A coming-of-age tale set in Japan, Maiko Seo’s Five Blessings For A Wedding is a heartwarming read. After the death of her mother, protagonist Yuko has been raised by many different families over the years. During her school years, she must navigate the experience with conflicting guidance, but rather than feel untethered she embraces the different journey.
As she embarks on a momentous stage of her life in marriage, she decides to reconnect with the influential people from her past to seek their blessing for the future she’s determined to embrace. The unusual plot concept is thought-provoking, raising questions about the impact and influence people can exert on others’ lives while unrelated by blood. With societal expectations on what a traditional family unit should look like displaying prevalence in certain cultures, the characters navigate these different dynamics successfully offering a confident optimism.
The English-language market for Japanese novels has expanded in recent years, and I think this one – translated by Laurel Taylor – will appeal to readers of contemporary, character-driven cosy fiction. Already adapted for TV and film, Five Blessings For A Wedding is a moving and humorous work of fiction.
