Molly’s Reviews > Cherry Blossoms > Status Update

Clearly the author did some textbook research about Japanese culture. But there are just so many absolutes. Like Japan has a low divorce rate so OF COURSE that means marriages are happier? UM NO???? Like, dive a little bit deeper please. Wow.

The MC ALSO seems to have some issue with his fragile masculinity. He's made multiple comments abt how he has a REASON for liking cherry blossoms and that basically "straight men need a REASON for liking flowers". There have also been other homophobic comments. It's really gross & the MC could have been unlikable WITHOUT this.

The MC is an asshole, I believe he's MEANT to be unlikeable, but I am damn sick of all of these sweeping generalizations he's making about "the Asians". Fucking hell, he keeps saying "oriental". This book is AT LEAST set after 2007. In LA. Not all Japanese women are demure. Not all Asian people are short.

Also this Japanese class is really unrealistic. The sensei has the students (all adults) choose Japanese names which would 99% of the time NOT happen. I asked over on twitter & 2 people told me that they did it in HIGH SCHOOL Japanese classes (usually with a white teacher). I asked my husband (who's from Japan) & he said that this would not fly with most Japanese people.

So far this book is a hot mess. There are a ton of typos & it could have really used more editing. But those are not my real issues. I've found multiple Japanese language mistakes which makes me think that nobody who actually speaks Japanese looked at this book.

This book is FULL of Japanese language mistakes & cultural inaccuracies. I’m basically rage reading at this point to write a scathing review.