10% First Impressions: The Flower Arranger by J.J. Ellis
When I first joined NetGalley I went a little gung-ho requesting books before I fully understood the approval system. Happily though, I got a bunch of books to read. But factoring in the hardcovers and paperbacks I can't keep myself from piling up, I've got a lot of books to read. So as I try to make my way through the books I have available for reading, keeping track of return and archive dates, I choose among the books I have based on perceived ease of reading. It might not be the best idea, to keep the longer books for last, but if I can get through shorter books quicker then I can take a little more time with longer books.
The added plus of reading books 10% at a time is easier management. 10% of a 300 page book is 30 pages, an amount that when you start reading it ends up being a lot shorter than expected. Sometimes 10% leaves you in the middle of a chapter so you finish that chapter and end up pages closer to finishing. Sometimes you become so invested after 10% than you read another tenth.
Of the six physical books I have I've started reading five. Ideally I'll finish at least four of the five by the end of the month, in the next nine days. I have to keep reminding myself of this goal. I finished two eBooks in the last two days so I decided to start another one, despite the fact that I'm in the middle of three already. This time around the eBook I chose was to start was The Flower Arranger by J.J. Ellis. Of the eBooks on my NetGalley shelf I'd downloaded four and this was the shortest one. Sometimes it's just that simple.
Published back in September, The Flower Arranger is a crime thriller set in Japan. With a narrative pushed by the combination of British, but living in Japan reporter Holly Blain and mixed-race police inspector Tetsu Tanaka, I'm not sure who the intended audience is. J.J. Ellis, the author, seems to have done a bit of self-insertion with one of the characters also having visited Japan following the winning of a free trip. With a bulk of the story so far having great proximity to and centrality around non-ethnic Japanese characters, it feels like an exposition of Japanese culture to a non-Japanese audience. Being a story set in Japan written by a westerner, in addition to my own lack of authentic experience and/or exposure to Japanese culture, I can't say what does or does not approach Orientalism. As I read I keep wary of anything I think could approach that, but I can't say anything to that one way or the other.
What might interest some looking for it is that there is LGBT representation. Holly Blain, the young female journalist from abroad, seems to currently be in a same-sex relationship. The book may revisit that later on, but there's been no label ascribed to her in the context of her sexual orientation. The representation of Japanese culture and citizenry so far as been mostly in the context of its male populace. In my 10% read, so far I've seen about three instances of female Japanese discourse. One was not entirely direct, but rather a translation of a Japanese female's speech and the ensuing conversation between men. Another instance was in reference to a sleeping male character, a failure of the Bechdel test. Finally the third instance was a romantic one between the female protagonist and her Japanese hostess girlfriend. As I continue my read I'll be looking out for the representation of Japanese women and the representation of the Japanese citizenry and culture outside of its proximity to foreigners in Japan.
My best guess as to the crime thriller aspect would be that the story will follow the hunt of a serial killer or kidnapper who focuses on foreign women, the eponymous Flower Arranger. The set-up is interesting so far, but not necessarily riveting. Apparently two more books are planned involving the cop-reporter duo. If this book proves to be a successful read and future books are episodic, I might stick with it.
The added plus of reading books 10% at a time is easier management. 10% of a 300 page book is 30 pages, an amount that when you start reading it ends up being a lot shorter than expected. Sometimes 10% leaves you in the middle of a chapter so you finish that chapter and end up pages closer to finishing. Sometimes you become so invested after 10% than you read another tenth.
Of the six physical books I have I've started reading five. Ideally I'll finish at least four of the five by the end of the month, in the next nine days. I have to keep reminding myself of this goal. I finished two eBooks in the last two days so I decided to start another one, despite the fact that I'm in the middle of three already. This time around the eBook I chose was to start was The Flower Arranger by J.J. Ellis. Of the eBooks on my NetGalley shelf I'd downloaded four and this was the shortest one. Sometimes it's just that simple.
What might interest some looking for it is that there is LGBT representation. Holly Blain, the young female journalist from abroad, seems to currently be in a same-sex relationship. The book may revisit that later on, but there's been no label ascribed to her in the context of her sexual orientation. The representation of Japanese culture and citizenry so far as been mostly in the context of its male populace. In my 10% read, so far I've seen about three instances of female Japanese discourse. One was not entirely direct, but rather a translation of a Japanese female's speech and the ensuing conversation between men. Another instance was in reference to a sleeping male character, a failure of the Bechdel test. Finally the third instance was a romantic one between the female protagonist and her Japanese hostess girlfriend. As I continue my read I'll be looking out for the representation of Japanese women and the representation of the Japanese citizenry and culture outside of its proximity to foreigners in Japan.
My best guess as to the crime thriller aspect would be that the story will follow the hunt of a serial killer or kidnapper who focuses on foreign women, the eponymous Flower Arranger. The set-up is interesting so far, but not necessarily riveting. Apparently two more books are planned involving the cop-reporter duo. If this book proves to be a successful read and future books are episodic, I might stick with it.
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