectations. Just two days orientation and she will be on her way to the Koen Gakuin and her ‘Shinjuku’-dream. However, Lily begins to realize that the program might be harder than she expected, but even so, she could never be prepared for the series of unfortunate events surrounding her journey, it begins with her ‘exchange sister’ deciding to come back early, following by the school denying her a study-place, now that the class is already complete. WorldFriends finds a solution, sending her to Ajimu, a far cry from what she expected. Mr. & Mrs Fujino are nice enough, but don’t understand anything she does or says, their daughter Fuyumi seems to openly despise Lily while fully ignore her, the only silver lining is Ryohei, who is in fact adorable, speaks a passable English and is eleven! years old. The new school not only doesn’t have any fashionable uniform, it doesn’t in fact have one that fits her, and the other students don’t seem to give a yen about her. But Lily is resilient and tries, for week on weeks, to get WorldFriends to find a solution, that brings back to her dream, to Tokyo, the Tanakas, the Koen Gakuin. As time passes, and Lily’s expectations get constantly challenged, she slowly finds that fate usually don’t give you want but frequently in the end exactly what you need.
The story is told by Lily herself, but is by no means a ‘Mary Sue’ story, on the contrary, Lily and the reader bond immediately, embarking together into the journey into an unknown culture, contrasting our own preconceived opinions with subjective perceptions and the factual reality, until we (aka Lily) are able to gain a full tridimensional picture. An amazing story, captivating and enticing, real-life at its best. Regardless whether you have any experience with cultural exchange travel, this is a story that will mean different things to different readers, but will never be meaningless. And those already acquainted with Loren Green’s previous book “Meet You By Hachiko” will even find some hidden gems, that by no means necessary to enjoy the story, are a welcome gift 😊.
Loren Green succeeds in bring to life characters, settings, and situations, offering accurate depictions of Japan, in general and its cultural nuances in particular, which is a very welcomed added bonus, instantly recognizable for any Japanophile and incredible interesting and immensely valuable for those who aren’t.
This is Lily Jennings story, sixteen-years-old Torontonian, open, modern, blogger and ready for adventure and escape her helicopter parents. And Lily has a great plan: She is going to Japan in year-study-abroad program with the WorldFriends organization, something both her parents can come on board, it’s education after all. To be honest, Lily is more interesting in strolling through Shinjuku, enjoy Tokyo’s street life and wear the total stylish uniform of the Koen Gakuin, the elite school where she will be filling in for her “exchange sister” Moemi Tanaka who is currently in her own study-abroad year in Italy. Lily has all planned out, living her best life for a year, blogging for her fans, in a dead-ringer for her favourite manga ‘Shinjuku Days and Nights’ version.
Only a couple of days before the Japanese school years begins (April 1st) Lily arrives in Osaka, full of plans, dreams, and expectations. Just two days orientation and she will be on her way to the Koen Gakuin and her ‘Shinjuku’-dream. However, Lily begins to realize that the program might be harder than she expected, but even so, she could never be prepared for the series of unfortunate events surrounding her journey, it begins with her ‘exchange sister’ deciding to come back early, following by the school denying her a study-place, now that the class is already complete. WorldFriends finds a solution, sending her to Ajimu, a far cry from what she expected. Mr. & Mrs Fujino are nice enough, but don’t understand anything she does or says, their daughter Fuyumi seems to openly despise Lily while fully ignore her, the only silver lining is Ryohei, who is in fact adorable, speaks a passable English and is eleven! years old. The new school not only doesn’t have any fashionable uniform, it doesn’t in fact have one that fits her, and the other students don’t seem to give a yen about her. But Lily is resilient and tries, for week on weeks, to get WorldFriends to find a solution, that brings back to her dream, to Tokyo, the Tanakas, the Koen Gakuin. As time passes, and Lily’s expectations get constantly challenged, she slowly finds that fate usually don’t give you want but frequently in the end exactly what you need.
The story is told by Lily herself, but is by no means a ‘Mary Sue’ story, on the contrary, Lily and the reader bond immediately, embarking together into the journey into an unknown culture, contrasting our own preconceived opinions with subjective perceptions and the factual reality, until we (aka Lily) are able to gain a full tridimensional picture. An amazing story, captivating and enticing, real-life at its best. Regardless whether you have any experience with cultural exchange travel, this is a story that will mean different things to different readers, but will never be meaningless. And those already acquainted with Loren Green’s previous book “Meet You By Hachiko” will even find some hidden gems, that by no means necessary to enjoy the story, are a welcome gift 😊.
Loren Green succeeds in bring to life characters, settings, and situations, offering accurate depictions of Japan, in general and its cultural nuances in particular, which is a very welcomed added bonus, instantly recognizable for any Japanophile and incredible interesting and immensely valuable for those who aren’t.
May 29, 2021
The first half of this book was terrible. The Canadian protagonist is a spoiled, ungrateful and whiny brat who expects people to conform to her culture and beliefs despite being on a student exchange program in Japan.
I think most people would kill to be able to go to Japan, but Lily (who is from Toronto) spends most the book complaining about everything. You can just imagine her stomping her feet and demanding to be sent to Tokyo instead of the small town she finds herself in. Like, there is more to Japan than just Tokyo, you know?
Self-entitled Lily is the one imposing on her host family, yet she complains about everything, such as her small room, the cold temperature in the house (they gave her a heater), and having to sleep on a futon instead of a bed. She is intentionally difficult and plays pranks on them in hopes of being kicked out and sent to Tokyo instead.
Despite having her host parent cook her meals, she whines about "But home cooking at the Fujino house didn't resemble any Japanese food she'd eaten in Toronto" and "But surely it would be impossible for Japan to reach the twenty-first century without Mexican food?"
She also complains non-stop about not having friends and how her classmates do not understand English and vice versa. Yet she puts in no effort at all to learn Japanese or talk to her classmates. The only exceptions are when her tutor is a cute Japanese boy that she has a crush on, and when she picks the most good-looking and popular girl in class to talk to (but is rebuffed).
This is an exact quote from the book: "A town the size of an airport, an icebox house, a room with no furniture, a mom who couldn't cook, a pretentious sister who might be a serial killer for all Lily knew, and the only one who could talk to her in her language was a little kid. She couldn't even buy a book or a magazine here. Forget about the comforts of home!"
Need I remind that she is the foreigner in Japan, not the other way round?!?!?
The book reads more like a middle grade novel than young adult because the protagonist sounds so childish (both her behaviour and the writing). I'm also surprised that Lily never got caught for outright lying on her blog. I had been expecting someone to find out and expose her for the liar she is.
The second half of the book is more tolerable but I couldn't care less by that point.
Thank you to Netgalley for an e-ARC of this book.
I think most people would kill to be able to go to Japan, but Lily (who is from Toronto) spends most the book complaining about everything. You can just imagine her stomping her feet and demanding to be sent to Tokyo instead of the small town she finds herself in. Like, there is more to Japan than just Tokyo, you know?
Self-entitled Lily is the one imposing on her host family, yet she complains about everything, such as her small room, the cold temperature in the house (they gave her a heater), and having to sleep on a futon instead of a bed. She is intentionally difficult and plays pranks on them in hopes of being kicked out and sent to Tokyo instead.
Despite having her host parent cook her meals, she whines about "But home cooking at the Fujino house didn't resemble any Japanese food she'd eaten in Toronto" and "But surely it would be impossible for Japan to reach the twenty-first century without Mexican food?"
She also complains non-stop about not having friends and how her classmates do not understand English and vice versa. Yet she puts in no effort at all to learn Japanese or talk to her classmates. The only exceptions are when her tutor is a cute Japanese boy that she has a crush on, and when she picks the most good-looking and popular girl in class to talk to (but is rebuffed).
This is an exact quote from the book: "A town the size of an airport, an icebox house, a room with no furniture, a mom who couldn't cook, a pretentious sister who might be a serial killer for all Lily knew, and the only one who could talk to her in her language was a little kid. She couldn't even buy a book or a magazine here. Forget about the comforts of home!"
Need I remind that she is the foreigner in Japan, not the other way round?!?!?
The book reads more like a middle grade novel than young adult because the protagonist sounds so childish (both her behaviour and the writing). I'm also surprised that Lily never got caught for outright lying on her blog. I had been expecting someone to find out and expose her for the liar she is.
The second half of the book is more tolerable but I couldn't care less by that point.
Thank you to Netgalley for an e-ARC of this book.
June 25, 2021
I have always wondered how it would be like to be an exchange student. My sister was an exchange student when she was in secondary school. She was 16 years old back then and went to Australia. I was too young to know the details. But I really wanted to be one too like her. Unfortunately, during my time it was very difficult to be in that program. Very competitive.
Not only that, Japan is also what of the countries that I would love to visit.
This book gave me the experience of both of the above from Lily's point of view.
I am glad that Grace from Meet you by Hachiko was also among the characters in this book. It gave me the same vibes when I first read about Grace's adventures in Japan.
This book is suitable for middle grade and young adult.
It educated me about Japanese culture especially the culture in a Japanese school. It is about the same as the culture here in Malaysia.
I like Lily's character. How she handled things when there were bad can be a bit disappointing but in the end she realised her mistakes and was willing to do anything to prove that she was sorry.
She also brought her own culture from Canada to the school that she attended in Japan. A Bake Sale!
She learned about how a school trip is all about in Japan. What an adventure it was!
There are many things that I took from this book other that the cultures. For example : How a community can come together to help a person in need. Even though the initiative came from a student.
I would love to read more books by the author. Hopefully soon!
Not only that, Japan is also what of the countries that I would love to visit.
This book gave me the experience of both of the above from Lily's point of view.
I am glad that Grace from Meet you by Hachiko was also among the characters in this book. It gave me the same vibes when I first read about Grace's adventures in Japan.
This book is suitable for middle grade and young adult.
It educated me about Japanese culture especially the culture in a Japanese school. It is about the same as the culture here in Malaysia.
I like Lily's character. How she handled things when there were bad can be a bit disappointing but in the end she realised her mistakes and was willing to do anything to prove that she was sorry.
She also brought her own culture from Canada to the school that she attended in Japan. A Bake Sale!
She learned about how a school trip is all about in Japan. What an adventure it was!
There are many things that I took from this book other that the cultures. For example : How a community can come together to help a person in need. Even though the initiative came from a student.
I would love to read more books by the author. Hopefully soon!
May 14, 2021
I wanted to fall in love with this story when I first read the blurb. I love books set in other countries, with unique cultures and diverse people. As someone with a serious case of wanderlust, I live vicariously through these stories to "see" other countries through the eyes of the characters. I highly enjoyed some of the cultural pieces and locales that are explored in the book. At first it was really hard for me to get into the story, the dialogue and character development felt awkward and fell flat in the first half. Lily, the main character, is sixteen and heading to Japan for a year with an exchange program. It should be every kid's dream! Unfortunately, things do not go as planned and Lily ends up placed with a different family in a small town. A budding blogger, Lily comes off as vain and shallow, caring more about looks and outward appearances and I had a hard time feeling any sympathy for her plight at first. She made some bad decisions, upset a lot of people and got in trouble. She also was not very respectful to the culture at first, such as being respectful to elders and adults, which was confusing to me since she was so in love with the Japanese culture. Lily seems more interested in living out her manga fantasy dreams than living real life. She was a liar, despite calling them "fibs" which in my head showed she didn't quite understand the gravity of her choices and how they effected the people around her. She feels more entitled than anything else, like she should be able to do whatever she wants during her time there. She conveniently escapes any major consequences for her behavior and actions. Then, I reminded myself what it would be like to be that age again going through this and understood some of her natural teenage rebellion a bit more. I also did appreciate her bit of character growth as the story went on and I liked the latter half of the book much more than the first half as Lily settled in with her new family and made friends. Although, it did seem to take her an awfully long time to learn some valuable lessons. I loved being transported to Japan and taking a trip to various places around the country but I felt the ending was too quick and conveniently wrapped up. I would have liked to see Lily have to deal with some consequences with the people around her and have to find ways to make up for it. There are some situations and language that keep this book firmly in YA territory for high school readers and would not be appropriate for middle school readers or younger. Definitely a story many high school readers will connect with and understand, as well as enjoy.
May 26, 2021
Edokko is told in Lily’s POV, a sixteen-year-old blogger who lives in Toronto. She’s off to Tokyo for a one-year exchange program with the World Friends Organization. She’s too focused on the adventure and cool things she’s going to have that when things didn’t go according to plan, Lily ends up with a different host family in a small town.
This was a cute story and young adult readers would definitely enjoy it. The setting is one of its strengths. Loren Greene takes the readers to the side of Japan that is not generally known to the public. She portrays such vivid descriptions (hot springs!) and the Japanese culture was well-written.
I did struggle at first due to the main character, Lily. She comes off bratty, ungrateful, and self-centered. All she does at first was to complain but as the story progresses, her character development does too. Lily grows as a better person with her stay in Japan and her character arc felt realistic.
Overall, this was a light read. The best part was how Lily’s relationship with the supporting characters developed. It’s a story that focuses on personal growth, perseverance, and friendship.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This was a cute story and young adult readers would definitely enjoy it. The setting is one of its strengths. Loren Greene takes the readers to the side of Japan that is not generally known to the public. She portrays such vivid descriptions (hot springs!) and the Japanese culture was well-written.
I did struggle at first due to the main character, Lily. She comes off bratty, ungrateful, and self-centered. All she does at first was to complain but as the story progresses, her character development does too. Lily grows as a better person with her stay in Japan and her character arc felt realistic.
Overall, this was a light read. The best part was how Lily’s relationship with the supporting characters developed. It’s a story that focuses on personal growth, perseverance, and friendship.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 28, 2021
dnf after 50 pages
An exchange student from Canada travels to Japan. Lily has great plans for her year of freedom!
Yes, I dnf-ed this yet give it three stars. TL;DR: This book does what it sets out to do and I would have loved this as a twelve year old. My present self just has no patience for Lily's behaviour.
This includes:
- the application process for the exchange student program took months, and while it took a while to know she'll end up in Japan, or Tokyo specifically, she says she did research.
can't have been much. she doesn't even know what kendo is, she is surprised, when she is in a rural town, that people stare at her "like they have never seen a white person before". Her initial reaction on seeing her room, and realising she has to sleep on a futon, is to speak to the manager, ehr, contact her parents to complain so something could be done about it.
- she never considered to learn some Japanese beforehand. sure, in Toyko, you'd assume that a lot of people are fluent in English and you'd get by, but then she was sheduled to go to a regular school and have lessons in Japanese.
- we're told she read manga for a year to a point at which she didn't need a dictionary, yet she understands not even tiny words unless they were taught in the three days crashcourse at the beginning of the trip
- to make the novel trendy and relevant, Lily is a blogger. we have her entries. could have done without them, I hope that later on the blog plays a part in the plot instead of just being there.
Again, I am not the target audience and while a lot of young adult can be consumed by adults as well, some simply don't work and this is one of those. I don't fault the author or the book for that. Twenty years ago I'd have devoured it and I am sure it will make readers very happy.
Also, I have a friend who went to Japan specifically to do a language course and a bit of travelling. She stayed four months and I got regular updates on her prep for the trip, so I was waiting for Lily to get special vaccinations or be annoyed with the visa process. To be fair, she says the paperwork was done by her dad. ...spoiled child, my parents would have told me that if I want this, I'd have to do the work for it.
And apparently, I read more manga than the protagonist of this book.
The arc was provided by the publisher.
An exchange student from Canada travels to Japan. Lily has great plans for her year of freedom!
Yes, I dnf-ed this yet give it three stars. TL;DR: This book does what it sets out to do and I would have loved this as a twelve year old. My present self just has no patience for Lily's behaviour.
This includes:
- the application process for the exchange student program took months, and while it took a while to know she'll end up in Japan, or Tokyo specifically, she says she did research.
can't have been much. she doesn't even know what kendo is, she is surprised, when she is in a rural town, that people stare at her "like they have never seen a white person before". Her initial reaction on seeing her room, and realising she has to sleep on a futon, is to speak to the manager, ehr, contact her parents to complain so something could be done about it.
- she never considered to learn some Japanese beforehand. sure, in Toyko, you'd assume that a lot of people are fluent in English and you'd get by, but then she was sheduled to go to a regular school and have lessons in Japanese.
- we're told she read manga for a year to a point at which she didn't need a dictionary, yet she understands not even tiny words unless they were taught in the three days crashcourse at the beginning of the trip
- to make the novel trendy and relevant, Lily is a blogger. we have her entries. could have done without them, I hope that later on the blog plays a part in the plot instead of just being there.
Again, I am not the target audience and while a lot of young adult can be consumed by adults as well, some simply don't work and this is one of those. I don't fault the author or the book for that. Twenty years ago I'd have devoured it and I am sure it will make readers very happy.
Also, I have a friend who went to Japan specifically to do a language course and a bit of travelling. She stayed four months and I got regular updates on her prep for the trip, so I was waiting for Lily to get special vaccinations or be annoyed with the visa process. To be fair, she says the paperwork was done by her dad. ...spoiled child, my parents would have told me that if I want this, I'd have to do the work for it.
And apparently, I read more manga than the protagonist of this book.
The arc was provided by the publisher.
June 15, 2021
Through a series of chapters headed by blog posts from our main character sixteen-year-old Canadian student Lily, Edokko follows her journey when she heads to Japan on an exchange year. She dreams of ending up in Tokyo and ends up nowhere close in a small town in the middle of nowhere. The is the main crux of the story.
There was so much potential in this book, I’ve taken part in cultural exchanges and plan on doing so again in the future and this book just failed to resonate with me. There was so much that could be explored and real depth to the characters that could have been revealed and it just fell short.
Partially this felt like an issue with the suggested age range, this simplistic story and spoilt girl redemption arc is better suited to young middle-grade students encouraging a future student exchange when they're older rather than providing a decent plot and set of characters for consumption. This was one of two main factors for launching the book above one star.
Critically, you may have noticed my dislike for Lily. Her blog posts, though process and overall personage was cringey, spoilt and rude. She had no respect for the people hosting her, also arriving with little Japanese language skills (not because she struggled but it seriously felt like she did not even try) was only one of many issues with her arrival. It was also constantly highlighted that her dad was paying shed loads of money for the exchange, yet she still failed to comprehend the privilege it was to travel. She was self-important and this all was never really challenged. Lastly, don’t even get me started on the ‘romance’, her vague weird preconceptions on dating and her annoying focus on it was a headache that wasn’t needed or executed well.
However, the other characters were much more likeable, and I’m actually interested in Grace’s story which sounded much more exciting and interesting. Again, that was the problem though, Loren could have gone further into who they are and their stories and seen real character development, but it was all just skipped over shallowly.
There was so much potential and it's clear that Loren knew her stuff about Japan and the Japanese language and culture, the only other reason that this was two stars rather than one, but it felt like info-dumping often when there was no intrigue and atmosphere to propel us forward. I wish I had liked this book better, but it didn’t reach my expectations.
There was so much potential in this book, I’ve taken part in cultural exchanges and plan on doing so again in the future and this book just failed to resonate with me. There was so much that could be explored and real depth to the characters that could have been revealed and it just fell short.
Partially this felt like an issue with the suggested age range, this simplistic story and spoilt girl redemption arc is better suited to young middle-grade students encouraging a future student exchange when they're older rather than providing a decent plot and set of characters for consumption. This was one of two main factors for launching the book above one star.
Critically, you may have noticed my dislike for Lily. Her blog posts, though process and overall personage was cringey, spoilt and rude. She had no respect for the people hosting her, also arriving with little Japanese language skills (not because she struggled but it seriously felt like she did not even try) was only one of many issues with her arrival. It was also constantly highlighted that her dad was paying shed loads of money for the exchange, yet she still failed to comprehend the privilege it was to travel. She was self-important and this all was never really challenged. Lastly, don’t even get me started on the ‘romance’, her vague weird preconceptions on dating and her annoying focus on it was a headache that wasn’t needed or executed well.
However, the other characters were much more likeable, and I’m actually interested in Grace’s story which sounded much more exciting and interesting. Again, that was the problem though, Loren could have gone further into who they are and their stories and seen real character development, but it was all just skipped over shallowly.
There was so much potential and it's clear that Loren knew her stuff about Japan and the Japanese language and culture, the only other reason that this was two stars rather than one, but it felt like info-dumping often when there was no intrigue and atmosphere to propel us forward. I wish I had liked this book better, but it didn’t reach my expectations.
May 18, 2021
"Sometimes, imagined and reality are different." ~ Loren Greene
This was such a phenomenal, extremely cute coming-of-age story that gave me such a nostalgic/wanderlust feel. I practically binge-read it in one day.
Edokko by Loren Greene is about a 16-years-old, Canadian Lily Jennings who believes she is ready for an adventure away from home (and away from her overprotective parents). She somehow was able to convince her Dad to let her apply for a year-long study abroad exchange program with the World Friends organization. Lily had high expectations for what she wanted her year in Japan to be like. Unfortunately, an unexpected problem changed all that for her. The result: a new ambiance and environment that becomes a real eye-opening challenge for Lily about the reality of studying abroad.
If I was honest with myself, I was not a fan of Lily at the beginning-middle of the book. I found her to be a self-absorbed, narcissistic Princess whose main reason for her wanting to go abroad is to grow her social media presence. Her teenage objection and ingratitude were getting to me. So, I was very delighted that there was a slow character development of all the characters. I also appreciate the overall message and theme the author is conveying through the unique way in which the story (including blog post excerpts) is narrated.
Overall, I absolutely just fell in love with this YA contemporary tale. A 5-Stars Read and I highly recommend this book. As I was reading Lily's experiences in Japan, my mind simultaneously began to wander...I was reminiscing about my own experiences as a student studying abroad for the first time. Like Lily, I also had expectations about the country I was going to, the school I would be studying at, and the people I would be interacting with. It was such a delight to find there was a book that covered this unique experience. I am tickled pink to have learned that this book belongs in the same universe/kind of a sequel and part of the author's Sakura+Maple series banner published by HachiPress. I can't wait to pick up the first in the series, Meet You By Hachiko asap.
Thank you to author Loren Greene, HachiPress, and Netgalley for gifting me with an eARC.
This was such a phenomenal, extremely cute coming-of-age story that gave me such a nostalgic/wanderlust feel. I practically binge-read it in one day.
Edokko by Loren Greene is about a 16-years-old, Canadian Lily Jennings who believes she is ready for an adventure away from home (and away from her overprotective parents). She somehow was able to convince her Dad to let her apply for a year-long study abroad exchange program with the World Friends organization. Lily had high expectations for what she wanted her year in Japan to be like. Unfortunately, an unexpected problem changed all that for her. The result: a new ambiance and environment that becomes a real eye-opening challenge for Lily about the reality of studying abroad.
If I was honest with myself, I was not a fan of Lily at the beginning-middle of the book. I found her to be a self-absorbed, narcissistic Princess whose main reason for her wanting to go abroad is to grow her social media presence. Her teenage objection and ingratitude were getting to me. So, I was very delighted that there was a slow character development of all the characters. I also appreciate the overall message and theme the author is conveying through the unique way in which the story (including blog post excerpts) is narrated.
Overall, I absolutely just fell in love with this YA contemporary tale. A 5-Stars Read and I highly recommend this book. As I was reading Lily's experiences in Japan, my mind simultaneously began to wander...I was reminiscing about my own experiences as a student studying abroad for the first time. Like Lily, I also had expectations about the country I was going to, the school I would be studying at, and the people I would be interacting with. It was such a delight to find there was a book that covered this unique experience. I am tickled pink to have learned that this book belongs in the same universe/kind of a sequel and part of the author's Sakura+Maple series banner published by HachiPress. I can't wait to pick up the first in the series, Meet You By Hachiko asap.
Thank you to author Loren Greene, HachiPress, and Netgalley for gifting me with an eARC.
May 26, 2021
After absolutely falling in love with Loren Greene's debut a few months ago, I was obviously thrilled to see a (loosely connected) sequel released.
Edokko features another Canadian girl in Japan: 16-year-old Lily is thrilled to learn that she's been accepted for a year-long student exchange in her dream destination, Tokyo. She's in for a rude awakening once she arrives in Japan only to learn that her host family has cancelled at the last minute and the new placement the exchange agency has found for her is not at all what she imagined. Instead of revelling in the excitement of Japan's fashionable and glamorous capital, Lily finds herself bundled off to tiny, rural Ajimu in Kyushu, where a tiny house, a host sister who won't speak to her, a school she hates from the first time she sets foot in it, and a dearth of anything even the slightest bit interesting await her.
I have to admit, I didn't love this one as much as Greene's first novel. Largely, this is due to the fact that I had difficulties connecting with the protagonist. When we first met her, Lily was a whiny, spoiled child whom I found hard to like and just didn't get. By the second half, she'd grown on me somewhat. One of the things Green does exceptionally well, apart from bringing her Japanese settings wonderfully, vividly to life, is character development, and Lily does a lot of growing as a person and simply growing up over the course of the book. Still, she remained a far cry from the lovable Grace and Kana of the first book - both of whom I loved seeing again in this story.
On the whole, there was a lot to like about this book - the lovely settings in rural Southern Japan, the large cast of minor characters, the community coming together - but it fell a little short of becoming a book I thoroughly loved.
That said, though, I'm already eagerly awaiting Greene's next work.
*** I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review. ***
Edokko features another Canadian girl in Japan: 16-year-old Lily is thrilled to learn that she's been accepted for a year-long student exchange in her dream destination, Tokyo. She's in for a rude awakening once she arrives in Japan only to learn that her host family has cancelled at the last minute and the new placement the exchange agency has found for her is not at all what she imagined. Instead of revelling in the excitement of Japan's fashionable and glamorous capital, Lily finds herself bundled off to tiny, rural Ajimu in Kyushu, where a tiny house, a host sister who won't speak to her, a school she hates from the first time she sets foot in it, and a dearth of anything even the slightest bit interesting await her.
I have to admit, I didn't love this one as much as Greene's first novel. Largely, this is due to the fact that I had difficulties connecting with the protagonist. When we first met her, Lily was a whiny, spoiled child whom I found hard to like and just didn't get. By the second half, she'd grown on me somewhat. One of the things Green does exceptionally well, apart from bringing her Japanese settings wonderfully, vividly to life, is character development, and Lily does a lot of growing as a person and simply growing up over the course of the book. Still, she remained a far cry from the lovable Grace and Kana of the first book - both of whom I loved seeing again in this story.
On the whole, there was a lot to like about this book - the lovely settings in rural Southern Japan, the large cast of minor characters, the community coming together - but it fell a little short of becoming a book I thoroughly loved.
That said, though, I'm already eagerly awaiting Greene's next work.
*** I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review. ***
May 17, 2021
Thank you to NetGalley and HahiPress for allowing me the chance to enjoy the advanced readers e-copy!
Adventure is nipping at Lily's heels as she travels to Japan for a whole year, to live in Tokyo. She's so focused on the picture perfect life she's going to have that she get a true sucker punch when she finds out that her urban host family has canceled and she's been relocated to little town of Ajimu, far away from all socially cool and delightful. Will Lily ever get to see the big city or will she learn to be satisfied with her lot in life and in Japan?
It's always a delight when a YA book surprises you, especially one you weren't sure about to begin with. The premise of this book, a young girl on a journey, Japanese culture, and growth overtones, immediately caught my attention, but it was the characters and the plot that sold me through. With journey stories like these, there can be a heavy romance filter over the plot. This book on the other hand dabbled in a little bit of flirting, but mostly it was about Lily, cozy rural Japan, and friendship.
Lily's growth is punctuated by break throughs with her host family, burgeoning friendships, and beautiful Japanese settings. I adored the descriptions of the school life and the traveling, and the hot springs! The writing gets a little bratty, but she is a teenager. THe plot moves steadily and staunchly, and the dated blog posts really help ground where Lily is mentally and emotionally though out.
Overall, a delightful read, 8/10 for anyone who enjoys YA, Japanese culture, and hot springs.
Adventure is nipping at Lily's heels as she travels to Japan for a whole year, to live in Tokyo. She's so focused on the picture perfect life she's going to have that she get a true sucker punch when she finds out that her urban host family has canceled and she's been relocated to little town of Ajimu, far away from all socially cool and delightful. Will Lily ever get to see the big city or will she learn to be satisfied with her lot in life and in Japan?
It's always a delight when a YA book surprises you, especially one you weren't sure about to begin with. The premise of this book, a young girl on a journey, Japanese culture, and growth overtones, immediately caught my attention, but it was the characters and the plot that sold me through. With journey stories like these, there can be a heavy romance filter over the plot. This book on the other hand dabbled in a little bit of flirting, but mostly it was about Lily, cozy rural Japan, and friendship.
Lily's growth is punctuated by break throughs with her host family, burgeoning friendships, and beautiful Japanese settings. I adored the descriptions of the school life and the traveling, and the hot springs! The writing gets a little bratty, but she is a teenager. THe plot moves steadily and staunchly, and the dated blog posts really help ground where Lily is mentally and emotionally though out.
Overall, a delightful read, 8/10 for anyone who enjoys YA, Japanese culture, and hot springs.
May 25, 2021
Friendship and the importance of pursuing one’s dreams form the basis of Greene’s fun latest.
Sixteen-year-old Lily Jennings is excited to study in Tokyo, Japan for a year. But an unexpected occurrence forces her host family to cancel at the last moment, and Lily has no option but to start school in the small town of Ajimu. With a neurotic host sister, vile classmates, and a small community watching over her every move, Lily must do everything in her power not to abandon her course midway.
A dash of romance between various characters creates an alluring undercurrent. Greene’s writing is assured as Lily’s resilient personality helps her to overcome all the difficulties the trip throws her way. Secondary characters reveal unexpected aspects of their personalities as the narrative moves forwards.
Greene convincingly portrays the sights, rhythms, and relationships of both Japanese life and the teenagers’ world in the high-pressure Japanese school system.
This coming-of-age tale about friendship, perseverance, and the perils of teen life is as fun as it is thoughtful.
Sixteen-year-old Lily Jennings is excited to study in Tokyo, Japan for a year. But an unexpected occurrence forces her host family to cancel at the last moment, and Lily has no option but to start school in the small town of Ajimu. With a neurotic host sister, vile classmates, and a small community watching over her every move, Lily must do everything in her power not to abandon her course midway.
A dash of romance between various characters creates an alluring undercurrent. Greene’s writing is assured as Lily’s resilient personality helps her to overcome all the difficulties the trip throws her way. Secondary characters reveal unexpected aspects of their personalities as the narrative moves forwards.
Greene convincingly portrays the sights, rhythms, and relationships of both Japanese life and the teenagers’ world in the high-pressure Japanese school system.
This coming-of-age tale about friendship, perseverance, and the perils of teen life is as fun as it is thoughtful.
did-not-finish
July 31, 2023DNF page 71.
I'm sure there's a redemption arc for the main character at one point, but for now, she's just a brat and a snob, all grouchy coz she's living in a small Japanese town instead of the big city of Tokyo.
And like I get it, your parents paid for you to experience Tokyo, and you were looking forward to it forever, but like, technically the program is about experiencing Japan, not Tokyo? And if you really can't stand small town living, then cut loose and go home? Instead of subjecting your host family to your snobby thoughts about small town living, and your grouchiness that most people in the town barely speak English, when like, that's the whole point of the immersion program, no? For you to learn Japanese?
Like I said, it's still early in the book, so I'm sure there's a redemption arc at some point where she learns to appreciate the town and her host family. And maybe if I were younger / closer to her age, I'd be more invested in keeping with the story. But I'm a grouchy adult woman, and I really don't care enough to keep reading. Meh.
I'm sure there's a redemption arc for the main character at one point, but for now, she's just a brat and a snob, all grouchy coz she's living in a small Japanese town instead of the big city of Tokyo.
And like I get it, your parents paid for you to experience Tokyo, and you were looking forward to it forever, but like, technically the program is about experiencing Japan, not Tokyo? And if you really can't stand small town living, then cut loose and go home? Instead of subjecting your host family to your snobby thoughts about small town living, and your grouchiness that most people in the town barely speak English, when like, that's the whole point of the immersion program, no? For you to learn Japanese?
Like I said, it's still early in the book, so I'm sure there's a redemption arc at some point where she learns to appreciate the town and her host family. And maybe if I were younger / closer to her age, I'd be more invested in keeping with the story. But I'm a grouchy adult woman, and I really don't care enough to keep reading. Meh.
May 15, 2021
I received an advanced copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Lily is excited when she’s assigned to Tokyo, Japan as a foreign exchange student. Everything, from the city, down to the uniforms of the school she’s been assigned to, is like a dream come true. However, when she actually gets to Japan, her plans completely fall through and she’s assigned to a small town out in the middle of nowhere. Can she overcome the disappointment and get something out of the exchange program that’s no longer her dream come true?
It took me awhile to get into the story. At first, I didn’t like Lily as a character, but she grew on me as the story continued. The last quarter was so good I stayed up too late to finish it! The best part is the developing relationships between Lily and the people around her, as she becomes more accustomed to the culture around her. Overall, a fun and quick read.
Lily is excited when she’s assigned to Tokyo, Japan as a foreign exchange student. Everything, from the city, down to the uniforms of the school she’s been assigned to, is like a dream come true. However, when she actually gets to Japan, her plans completely fall through and she’s assigned to a small town out in the middle of nowhere. Can she overcome the disappointment and get something out of the exchange program that’s no longer her dream come true?
It took me awhile to get into the story. At first, I didn’t like Lily as a character, but she grew on me as the story continued. The last quarter was so good I stayed up too late to finish it! The best part is the developing relationships between Lily and the people around her, as she becomes more accustomed to the culture around her. Overall, a fun and quick read.
May 26, 2021
I received a free copy of this book. This review is my honest opinion.
I wanted to read Edokko because the blurb made it sound so interesting and the story lived up to my expectations. Through the story I got to explore a different side of Japan that I haven’t heard a lot about. Most of my knowledge came from hearing about Tokyo but this book explores the small town side of Japan and I loved that.
The one thing I struggled with most was Lily. I didn’t like her at the beginning because she was so stuck up and self centered. But as the story went on she changed. Her experience in Japan helped shape her into a better person and that’s what I loved about this book the most; it shows how experiences can shape and change you. I also loved the gradual growth of Lily’s relationships with her peers, teachers, and her host sister.
This story used blog posts as a story element and that helped to cement Lily’s personality, as the story is told in 3rd person except for the blog posts which are in 1st person from Lily’s perspective. I liked this addiction, though it helped me dislike Lily more when she was acting like a brat. Haha.
Overall a good read and if you want to read about a story that focuses on personal growth then I think this novel is for you.
I wanted to read Edokko because the blurb made it sound so interesting and the story lived up to my expectations. Through the story I got to explore a different side of Japan that I haven’t heard a lot about. Most of my knowledge came from hearing about Tokyo but this book explores the small town side of Japan and I loved that.
The one thing I struggled with most was Lily. I didn’t like her at the beginning because she was so stuck up and self centered. But as the story went on she changed. Her experience in Japan helped shape her into a better person and that’s what I loved about this book the most; it shows how experiences can shape and change you. I also loved the gradual growth of Lily’s relationships with her peers, teachers, and her host sister.
This story used blog posts as a story element and that helped to cement Lily’s personality, as the story is told in 3rd person except for the blog posts which are in 1st person from Lily’s perspective. I liked this addiction, though it helped me dislike Lily more when she was acting like a brat. Haha.
Overall a good read and if you want to read about a story that focuses on personal growth then I think this novel is for you.
May 20, 2021
I received this book in exchange of an honest review!
It’s such a nice book, Lily starts out as a bit of a “princess” always complaining, but the development of the character is realistic and works perfectly.
Book in Japan…. I mean what more would you like? In this times when nobody can go anywhere, and me loving Japan and having been there many times, this book gives me memories and nostalgia..
Super recommended!!!!
It’s such a nice book, Lily starts out as a bit of a “princess” always complaining, but the development of the character is realistic and works perfectly.
Book in Japan…. I mean what more would you like? In this times when nobody can go anywhere, and me loving Japan and having been there many times, this book gives me memories and nostalgia..
Super recommended!!!!
May 12, 2021
Such a fun read and super interesting. I learned a lot about Japanese culture and what a year abroad that didn't go as planned turned into with a social media presence following you.
June 13, 2021
Edokko by Loren Greene follows Lily Jennings, a Canadian school girl, as she embarks on a study abroad year in Japan. Lily doesn't get the experience she had dreamed of so we watch as he comes to terms with that and adapts to a new and scary situation. The book focuses on themes of family and friendship as the characters grow and become better people thanks to those close to them.
This is the first book I have read by Loren Greene and I went into it knowing very little other than the cover was cute and it was about an exchange student in Japan. I have never been someone particularly obsessed with Japanese culture so I don't know much about it, however I do find it all very intriguing and would love to visit some day.
I will start this off by saying that although I ejoyed it now, aged 20, I think I would have enjoyed it much much more had I been maybe 15, closer to the age of the main character. I initially found Lily quite irritating and oblivious to life outside English speaking countries, however in hindsight I think her charater reminds me a lot of myself at that age. I was yet to experience life away from home and my parents, and I had no idea how to react when things didn't go to plan. So although she may have been a little irriatating to me now, I actually think it is a very good reflection of your average teenager. She thinks she knows everything about the world until suddenly things go wrong.
Throughout the story as Lily developed as a character she became a lot more enjoyable to read about. I could understand her motives more, especially ones she had started to try and settle in to her host school. I would encouarge anyone that is having doubts early on in the book to carry on, it gets better.
For the last quarter of the book I found myself not wanting to put it down so I was disappointed that the plot wrapped up so quickly. I would have loved to read more about her last few months in Japan, how things changed for her as she resolved the problems she had made. It felt a little rushed towards the ed and it would have benefitted a lot from the author expanding just a bit more on what she went through the last few months of her stay.
I really liked the side characters, particularly her host-siblings and some of the characters in her class at school. It was particularly a shame that her brother didn't play more of a part in the story as I found him amusing to read about. I also think that her relationship with the host family was probably one of the main catalysts for her character development so it would have been nice to appreciate them more.
Overall I enjoyed Edokko but I don't think I am really the target demographic. However, I would definitely reccommend this to anyone younger than me that has a particular interest in Japan or spending time studying abroad whilst still in school. I think it would be very enlightening to anyone like that and serve as a reminder that life isn't always what it's like in the brochure.
Thank you to NetGalley, Loren Greene and HachiPress for and advanced readers cody in exchange for an honest reiew.
This is the first book I have read by Loren Greene and I went into it knowing very little other than the cover was cute and it was about an exchange student in Japan. I have never been someone particularly obsessed with Japanese culture so I don't know much about it, however I do find it all very intriguing and would love to visit some day.
I will start this off by saying that although I ejoyed it now, aged 20, I think I would have enjoyed it much much more had I been maybe 15, closer to the age of the main character. I initially found Lily quite irritating and oblivious to life outside English speaking countries, however in hindsight I think her charater reminds me a lot of myself at that age. I was yet to experience life away from home and my parents, and I had no idea how to react when things didn't go to plan. So although she may have been a little irriatating to me now, I actually think it is a very good reflection of your average teenager. She thinks she knows everything about the world until suddenly things go wrong.
Throughout the story as Lily developed as a character she became a lot more enjoyable to read about. I could understand her motives more, especially ones she had started to try and settle in to her host school. I would encouarge anyone that is having doubts early on in the book to carry on, it gets better.
For the last quarter of the book I found myself not wanting to put it down so I was disappointed that the plot wrapped up so quickly. I would have loved to read more about her last few months in Japan, how things changed for her as she resolved the problems she had made. It felt a little rushed towards the ed and it would have benefitted a lot from the author expanding just a bit more on what she went through the last few months of her stay.
I really liked the side characters, particularly her host-siblings and some of the characters in her class at school. It was particularly a shame that her brother didn't play more of a part in the story as I found him amusing to read about. I also think that her relationship with the host family was probably one of the main catalysts for her character development so it would have been nice to appreciate them more.
Overall I enjoyed Edokko but I don't think I am really the target demographic. However, I would definitely reccommend this to anyone younger than me that has a particular interest in Japan or spending time studying abroad whilst still in school. I think it would be very enlightening to anyone like that and serve as a reminder that life isn't always what it's like in the brochure.
Thank you to NetGalley, Loren Greene and HachiPress for and advanced readers cody in exchange for an honest reiew.
July 13, 2021
I have never been on an exchange program, and I'm not a teenager any more. However, the description and the front cover (so cute) of Edokko caught my eyes right away. It was quite a fun read with, let's be honest, a generous amount of annoyance towards Lily at times. But overall, I loved the story plot and the character growth.
Edokko is a story of a Canadan high school student Lily Jennings going to Japan for a year-long exchange student program in "Tokyo". Once she arrived in Japan for an orientation, things didn't go as planned and she was reassigned to a small town called Ajimu. Lily, who was excited to blog and brag about her fancy, shopping-filled, dessert-eating exchange program experience in Tokyo, felt like she had to live up to the image she created on her blog and continue to live her lie.
Lily was honestly such a frustrating, entitled, selfish character at first. It was all about me, me, ME!! and I-have-to-get-what-I-want attitude. That attitude was such a turn off and annoyed me to no end, but for some reason, I had to keep going and see what happened to Lily.
In the beginning, she didn't have any appreciation for the true Japanese culture, was only fixated on moving to Tokyo, and was rude to many people who tried to help her. I understand why she'd felt that way as a teenager; it's all about what others think of you and your cool exchange experience.
As an Asian immigrant to the US, I also empathized hard with her school experience when she didn't fully speak Japanese and only looked as an interesting foreigner, not a friend material. That feeling of isolation is common for people immigrating to a new country where you don't know how to fit in at all. It brought all my memories of not fitting in back in middle and high school. That's when I started rooting for Lily to make friends at school and at home with her host sister Fuyumi so she can fully enjoy her exchange life in Ajimu.
By the fall semester, Lily has grown to be an active participant in her community learning and appreciating the Japanese culture. I loved seeing her developing friendships with people around her, especially with quiet Fuyumi. By the end of the book, I saw Lily as a big girl who understood her and others more and better.
Because this book is trying to fit one year of the exchange program into one book, there were many time jumps as each chapter started with Lily's blog. I honestly liked that and it made me feel like I'm one of her blog followers who happened to know her real story in Ajimu.
Thank you to Netgalley and HachiPress for giving me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Edokko is a story of a Canadan high school student Lily Jennings going to Japan for a year-long exchange student program in "Tokyo". Once she arrived in Japan for an orientation, things didn't go as planned and she was reassigned to a small town called Ajimu. Lily, who was excited to blog and brag about her fancy, shopping-filled, dessert-eating exchange program experience in Tokyo, felt like she had to live up to the image she created on her blog and continue to live her lie.
Lily was honestly such a frustrating, entitled, selfish character at first. It was all about me, me, ME!! and I-have-to-get-what-I-want attitude. That attitude was such a turn off and annoyed me to no end, but for some reason, I had to keep going and see what happened to Lily.
In the beginning, she didn't have any appreciation for the true Japanese culture, was only fixated on moving to Tokyo, and was rude to many people who tried to help her. I understand why she'd felt that way as a teenager; it's all about what others think of you and your cool exchange experience.
As an Asian immigrant to the US, I also empathized hard with her school experience when she didn't fully speak Japanese and only looked as an interesting foreigner, not a friend material. That feeling of isolation is common for people immigrating to a new country where you don't know how to fit in at all. It brought all my memories of not fitting in back in middle and high school. That's when I started rooting for Lily to make friends at school and at home with her host sister Fuyumi so she can fully enjoy her exchange life in Ajimu.
By the fall semester, Lily has grown to be an active participant in her community learning and appreciating the Japanese culture. I loved seeing her developing friendships with people around her, especially with quiet Fuyumi. By the end of the book, I saw Lily as a big girl who understood her and others more and better.
Because this book is trying to fit one year of the exchange program into one book, there were many time jumps as each chapter started with Lily's blog. I honestly liked that and it made me feel like I'm one of her blog followers who happened to know her real story in Ajimu.
Thank you to Netgalley and HachiPress for giving me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
November 15, 2021
complete, and utter, d n f.
this book was awful.
i normally struggle through with a book if i'm over 30% through, so to officially dnf a book when i'm 55% though means it's bad (plus life got in the way...)
but my problem with the book was the main character. lily can CHOKE. she's spoiled, selfish and so fucking rude. you get about ten pages in when it's mentioned that only twenty people are chosen for the worldfriends japan, meaning she's one of twenty and is still so rude when she's not placed in Tokyo like promised. like i get it, it's upsetting and heart wrenching that you're not going where you had your heart set, and were promised, but also don't be so ungrateful oh my god. you're still in Japan, you can still try the food, and blog about it on your supposedly popular blog. (also lily makes fun of the food packaging and stuff as if Canada isn't notorious for it's bagged milk. i'll take the Japanese cartons over a bag, thanks lily)
she is also so rude when it comes to traditional Japanese stuff. oh the house is cold. oh i have to sleep on a mat. oh my room is small. oh everyone speaks Japanese. like i've never wanted to drop kick someone so hard in my life. how can one person be so fucking rude. of course they're not going to speak english, their main language is Japanese you uptight moron.
don't even get me started on the entitlement of her and boys. if you're a teenage boy and you're polite to the girl you're automatically a love interest, and it's embarrassing. she's blogging about how cute you are, and how she thinks you're into her, and not once does it cross her mind that maybe the boy (i cannot remember his name for the life of me, oops) was just teaching you Japanese in return for you teaching him English, and has no ulterior motives. she does this twice for as much as i read, so i pray for whatever else goes on in the book.
also there's this random moment where the author makes this whole 'lily couldn't understand the social hierarchy in the classroom' thing as if every school across the entire world, and i'm involving Canada in this doesn't have the popular kids, and the non popular kids. the author acts like this is a thing that happens only in Japanese schools which is dumb and infuriated me. either way this book was dumb and i hated it.
this book was awful.
i normally struggle through with a book if i'm over 30% through, so to officially dnf a book when i'm 55% though means it's bad (plus life got in the way...)
but my problem with the book was the main character. lily can CHOKE. she's spoiled, selfish and so fucking rude. you get about ten pages in when it's mentioned that only twenty people are chosen for the worldfriends japan, meaning she's one of twenty and is still so rude when she's not placed in Tokyo like promised. like i get it, it's upsetting and heart wrenching that you're not going where you had your heart set, and were promised, but also don't be so ungrateful oh my god. you're still in Japan, you can still try the food, and blog about it on your supposedly popular blog. (also lily makes fun of the food packaging and stuff as if Canada isn't notorious for it's bagged milk. i'll take the Japanese cartons over a bag, thanks lily)
she is also so rude when it comes to traditional Japanese stuff. oh the house is cold. oh i have to sleep on a mat. oh my room is small. oh everyone speaks Japanese. like i've never wanted to drop kick someone so hard in my life. how can one person be so fucking rude. of course they're not going to speak english, their main language is Japanese you uptight moron.
don't even get me started on the entitlement of her and boys. if you're a teenage boy and you're polite to the girl you're automatically a love interest, and it's embarrassing. she's blogging about how cute you are, and how she thinks you're into her, and not once does it cross her mind that maybe the boy (i cannot remember his name for the life of me, oops) was just teaching you Japanese in return for you teaching him English, and has no ulterior motives. she does this twice for as much as i read, so i pray for whatever else goes on in the book.
also there's this random moment where the author makes this whole 'lily couldn't understand the social hierarchy in the classroom' thing as if every school across the entire world, and i'm involving Canada in this doesn't have the popular kids, and the non popular kids. the author acts like this is a thing that happens only in Japanese schools which is dumb and infuriated me. either way this book was dumb and i hated it.
December 20, 2021
Before going in be advised to have lots of patience set aside to deal with the main character Lily. She is a piece! Having to read through Lily's perspective is a challenge, although I was more interested in "experiencing" Japan through her eyes, so I was able to gloss over some of her attitudes.
Lily is a shallow spoiled brat. At first, she doesn't show it. You side with her because the experience she was promised was in Tokyo. But then that plan went south and she ends up in the middle of nowhere. And I get it. I probably wouldn't like that last-minute change as well. Although she starts to hate everything. Instead of taking advantage of the opportunity to see what it's like to live in rural Japan and experience the culture, all she focuses on is the fact she is not in Tokyo.
With time, Lily does change and we get to see that deep down she has a good heart. After putting aside the rebel teen hormones she is a good girl with her heart in the right place. She had some actions that made me change my opinion of her slightly. And that is the primary goal of the story to follow allow Lily's growth while spending one year abroad.
Since the story is character-driven, it develops more slowly and at times feels like nothing is happening and I'm just following along with the daily life of an exchange student. There are a lot of small moments that work together to develop the relationships between the characters. Also, there is no romance. Despite Lily's desire, there isn't any romance. The story focus on building friendships.
Knowing from the start this is an adventure of a one-year exchange program, it's kind of bitter-sweet. For once, I didn't care Lily had to get back home to Canada. She wasn't being appreciative of her time in Japan, so I didn't care if she went home. For another, she created good relationships that now she would have to abandon and only be able to keep them as long-distance.
Lastly, Edokko is a good book for Japan lovers. A vision of Japan as an exchange student away from the big touristy cities. As I said Lily is hard to deal with, but in between her complaints, it's possible to appreciate the setting.
Lily is a shallow spoiled brat. At first, she doesn't show it. You side with her because the experience she was promised was in Tokyo. But then that plan went south and she ends up in the middle of nowhere. And I get it. I probably wouldn't like that last-minute change as well. Although she starts to hate everything. Instead of taking advantage of the opportunity to see what it's like to live in rural Japan and experience the culture, all she focuses on is the fact she is not in Tokyo.
With time, Lily does change and we get to see that deep down she has a good heart. After putting aside the rebel teen hormones she is a good girl with her heart in the right place. She had some actions that made me change my opinion of her slightly. And that is the primary goal of the story to follow allow Lily's growth while spending one year abroad.
Since the story is character-driven, it develops more slowly and at times feels like nothing is happening and I'm just following along with the daily life of an exchange student. There are a lot of small moments that work together to develop the relationships between the characters. Also, there is no romance. Despite Lily's desire, there isn't any romance. The story focus on building friendships.
Knowing from the start this is an adventure of a one-year exchange program, it's kind of bitter-sweet. For once, I didn't care Lily had to get back home to Canada. She wasn't being appreciative of her time in Japan, so I didn't care if she went home. For another, she created good relationships that now she would have to abandon and only be able to keep them as long-distance.
Lastly, Edokko is a good book for Japan lovers. A vision of Japan as an exchange student away from the big touristy cities. As I said Lily is hard to deal with, but in between her complaints, it's possible to appreciate the setting.
May 28, 2021
Overall, Edokko was a compelling read, and I enjoyed following along as Lily settles into the town and connects with the people of Ajimu.
I think the obscure choice of setting within Japan will be able to intrigue readers with wildly different levels of familiarity with the country. Ajimu was also described effectively, in a way that illustrated why Lily initially disliked it but also revealed its good points.
I also think that Lily is a well-written protagonist. Her actions initially rubbed me the wrong way, but as the story progressed it became evident that this was the intended effect. It was also a starting point for further character development, and her flaws are a realistic portrayal of that of a teen studying abroad. She's also likable despite her flaws, so I ultimately ended up rooting for her by the end.
The blog sections at the beginning of each chapter really highlight Lily's distinct, lively voice and personality. On the other hand, they made me wish that the novel was written from a 1st person point of view instead of 3rd person, because I felt the voice was more engaging in the blog sections than in the chapters' main section.
The most significant flaw that I see within the novel is the excessive focus on minor characters. I think less development of minor characters, and more development of major characters would create a more fleshed-out cast. In particular, I wanted to know a lot more about Fuyumi and her family relationships. Less minor characters, period, would also make it easier for me to remember which name goes with which character.
All that being said, the positives outweigh the negatives, so I definitely would suggest to check this out, especially to anyone with an interest in or connection to Japan.
Disclaimer: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I think the obscure choice of setting within Japan will be able to intrigue readers with wildly different levels of familiarity with the country. Ajimu was also described effectively, in a way that illustrated why Lily initially disliked it but also revealed its good points.
I also think that Lily is a well-written protagonist. Her actions initially rubbed me the wrong way, but as the story progressed it became evident that this was the intended effect. It was also a starting point for further character development, and her flaws are a realistic portrayal of that of a teen studying abroad. She's also likable despite her flaws, so I ultimately ended up rooting for her by the end.
The blog sections at the beginning of each chapter really highlight Lily's distinct, lively voice and personality. On the other hand, they made me wish that the novel was written from a 1st person point of view instead of 3rd person, because I felt the voice was more engaging in the blog sections than in the chapters' main section.
The most significant flaw that I see within the novel is the excessive focus on minor characters. I think less development of minor characters, and more development of major characters would create a more fleshed-out cast. In particular, I wanted to know a lot more about Fuyumi and her family relationships. Less minor characters, period, would also make it easier for me to remember which name goes with which character.
All that being said, the positives outweigh the negatives, so I definitely would suggest to check this out, especially to anyone with an interest in or connection to Japan.
Disclaimer: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 9, 2021
I have received a digital review copy via Netgalley in return for my honest opinion. Thank you!
4 stars - a student exchange to Japan gone all wrong (but all will be well in the end)
This one is a pretty light and fluffy novel (in Japan this would be called a "light novel") about Lily, a rather entitled and confident 16-year-old Canadian who is dreaming of going to Tokyo for a year for her student exchange. In her imagination, it will be just like in her favorite manga and her days will be filled with shopping and other awesome stuff. She is planning to blog about her year abroad, basically hoping to be admired and envied by everyone at home.
However, it just so happens that things go wrong because her original host family changes their mind at the last minute, and so she ends up going to some small town in Kyushu - not at all what she expected! Now she has to deal with this decidedly uncool place while still pretending how awesome everything is on her blog.
Of course, she is going to settle in eventually, but it'll be a bumpy ride.
While Lily is definitely not particularly sympathetic I did enjoy that the plot was mostly character driven and her experiences and reactions to those experiences feel relatable and realistic. We do get a sense for what kind of person she is - entitled, for sure, but also energetic, someone who takes matters into her hands instead of just watching passively. Also, Loren Greene clearly knows Japan well.: the way people behave, the school and family life are captured really well.
If you like Japan, this well be a nice fix for that slice-of-life itch, and if you are thinking about going to Japan (maybe for a student exchange?), this one is very nice to get some idea of life over there. I did like a lot that this story kind of turned the stereotype around that Tokyo is the only place to be and shows that Japan has so much more to offer.
4 stars - a student exchange to Japan gone all wrong (but all will be well in the end)
This one is a pretty light and fluffy novel (in Japan this would be called a "light novel") about Lily, a rather entitled and confident 16-year-old Canadian who is dreaming of going to Tokyo for a year for her student exchange. In her imagination, it will be just like in her favorite manga and her days will be filled with shopping and other awesome stuff. She is planning to blog about her year abroad, basically hoping to be admired and envied by everyone at home.
However, it just so happens that things go wrong because her original host family changes their mind at the last minute, and so she ends up going to some small town in Kyushu - not at all what she expected! Now she has to deal with this decidedly uncool place while still pretending how awesome everything is on her blog.
Of course, she is going to settle in eventually, but it'll be a bumpy ride.
While Lily is definitely not particularly sympathetic I did enjoy that the plot was mostly character driven and her experiences and reactions to those experiences feel relatable and realistic. We do get a sense for what kind of person she is - entitled, for sure, but also energetic, someone who takes matters into her hands instead of just watching passively. Also, Loren Greene clearly knows Japan well.: the way people behave, the school and family life are captured really well.
If you like Japan, this well be a nice fix for that slice-of-life itch, and if you are thinking about going to Japan (maybe for a student exchange?), this one is very nice to get some idea of life over there. I did like a lot that this story kind of turned the stereotype around that Tokyo is the only place to be and shows that Japan has so much more to offer.
June 17, 2021
On the surface, I thought Edokko was going to be a “kawaii” story about a girl in Japan, and all the cutsey things and cosplay overload, and anime and manga references for days. I was wrong, and pleasantly surprised. I picked this book up because I was both an exchange student in Japan, although at University not High School, and I was an English teacher as well, but not a JET like Grace was in the story. So, I thought I would either be incredibly angry or the story would bring back lots of memories, and boy, did the author come through on the second one. In the notes I read that the author interviewed both exchange students and teachers to get their experiences and stories, so I’d like to say thank you to the author for that. Although University was way less strict than HS, cultural nuances and faux pas are always hard learned lessons. I have my own “this wont be soooo bad” mistakes that turned into nightmares, lol. And the culture shock of moving to another country, and then into a family is just a lot to take, even for the most socially adept.
Five stars because the writing was so good, and I could see myself in a lot of Lily and Grace’s adventures. If you’ve been an exchange student, hosted an exchange student, spent a considerable amount of time in a foreign country or immersed in another culture, or just wish you could, I recommend this book. Lily proves that we all make mistakes and deserve second chances. Learning is part of growing, and when you stop learning, you stop growing.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publishers, and the author for an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Five stars because the writing was so good, and I could see myself in a lot of Lily and Grace’s adventures. If you’ve been an exchange student, hosted an exchange student, spent a considerable amount of time in a foreign country or immersed in another culture, or just wish you could, I recommend this book. Lily proves that we all make mistakes and deserve second chances. Learning is part of growing, and when you stop learning, you stop growing.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publishers, and the author for an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.
October 17, 2021
This is a story about a girl from Toronto, Lily, who goes to Japan as an exchange student.
From the outset, Lily clearly has strong ideas about what should be happening, how fast it should be happening and how she should be getting her own way all the time. I did not like Lily and that annoyed me through the whole book, which is odd because normally, I like the unlikeable. I never warmed to her whiney teenage ways.
She's a liar (in real life and on her blog), she's spoilt and she's childish. I kept hoping that she would learn a lesson or 2 but she never did - even at the end. I truly do not feel that the way it worked out for her taught her a damn thing.
I spent time in Japan and I have worked overseas with teenagers. I was hopeful for this book for many reasons and was repeatedly let down. It was rambling, annoying and full of minor players we were given too much info about and they really never amounted to anything.
I did like the blog idea (not the lying) and wish there had been a little more of that. She could have narrated most of the book that way and it might have been more interesting. Also, all the comments from readers of her blog could have lead somewhere interesting.
For a YA book, this took me way too long to read because it did not hold my attention for more than 5-10 mins at a time. I finished it because I am a completionist and it was for BookSirens. If I had got this book from a library, I'd have sent it back unfinished. I really did not care what happened to Lily or the other people in the end.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
From the outset, Lily clearly has strong ideas about what should be happening, how fast it should be happening and how she should be getting her own way all the time. I did not like Lily and that annoyed me through the whole book, which is odd because normally, I like the unlikeable. I never warmed to her whiney teenage ways.
She's a liar (in real life and on her blog), she's spoilt and she's childish. I kept hoping that she would learn a lesson or 2 but she never did - even at the end. I truly do not feel that the way it worked out for her taught her a damn thing.
I spent time in Japan and I have worked overseas with teenagers. I was hopeful for this book for many reasons and was repeatedly let down. It was rambling, annoying and full of minor players we were given too much info about and they really never amounted to anything.
I did like the blog idea (not the lying) and wish there had been a little more of that. She could have narrated most of the book that way and it might have been more interesting. Also, all the comments from readers of her blog could have lead somewhere interesting.
For a YA book, this took me way too long to read because it did not hold my attention for more than 5-10 mins at a time. I finished it because I am a completionist and it was for BookSirens. If I had got this book from a library, I'd have sent it back unfinished. I really did not care what happened to Lily or the other people in the end.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 25, 2021
I received an advance review copy for free from Booksirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Okey, so first of all, Loren Greene is becoming one of my favorite writers in the fictional travel genre because of her nice writing style.
This is the second book in the Sakura + Maple series where another Canadian girl travel to Japan for her to live some adventures and for us to enjoy. In this story, the author has the sixteen years old heroine , Lily, a city girl who is so excited for her year as an exchanged student in Tokyo, dreaming about all the shopping that she will be doing and the cute uniform that she will be wearing while taking photos with her cool Tokyoite friends.
However, her plans fall apart when at the last moment, the host family planned for her staying cancels and the only one that will accept to host her is in a far away rural small town that has nothing to do with Tokyo and to make things worst, her shy host sister doesn't like to talk to her and let's not start with the vile classmates or the ugly uniform that has nothing to do with her Tokyo dream. What will Lily do? Will she accept her faith and do nothing?
I started not liking very much this book mainly because of Lily's character but then as things started to change in her way of thinking in becoming less superficial and more accepting of the others.
Also, I liked that Grace and Kana were present in this book and helping Lily with her troubles. The first book might be my favorite of the two but still this one was also an enjoyment to read.
Okey, so first of all, Loren Greene is becoming one of my favorite writers in the fictional travel genre because of her nice writing style.
This is the second book in the Sakura + Maple series where another Canadian girl travel to Japan for her to live some adventures and for us to enjoy. In this story, the author has the sixteen years old heroine , Lily, a city girl who is so excited for her year as an exchanged student in Tokyo, dreaming about all the shopping that she will be doing and the cute uniform that she will be wearing while taking photos with her cool Tokyoite friends.
However, her plans fall apart when at the last moment, the host family planned for her staying cancels and the only one that will accept to host her is in a far away rural small town that has nothing to do with Tokyo and to make things worst, her shy host sister doesn't like to talk to her and let's not start with the vile classmates or the ugly uniform that has nothing to do with her Tokyo dream. What will Lily do? Will she accept her faith and do nothing?
I started not liking very much this book mainly because of Lily's character but then as things started to change in her way of thinking in becoming less superficial and more accepting of the others.
Also, I liked that Grace and Kana were present in this book and helping Lily with her troubles. The first book might be my favorite of the two but still this one was also an enjoyment to read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews