So Far from the Bamboo Grove

By: Yoko Kawashima Watkins

This book was very deeply touching and moving, and hard to read at times. What struck me the most from the very beginning was how war was how everyday life was described in the context of war. This made warfare seem ordinary and everyday. For example, at the beginning, Yoko makes a comment about how she hopes that there are no air raids so that she can sleep. There are other comments such as, maybe we can turn on the lights today. I thought this was the most simple, but at the same time, the most heartbreaking. Children in war is such a hard thing for me to wrap my mind around. Another thing that stuck out to me when reading this is how amazing it is what we are capable of when it comes to life and death. It is amazing what we can endure, and the lengths that we will go to survive. I think this is fascinating but at the same time one of the most horrible things about war; that in essence, all sense of humanity goes out the window for this higher purpose of survival. For example, when her sister is covered in the placenta. Of course you have to go to extreme measures to survive, however, it is dehumanizing in a way. Also, I was shocked at the part where the baby was just thrown out the window like that. Of course they cannot leave dead bodies on the train because they could cause disease, and they do not have the time to be concerned with the mental state of the mother, but that is part of what makes it so awful. In a state of live or die, the normal rules to not apply. I think these kinds of things are typical in war situations, but that is why it is so traumatizing. It also seems ridiculous to call anything about this book or about what goes on in war “typical.” I don’t know how I feel about reading the other book now. I am sure it is going to try to demonize the Japanese, but I don’t know if I can fully buy into that after reading this little girl’s story. I think it is very unfair that individuals are associated with the actions of an entire people. A lot of people suffered; it was not just one-sided. I think that this story definitely needs to be told, and has the right to be told. I also think this would be a very interesting thing to do with a class; especially since I am already feeling conflicted and I haven’t even read the other book yet.