Shadow Child
by Rahna Reiko Rizzuto
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Pages: 343
Format: eARC
Buy the Book: Amazon
Goodreads: Twin sisters Hana and Kei grew up in a tiny Hawaiian town in the 1950s and 1960s, so close they shared the same nickname. Raised in dreamlike isolation by their loving but unstable mother, they were fatherless, mixed-race, and utterly inseparable, devoted to one another. But when their cherished threesome with Mama is broken, and then further shattered by a violent, nearly fatal betrayal that neither young woman can forgive, it seems their bond may be severed forever--until, six years later, Kei arrives on Hana's lonely Manhattan doorstep with a secret that will change everything.
Kritters Thoughts: A set of Japanese twins are the focus of the book and a narrative on the side centers around a young Japanese woman who upon marrying is whisked away and is having to live a life she never pictured far away from what she knew.
I loved the historical storyline so much. Lillie is an orphaned Japanese child who is adopted and raised by a white couple. She ends up marrying a Japanese man and is quickly ingrained in his family who don't even speak English. The few quick chapters that I read of Lillie and Donald were just so interesting. I was so intrigued by her wonderment of how she defined herself and where she felt she belonged. I could see her struggle to fit in even though she looked the part, but wasn't raised with the history of the Japanese culture. I wanted so much more of their story in this book.
The twin storyline was just ok for me. There were a few parts where I was into the storyline and wanted to find out what would happen to each girl and then there were chapters of their story where I was plain confused and couldn't figure out where this all fit in into the bigger picture. I wish I had liked this one more.
After finishing the book, I went and read a few reviews just to see if my thoughts aligned with anyone else and it was so interesting to read that readers either really loved the historical storyline and wanted more of that like me or loved the twin storyline and wanted just that. I agree with most that the storylines didn't seem to exist together well and that a reader would enjoy one or the other. I absolutely wanted more of one and could have read a full book with just Lillie and Donald.
Rating: enjoyable, but didn't leave me wanting more
Ebook 2018 Challenge: 75 out of 100
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one copy of this book free of charge from Grand Central Publishing. I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.
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