Rating: 4
A Tale for the Time Being
A Novel by Ruth Ozeki
2013 / 432 Pages
Ruth Ozeki’s Man Booker Prize shortlisted title has been a favorite among BookerMarks members this year. With such a richly layered and intricate plot, it’s difficult not to get sucked into this novel of hope, friendship, and family in the modern world. Split between two narrators, A Tale for the Time Being introduces readers to Nao, a teenage girl living in Tokyo, and Ruth, a writer living on the Pacific coast of Canada. Even though the two have never met, their lives are inextricably connected when Ruth finds Nao’s diary on the ocean shore, carefully wrapped and sealed within a freezer bag. As Ruth reads Nao’s story, she develops a deep kinship and sense of concern for this Japanese girl.