The Japanese Lover

The Japanese Lover is by Isabel Allende. A wonderful realistic fiction novel. The story begins when Alma Belasco is at the end of her life in an expensive care facility in San Francisco. Her new caregiver, Irina, and her grandson, Seth, set out to learn her history before it's too late. The saga weaves back and forth in time from Alma's tragic history as a Jewish child in Poland, to her trip to America, and her love for a Japanese gardener which will shape the entirety of her life. A beautifully written and moving tale of love and tragedy and how to overcome. 

Ratings: 11th grade - AC (mature thematic content).