Summary:

The book takes place mainly in Tarumi, Japan. You follow the character Stephen through his Journal as it skips through the months and seasons. The story begins as he becomes ill with tuberculosis while studying at a school in Canton. He goes back to stay with his family in Hong Kong for awhile as he recovers. His family is somewhat split up; his father lives in an apartment in Kobe, Japan and owns an import/export business. Their actual home is in Hong Kong where his mother and younger sister (Pie - short for Penelope) live along with a servant. Apparently he also has a few other siblings that are going to school elsewhere, but they don't get mentioned very often.

His father eventually decides it would better for him to recuperate at their summer home in Tarumi, Japan for the sake of Pie's weak immune system from some illness she was born with. Most of the book consists of his time in Tarumi living with Matsu who is the servant that looks after their summer home. Matsu's personality is an abrupt change for Stephen, as he's the type of person to keep to himself. As the book progresses Matsu begins to open up and be less awkward. Stephen eventually meets a few of Matsu's friends including Sachi who is a leper that lives in the mountain village of Yamaguchi.

As time Progresses even further some kinks are thrown into his new life. His mother calls distraught about unexplained bank transactions his father has been making; she expects Stephen to consult him and get the story. As it turns out His dad was having an affair, he randomly shows up to explain the situation, and despite the nonsense you can't help but feel bad for his father (Obviously not a bad person). Despite his dad's sincerity Stephen is pretty disgusted and acts indifferent. He sends a letter back to his mother in Hong Kong assuring her nothing is wrong although it still appears she suspects something.

Stephen's life seems pretty simple and he even meets up with some sisters (who live down in the village), he feels lonely having little interaction with people his age so he tries his best to keep contact. Stephen meets another friend of Matsu's who owns a market down in the village, Kenzo who seems like a really nice man. Stephens relationship with Matsu and Sachi grows as they visit her many more times up in Yamaguchi.

A tropical storm rolls in one day destroying Matsu's garden and knocking Stephen unconscious as they try to barricade the house. Hearing of the damage done, Sachi heads down and visits them which is extremely surprising with how she's never left Yamaguchi because of the embarrassment of her disease.

Everyone is in a great mood and Sachi continues to come down to visit, until one day when Kenzo stumbles into the garden unexpectedly. Stephen soon learns how the three were connected as childhood friends. Matsu's sister had commit suicide soon after she got the disease, Sachi realizing the same was happening to her outcast herself from her family. Kenzo had a crush on her since their childhood and had been keeping in contact through Matsu. He'd known that Sachi never left Yamaguchi and finding her down with in Tarumi with Matsu threw him into a rage thinking they'd been lying to him the whole time. In anger he tears off Sachi's scarf and calls her a monster, Matsu tells Kenzo that he is the true monster in the situation and pushes him out the door in anger.

Sachi wouldn't return to visit them again due to that event and soon after the event Kenzo is found dead as he hung himself from depression. A definate drop in the mood of the book, Stephen helps ease Sachi telling her that she has no reason to be afraid. A defining moment as he'd visited her against Matsu's wishes who'd feared they'd only push her further away bringing the topic up again. Sachi tells Stephen more about their childhood together.

Throughout the story World War II is mentioned a lot as the Japanese roll through China and the war gets ever closer to his friend back at school and family in Hong Kong. The sides are rough as He is living in Japan with Matsu and hears many of the Japanese opinions of the war, while his family and friends are in china telling them how horrible the Japanese army is.

After awhile Matsu decides they should visit Sachi again, upon their arrival they find part of the village in flames. Along with the villagers they manage to put the fire out with the loss of only a few houses, they spend several weeks helping the lepers of Yamaguchi rebuild. During this time Stephen learns the remainder of the story between Kenzo, Sachi, Matsu, and his sister Tomoko and how things came to be the way they were when he arrived. Upon completion there's a celebration in Yamaguchi and both Matsu and Stephen are held as honorary guests for all their help. Stephen makes plans to meet up with Keiko (of the sisters) later the next day and soon finds out that Hiro(another of Matsu's friends) had passed away in Yamaguchi the night after the celebration. A sweet and sour night, Stephen appears somewhat drained from all that's been going on but his spirits rise as he goes to meet Keiko at the shrine.

Stephen's father visits again for a small time and it appears that Stephen's anger towards him has dissolved for the most part. He received a letter from his mother and it's now confirmed by his father, they want him to stay in Tarumi and finish recovering as the war is too close to home. Along with this, his mother and sister wouldn't be visiting due to the issue between his parents; The situation left him unhappy. He received another letter from his sister talking about their life over there and how angry she was when she found out she wouldn't get to see him.

Keiko's family had gone to visit family in Osaka, upon her return Stephen finds that her brother has been killed in the war, as an effect it sounds like their chance in a relationship is shot for the most part. Stephen was depressed about not seeing Keiko anymore but Matsu offered him some words to keep him from thinking about it too much. Later he gets a letter from his father inviting him to go with him to Tokyo on a business meeting. Stephen accepts and is amazed at how busy Japan is. While at a restaurant, news of Canton's fall was announced and shocked the two of them. He felt like an outsider and his father knowing his feelings insisted they head back the next day. He mentioned that both him and Stephen's mother thought he should head back to Hong Kong soon.

Stephen spent some time doing his normal routine and eventually his dad sent him a letter about the trip back. Stephen said his goodbyes to Sachi. He got to see her again a few days before he left, The relationship between the three was fairly obvious at that point. Despite the difference in their personalities he had been the son they'd never had. Sadly the only parting gift from Keiko was the white blossom he found on the fence the day before his trip back.

The story ends as he departs on the train after the sad farewell between him and Matsu.

View Larger Map