Why She Left Us

"Why She Left Us" tells the story of three generations of a Japanese-American family whose lives are tragically affected by the Second World War when they are interned in camps in the American West. It is also a searing yet redemptive novel about a family and its secrets--secrets that grow from fierce love and terrible fear whose sources are both personal and cultural. The story unfolds like a mystery, narrated by the four principal characters: the innocents, Mari and her brother, Eric; the complex uncle-patriarch, Jack; and the ghost voice of the grandmother Kaori. "Why She Left Us" illuminates the universal relationships between mothers and their children while evoking the power of history to affect indivdual lives.

Review :
?Ambitious . . . lyrical . . . intriguing . . . "Why She Left Us is broad in scope, yet its greatest pleasures are small ones. Rizzuto follows three generations of a Japanese-American family, deftly counterbalancing the dramas of World War II and of home life. Reading the book is akin to assembling a jigsaw puzzle as the picture gradually emerges.?--"New York Times Book Review?Rahna Reiko Rizzuto, in this enigmatic and engaging novel about three generations of a splintered Japanese American family, wisely leaves the mystery that drives her story intact, even as she explores it from every possible angle.?--"Los Angeles Times?Rizzuto expertly heightens the drama of the Okada family's saga with her tensile, vigorous prose, as unsparing as the story she tells. The harsh conditions of immigrant life, and the scars it leaves on succeeding generations, have been portrayed before, but Rizzuto's uncompromising portrait of the suffering of Japanese-Americans is depicted with rare force and candor.? --"Publishers Weekly (starred review)?Memorable and haunting . . . powerful, economic prose and original characterization. ?--"The Wall Street Journal?Rizzuto's characters are wonderfully well drawn'jagged, honest, and unpredictable. . . . What sets Rizzuto's novel apart is her narrow focus on a handful of flawed, striving, uncertain people, bound by blood and obligation but never quite managing to read each other's souls.?--"Washington Post?A ferocious first novel . . . bold and disciplined. [Rizzuto's] talent for creating vivid scenes, for getting inside strong emotions, for writing with great power, is unmistakable.?--"Newsday?Rizzuto's moving first novel . . . shows how the normal push and pull offamily relationships is greatly exacerbated by issues of assimilation and culture clash, as first- and second-generation Japanese Americans grow up torn between rebelling against and honoring the rituals and values of their Japanese-born parents and grandparents. At the same time [she] leaves us with the comforting thought that although the past can never be erased, through love and forgiveness it can lose its painful hold in the present.?--"Booklist"A remarkable first novel; highly recommended."--"Library Journal""Why She Left Us is a beautifully crafted and finely orchestrated novel. Rahna ReikoRizzuto weaves together diverse points of view to tell the story of a family's tragedy and redemption. Not only was I captivated by the artistry of the book, but I learned so much about the legacy of Japanese-Americans in this country. This is a book that breaks the reader's heart and then heals it the way only a fine story can, page by well-crafted page." --Julia Alvarez, author of "Something to Declare, Yo!, and "In the Time of the Butterflies ?In a debut novel of depth and grace, Rahna Reiko Rizzuto creates a haunting portrait of a Japanese American family splintered by a history of betrayal and secrets. "Why She Left Us weaves the national shame of World War II's internment camps with the personal tragedies of three generations of the Okada family. Narrated by four family members, their story is one of violence, pain, and also, ultimately, the gift of forgiveness.? --Nora Okja Keller, author of "The Comfort Woman?Beautiful and poignant, Rahna Reiko Rizzuto's "Why She Left Us tells the bitter truths of the Japanese-American story the issei and nisei choose to bury in sadness and shame. Whata gift Rizzuto offers as she fuses the shadows of the generations and leads us with unflinching honesty to wisdom and forgiveness.? Lois-Ann Yamanaka, author of "Blu's Hanging and "Heads by Harry?There is a temptation to read this novel quickly; the plot and well-crafted characters lend a sense of urgency. But rushing through "Why She Left Us would be a mistake, not only because time is needed to sort out the shifting viewpoints, but also because it would be a shame not to savor the author's lyrical prose. She wastes no words, and each word contributes to the whole.?-- "Chicago Tribune