The Pearl Diver - Sujata Massey
by Zia ~ February 5th, 2005. Filed under: Books.Our favorite Japanese-American antiques dealer slash detective makes a comeback in Sujata Massey’s latest book, The Pearl Diver. Rei is now firmly ensconced in Washington D.C. with her Scottish lawyer boyfriend who wants to put a ring on her finger and give her lots of babies. Rei, natually, has her own ideas and this leads her to get involved in decorating a hip new restaurant. And, being Rei, Things Begin to Happen.
The Pearl Diver is insightful, capturing Rei’s sense of alienation from East coast American culture. She is obviously ill-at-ease: her conversation is stilted and more formal than anyone else’s; she and Hugh are not getting along; she’s gained (gasp) five pounds or so. But this series’ main charm was plonking an American down in Japan and navigating the cultural differences. And alas, this book disappoints for those looking for Massey’s usual. There is a ghostly echo of this charm when Rei’s aunt comes to visit from Japan, but for the most part is absent. Although I heartily recommend this series as a fun frothy read with a slight edge (and even got the first five books for my mother for Christmas), this last disappoints. It’s not bad. It just loses something without the translation.
January 31st, 2006 at 10:44 pm
[…] Rei Shimura, the indomitable Japanese antiques expert and detective, is back and solving mysteries with her customary aplomb. Even better, she’s in Japan again, a huge relief after her last adventure, in which she was stuck in Washington D.C. […]
December 20th, 2006 at 5:34 pm
[…] I have read every single book in this series, but I have to say: I have loved these, but my interest is waning. The younger Rei was edgy and interesting, the Japanese antiques world was fascinating, the cultural tensions delicious. Rei is now a contractor for the CIA and goes undercover in a Japanese department store. She has the hots for her boss, who of course, has the hots for her too. But the Japan Rei now inhabits is bland and colorless–that is, except for the never-ending description of Japanese haute couture she succumbs to as a salesgirl. […]