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BOOK REVIEW | A Novel by Karen Hill Anton: A Thousand Graces
Acclaimed author Karen Hill Anton has produced a masterfully crafted novel that will remain with you long after the final page is turned.
Published 8 months ago
on May 18, 2023
By Paul de Vries
"A Thousand Graces" (2023, Senyume Press) by Karen Hill Anton.Karen Hill Anton will be a familiar name to many readers of JAPAN Forward. A long-term resident of Japan, she has lived in Shizuoka prefecture since 1975. Her column, "Crossing Cultures" appeared in the Japan Times for 15 years. She has recently enjoyed both critical and commercial success with her memoir, The View from the Breast Pocket Mountain, published in 2020. A Thousand Graces is her first foray into fiction.
Coming directly after a memoir, it is reasonable to assume that A Thousand Graces is also somewhat autobiographical. In an interview with JAPAN Forward, Hill Anton set the record straight. A Thousand Graces was largely transcribed in the mid-1990s before slumbering in a file for more than 20 years. When Hill Anton revisited it in 2020, she was pleasantly surprised at what she had formerly created.
A "pleasant surprise," however, is a considerable understatement for the quality of this novel. It is an absolute gem. The characterization is masterful, the narrative never wanes, and the economy of the section and chapter lengths seamlessly moves the chronicle forward. The ubiquitous comment from all who have read it to date is that they couldn't put it down.
It would be a surprise if A Thousand Graces does not succeed in winning literary awards in the manner of Hill Anton's acclaimed memoir.
Karen Hill Anton (via author's website)
Dreams Perused, Deferred, and Forgone
The novel centers on the post-high school years of farm girl, Chie Uchida, who graduates in 1969. She enrolls in a two-year junior college course but with greater aspirations than the standard transition to the position of office lady, leading to an agreeable marriage. Complicating proceedings is an awaked sexual desire that would more easily be satisfied if she submits to the life "already written" for her "on stone."
In commencing the novel in 1969, Hill Anton certainly stacked the odds against her. 1969 may have been the year in which man went to the moon but it was "mainstream man," not humankind, who made that epic trip. There are no minority faces to be seen in the documentaries on the Mercury and Apollo programs. Newsreaders in the West of 1969 were routinely white men. Bruce Springsteen's classic double album, The River, full of songs depicting similar themes to those found in this novel, would not appear for another decade. What chance would a farm girl have of breaking through in 1969 rural Japan?
Masterful Characterization
The initial foil for Chie is Kimiko, a spoilt and self-possessed school friend, "so neat and orderly when it came to clothes, like she could be polite to clothes but not to people." Kimiko's life journey, the antithesis of that desired by Chie, held attractions that Chie correctly sensed were short-term.
A multitude of additional characters then gradually enter the narrative: an outsider in the form of an American professor, the American professor's coworker, the co-worker's wife and family, and Chie's brother, his wife, and in-laws. The characters encompass three generations and their stories intertwine. Weddings, deaths, and graduations occur over the five to six year duration of the tale. The central issue of when, if ever, to trade in dreams for security and social standing, runs through the novel.
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A Thousand Graces begins and ends with Chie, but many readers may find themselves in greater identification with members of the supporting cast. Dreams can also be delayed by the temporary demands of child-rearing, only to reappear when children reach middle school age. The associated decisions then confronted are made within the pages of the novel as well.
Koinobori on Children's Day in Japan.
The Japanese Setting
It is no surprise that Hill Anton, well versed in the traditions of Japan, weaves in descriptions and explanations of Japanese terms, customs, and lifestyle. These include mukoyoshi: a man marrying into a household bereft of sons being formally adopted and taking that family's name, satogaeri: the return of a pregnant woman to her parent's home to give birth, and teishukanpaku: an old-fashioned husband who never helps and expects everything to be done for him. Even those with a strong familiarity of Japan are likely to learn much that is new.
Of particularly memorable literary quality was the description of an ousetsuma: a formal reception room that is often found in the more well-to-do Japanese homes. It "had the cold, unused un-homelike feel that such rooms always do," Hill Anton writes, a Western-style room filled with "uncomfortable, dark-wood furniture. The busy patterns of the heavy upholstery seemed to grab the very oxygen out of the air."
Universal Human Experience
A Thousand Graces was set in Japan but Hill Anton stated to JAPAN Forward that she considers the experiences of the characters universal. The chronicle could just as easily have played out in a nation of the West. It is surely true, however, that the predicted endings to this tale by Western and Japanese writers would be different.
A Western writer, an American in particular, would typically opt for a triumph over the odds. A Japanese writer would settle on a less heroic resolution. How would Karen Hill Anton, an American who has spent much of her life in Japan, conclude it? The answer to that question is one of the many reasons why like so many others, you will struggle to put down this novel after commencing it.
A Thousand Graces is a beautifully written and constructed tale that cannot be recommended highly enough.
About the Book
Title: A Thousand Graces
Subtitle: A Novel
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Author: Karen Hill Anton
Publisher: Senyume Press (March 2023)
ISBN: 9798218109844
Format: Available in paperback ($16.99 USD) and eBook format ($5.99 USD).
To learn more, go to the author's website. The book is available from Amazon and other online booksellers.
RELATED:BOOK REVIEW | A Memoir by Karen Hill Anton: The View from Breast Pocket Mountain
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Reviewed by: Paul de Vries
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A Thousand Graces
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A Thousand Graces Kindle Edition
by Karen Hill Anton (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 20 ratings
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Chie Uchida, a talented student, does not fit the mold of her countryside life and provincial upbringing. She’s not certain what she wants, but knows that unlike her beloved brother, her future does not spell contentment on a tea farm. Her self-absorbed best friend has a rebellious streak but doesn’t present a model Chie wants to follow.
Entering college, Chie plunges headlong into emotional turmoil as she takes her first misguided steps into womanhood—she misreads the attention of one professor and the aspirations of another.
Set in 1970s Japan, the Showa era, the story evokes nostalgia for a simpler time as traditional customs and values fade away and Japanese society inexorably changes to meet the expectations and demands of a more modern world.
The characters in this novel, drawn with a deft deliberation and intimate distance, arouse empathy as they struggle, submit, and surrender.
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Review
A Thousand Graces is an absolute gem.The characterization is masterful, the narrative never wanes. The chronicle moves forward seamlessly as Anton, well-versed in the traditions of Japan. weaves in descriptions and explanations of Japanese terms, customs, and lifestyle. The ubiquitous comment from all who've red it is that they couldn't put it down. Acclaimed author Karen HIll Anton has produced a masterfully crafted novel that will remain with you long after the final page is turned. It would be surprising if A Thousand Graces does not succeed in winning literary awards in the manner of her highly praised memoir. -- Paul de Vries, JAPAN Forward
Without relying on cultural or gendered stereotypes, Karen Hill Anton offers a highly accurate portrayal of Japan and its people. I loved every page of this novel, and the characters will remain in my head for a long time. In fact, I would give this book ten stars if I could. This is a must-read for anyone interested in Japan! -- Diane Hawley Nagatomo, author of The Butterfly Cafe, forthcoming from Black Rose Writing
Karen Hill Anton's debut novel, A Thousand Graces, unfurls a mesmerizingly haunting and evocative tale of coming-of-age that resonates with raw power and poignant beauty. Anton's poetic prose brings to life a story that lingers in the heart and mind, capturing the essence of a profound journey of self-discovery and growth. -- Jeffrey Miller, author of No Way Out
Drawing on her decades living in Japan, in A Thousand Graces, Karen Hill Anton has crafted an exquisite novel set in the late 1960s/early 1970s when social roles were circumscribed. While some characters might seem familiar, the story veers from the predictable path, springing surprises along the way, until it arrives as its stunning, yet inevitable conclusion. A Thousand Graces is a powerful and haunting work of art.-- Suzanne Kamata, author of The Baseball Widow
In the early 1970s, young Japanese women were often caught between the new freedoms and opportunities opening up to them and the traditional ways and expectations of their parents' generation. In this thought-provoking and insightful novel, Karen HIll Anton, a keen observer of rural Japanese life for almost 50 years, perceptively and painstakingly recreates the rhythms of that world for the reader. Beautifully done, with characters crafted to be both familiar and unforgettable.-- Wm. (Wilhelmina) Penn, author of The Expat's Guide to Growing Old in Japan
--This text refers to the paperback edition.
About the Author
Karen Hill Anton is the author of the multiple award-winning memoir The View From Breast Pocket Mountain. Originally from New York City, she has made her home in rural Shizuoka, Japan, since 1975. https: //www.karenhillanton.com/ --This text refers to the paperback edition.
Product details
ASIN : B0BX62JS48
Publisher : Senyume Press (17 March 2023)
Language : English
File size : 4077 KB
Simultaneous device usage : Unlimited
Text-to-Speech : Enabled
Screen Reader : Supported
Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
X-Ray : Not Enabled
Word Wise : Enabled
Sticky notes : On Kindle Scribe
Print length : 228 pages
Best Sellers Rank: 787,198 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
11,204 in Coming of Age Fiction (Books)
29,610 in Contemporary Women's Fiction
31,828 in Women's Fiction (Kindle Store)
Customer Reviews: 4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 20 ratings
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Karen Hill Anton
Karen Hill Anton is the author of the widely acclaimed and multiple award-winning memoir THE VIEW FROM BREAST POCKET MOUNTAIN. For 15 years she wrote the columns “Crossing Cultures” for the Japan Times and “Another Look” for the Japanese daily Chunichi Shimbun. Her writing appears in various collections, including 'A Passion for Japan' and The 'Broken Bridge: Fiction from Expatriates in Literary Japan'. She lectures internationally on her experience of cross-cultural adaptation and raising four bilingual, bicultural children. Originally from New York City, Karen has achieved second-degree mastery in Japanese calligraphy, and has made her home with her husband William Anton in the rural province of Shizuoka, Japan, since 1975.
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Jeffrey Miller
5.0 out of 5 stars A Hauntingly Poetic and Evocative Coming-of-Age Story
Reviewed in the United States on 21 April 2023
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Karen Hill Anton’s debut novel, A Thousand Graces, unfurls a mesmerizingly haunting and evocative tale of coming-of-age that resonates with raw power and poignant beauty. Anton’s poetic prose brings to life a story that lingers in the heart and mind, capturing the essence of a profound journey of self-discovery and growth.
The story opens with a slow and lyrical tone, reminiscent of a Japanese tea ceremony. Anton’s writing style is gentle and deliberate, drawing the reader into the world of the story with carefully crafted details and descriptions. From the very first page, the book sets a peaceful and contemplative mood, inviting readers to immerse themselves in the story’s atmosphere and characters. While some readers may find the pacing slow at first, the deliberate pace allows for a deep exploration of the book’s themes and characters, making for a rich and rewarding reading experience.
This is a most impressive debut novel from Anton who has already made a name for herself in Japan for her years documenting life as a foreigner living in Japan for several newspapers and her award-winning memoir, The View From Breast Mountain: A Memoir. With A Thousand Graces, Anton has outdone herself. I highly recommend this book.
Jeffrey Miller, No Way Out
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MR MATTHEW JOHN BURNEY
5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 19 May 2023
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The pace of the book is so redolent of the lifestyle, hopes and - often unrequited- dreams of so many people (especially women) living in rural Japan that it feels as though I were transported back to the Japanese mountainous village in which I, myself, lived in the early 90’s. The author creates a sense of social harmony between characters (the tatemae) whereas the honne (true feeling) is bubbling under the surface with tensions and anxieties largely unspoken. Pulling all of these emotions together is a compelling narrative that keeps the reader fixated on the characters populating this wonderful tale set in 70’s rural Japan.
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Sheila Donnell
5.0 out of 5 stars A realistic portrayal of the lifestyle of Japanese women in the 1970s
Reviewed in the United States on 29 May 2023
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Having lived in Japan for a decade in the 1990’s, I recognize the curiosity and desires of younger Japanese, even then, for more relaxed traditions and customs. This longing is poignantly illustrated in Karen Hill Antons A Thousand Graces.
Sadly, this is still the case in so many countries where women in particular are often discounted, demeaned and treated as second class citizens with no options.
To me, this book is a stark reminder that people everywhere must stand up, be counted and be who they want, and need, to be. Their lives depend on it.
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Wayne Malcolm
5.0 out of 5 stars You Heart Will Have No Choice But To Be Involved
Reviewed in Japan on 19 August 2023
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Maybe my title says everything. This was a story my heart was involved in. A really great read. The characters are well-developed, the plots move at a great pace, and I learned a great deal about a period in Japan I like from pop culture perspective. If I could take a Time Machine and visit a period in Japanese history, the late 1960s to early 1970s would be one of those times. So much was happening, and Hill-Anton captures the beauty and tragedy vividly. Just a wonderful story that will leave the reader asking so many questions, in the best way possible. Get this for your book club, or if your class is studying about Japan. Use this literature to learn. Every page is a new lesson!!!
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Metrogirl123
5.0 out of 5 stars A moving study of....
Reviewed in the United States on 11 April 2023
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the personal longings, desires, dreams and ambitions of four main characters rendered beautifully and set in 1970's Japan. Karen's writing has the feeling (to me) of a delicate water color painting which, though subtle and understated in style, manages to express the complexities we all face between the limitations imposed upon us by society vs. the very real human desire for greater meaning and deep personal connection. In it's way, an existential study of the human spirit. A haunting book and memorable.
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