Flo is an American living in Tokyo, she’s just broken up up with her girlfriend, she’s stuck in a bit of a rut and she's not sure if she should move back to Oregon. One day, she finds a book on the train, it’s written in Japanese and Flo desperately wants to find the author Hibiki.

Kyo failed his university entrance exams, and he goes to live with his strict grandmother Ayako in her humble house in Onomichi and she runs a small coffee shop. Kyo's mother is a doctor, so doing well at cram school is extremely important and so he can resist the exams to get into medical school. Kyo likes to draw, he’s a manga artist and a very talented one.

Kyo is to spend a whole year with his grandmother, four seasons and he’s not impressed. At first he resents living with Ayako, she’s clever and makes a lazy Kyo accompany her on her daily walks, gets him away from his phone they start to talk and he meets other residents of Onomichi.

I received a copy of Four Seasons in Japan by Nick Bradley from NetGalley and Random House UK in exchange for an honest review. Mr. Bradley’s novel is wonderful, it’s a story within a story, and it’s about family, one that's experienced a lot of tragedy, becoming part of a community, and self-discovery and you’re taken on a journey. Kyo learns a valuable lesson, his life is his own and he needs to do what he wants and it might mean disappointing his busy mother.

At first I wasn’t sure if I would like the narrative, it’s very different to what I would normally read and often I struggle to make sense of this type of "quirky" book. I enjoyed reading about Japan, it’s culture, traditions, life in a small village, how Ayako wore a kimono, I was really engrossed in the tale and wanted to know what was going to happen next between Kyo, Ayako, in the cat alley and with Coltrane aka Mick Jagger. Four stars from me, I struggled to connect with Flo’s character, maybe this was deliberate to tie everything together and a brilliant debut.

In this magnificent book, we meet Flo, an American translator in Tokyo, looking for her next book translation project. With her personal life not going so well, she knows she needs something great to translate, but no books are hitting the mark until she finds a little-known book left on a subway train.

What we then have is the “book within a book”, where we follow that story of Ayako, a café owner, and her grandson Kyo, who goes to live with Ayako to study after failing to make the grades required to study medicine at university. This part of the book was my favourite, and I loved both main characters here. Both are so loving, but afraid to show or express who they truly are to those around them. The supporting cast of characters is also wonderful and endearing and I loved seeing their interactions. And the cats… I adored the cats…

The part of the novel with Flo was less engaging for me, but I still enjoyed it very much. I would certainly like to read more by this author.

My thanks to the author, NetGalley, and the publisher for the arc to review.

Bradley takes his readers to Japan and introduces them to the country's history, customs, culture, cuisine, and traditions. It was a wonderful experience visualising the changing seasons.  

His writing is highly visceral, and it is impossible to not feel the emotions of the characters. I loved knowing Flo, Kyo, and Ayako from such close quarters. 

In the book, the author covers several themes, including mental health, parental control, generational differences, societal pressure on children, and suicide.. The friendship and community strength portrayed in Kyo's story is heartwarming. 

I didn’t enjoy Flo’s story as much as I enjoyed Kyo’s. I found it much easier to relate to Kyo rather than Flo, whose constant dissatisfaction was slightly nagging. Flo’s struggles feel forced at times.

In my opinion, the resolution could have been handled better. Ayako’s story ended abruptly, while the ending of Flo's story was not as appealing as the story itself.

Beautifully written, this gentle read takes the reader through the story of Flo, entwined with the stories of Ayako and Kyo, a grandmother and her grandson in rural Japan. It’s a story of family, of loss and of following your dreams. There’s lots of interesting details about Japanese life and tradition which I really enjoyed learning too.

I love The Cat and The City, an original and intriguing book. I had high expectations for this one and I wasn't disappointed.
Another story with a brilliant plot, very original and well done, and an excellent storytelling that kept me hooked.
This is a fascinating book and I strongly recommend it.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

This is a gentle story - or rather two stories - which I loved partly because of my interest in Japan and visit to Hiroshima, prefecture and Miyajima, both of which are brought to life in the book.
Of the two narrative strands, I prefer to the story of Ayako and Kyo- I found it harder to relate to Flo and her struggle, and became slightly irritated by her interruptions to what I felt were the main characters.

This book is interesting as I’ve been to Japan and there were many moments that took me right back there. However I did find it quite hard to get into and a bit slow.

I Immersed myself in this book in a book story that goes through Japanese beautiful seasons.

Flo is a translator living in Japan, but she feels lost in her life, dispassionate towards her work, moreover, her girlfriend is moving to America. Then she found a book about Kyo who failed an entrance exam for uni and started living with his long lost grandma, Ayako in a countryside town called Onomichi. 

I really enjoyed these two storylines. Flo and Kyo both feel lost in their life, Flo doesn't know what she wants to do and Kyo feels he is a failure. It was gripping to read, Flo slowly gets her passion to translate and Kyo finding about his lost father and seeing an opportunity of his talent. 

Ayako is a stubborn woman who cares about Kyo but doesn't show it. I wasn't fond of her but I liked how she changes and opens up to Kyo. 

The story goes through Japanese seasons. The description is very beautiful and the illustrations for each season are mesmerising. 

Also there are, of course, cats involved🐱I love the mysterious cat, Coltrane💕

Highly recommend it to Japanese literature fans and also those who want to visit Japan.

The description of Japanese life was fascinating. The differences of the generational customs, food and behaviour intriguing. However, the landscape really was so beautifully scripted.
Moving from the modern buzz of Tokyo to the rural small town of Onomichi showed how far from city life people lived happily and fulfilled while they went about their everyday lives. Two complete contrasts.
It was also very much a story of heartbreak, deep love, loss and grief whilst overcoming the obstacles in their own very different ways.
Beautiful.

Flo is American and working as a translator in Japan.

This book was a lovely read with a great look in to Japanese culture which I enjoyed and was a nice change.

The book is well written with a lovely story a bit of a slow burner but really enjoyable

Four Seasons in Japan starts by introducing us to Flo  an American translater living in Japan, who is having a hard time following the breakup with her Japanese girlfriend and is at a crossroads in her career. When she finds a paperback by an unknown independent author on the underground she is intrigued and becomes immersed in the story. Hoping to make it her next translation project she goes in search of the author, Hibiki, in a rural Japanese town.

This is a fascinating glimpse into Japanese  culture,  past and present, and the description is almost poetic at times. I was a little unsure about the book within a  book concept - to be honest I would have enjoyed the story of Kyo and Ayako by itself. A beautiful read.

A true gem of a book. I've seen it described as a love affair with Japan and I put it down wondering exactly when I might take a trip and follow the footsteps of the characters.
When Flo, an American living in Tokyo who earns her living by doing translations, finds a novel on a train that is worthy of translating to English a journey begins to track down the author. There is an element of a novel within a novel as the story of Kyo, having failed his university entrance exams, goes to live with his grandmother Ayako in an effort to get into medicine school. However his passion is manga drawing, for which he has an extraordinary talent. There are so many underlying themes here, family tragedy, finding your passion, the power of the community, all woven together naturally.
If I have a fault then for me it was Flo herself. I just didn't want to know about all her problems and issues and found myself impatient to get back to Kyo and his grandmother. For that reason I will have no knock of half a star. This is a 4 and a half for me really.
I'm searching out the author's other books and would love to hear more from Kyo. A wholesome recommendation.

Thanks to Netgalley.co.uk and the publishers for this ARC.

I was kindly sent a physical copy of this alongside the Netgalley arc!

I honestly loved this, it was so different to anything I normally read but have non stop recommended this to everyone!

What a beautiful, glittering gem! This quiet book immerses you in Japanese culture and, for me at least, drives you to the internet to learn more - about the scenic attractions, the customs, the foods. It is an experience that I'll return to, even if I never get the opportunity to travel there.

This is actually two books. The first one concerns, Flo, an American translator of Japanese literature. She has finished a big project and can't find a new one. Add to this that her girlfriend is relocating to America and Flo can't decide whether she also wants to go. She finds a book, <I>Sound of Water</I>, on the Tokyo subway and becomes immersed in the story. As she translates it, she decides to get this book translation published and so must find the mysterious author, Hibiki. So we read <I>Sound of Water</I>, a novel divided into 4 seasons beginning with spring side by side with Flo's journey through those seasons.

<I>Sound of Water</I> gives us the story of teenage Kyo and his grandmother, Ayako. Kyo has been sent from Tokyo to the rural town of Onomichi to live with his grandmother as he attends a cram school so that he can retake exams to get into medical school. Ayako is gruff and uncompromising, and Kyo struggles to find his place. The story here is layered as we uncover Kyo's talent for art and Ayako's struggles with the deaths of both her husband and her son (Kyo's father). Ayako and Kyo both grow and learn over the course of the year.

Both of these stories add up to a wondrous tale of love, loss, grief, and finding a way to overcome obstacles. It has a bit of everything - beautiful illustrations that extend the tale; awkward teenagers and crusty grandmas; and even a cat, named Coltrane after the jazz musician, with a supporting role. The characters are flawed and richly drawn. The setting is beautiful - there's temples and torii and imposing mountains. But it is storyline that gives it extra depth - it is a complex, creative novel that stays with you long after you've finished.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the ARC.

<b>Quotes I liked:</b>

What do you do after you've achieved your biggest dream?

...spring was the hardest season - a time of change, a time of loss and rebirth.

It seemed a dangerous thing , to want to create.

...the important thing is that you turn up, you get out your pen, and you draw one small thing, one line at a time. That's how you achieve something big.

There were many routes to the top of the mountain..

Ultimately, everyone in life has to make their own journey. Alone.

...the physical world doesn't place limits on a person in the way that society does.

...how did she translate these very untranslatable feelings that coursed through her body and mind? How could she put this pain into words that other people could understand and relate to?

It all hinges around you, the reader.

It's not about getting to the end - about completion...It's about the journey, the process itself.

Four Seasons in Japan is a charming book about an American translator called Flo, living in Tokyo and the relationship she has with the fascinating book she's translating: Sound of Water.

Sound of Water is about a teenager called Kyo who has just failed his exams and gone to live with his grandma Ayako in a rural town, going to cram school and taking resits so he can get into medical school. Kyo and Ayako have to learn to live with each other and consider what each really wants out of life. And there's a cute one-eyed cat called Coltrane.

A recommended read for lovers of Japan and of character-driven stories.

So we have Flo who is fed up with her life in Toyko and is stuck in rut. She finds a book on a train and is compelled to translate it into English. The book tells the story of Ayako and her grandson Kyo. Kyo has moved in with his grandmother but their relationship is complex and somewhat fraught as they both navigate the difficulties of their family's past and manage their expectations for the future. As Flo recognises parallels with her own life the lines between the stories blur and she embarks on a journey of her own.

Typically when I read a story within a story I find I'm skimming to get back to the main event but for the first time ever I was equally invested. As I read I found my response to Kyo and Ayako mirroring Flo's - I sought photos of Hiroshima prefecture and Onomichi, researched the Atomic Bomb Dome and read about the Peace Memorial Ceremony. If I could have got on a train to Onomichi to look for them I certainly would have.

I loved the development of Kyo and Ayako's relationship. There are so many touching moments between them but the journey they took to the memorial has really stayed with me. I also loved the Japanese proverbs which are woven into the text and offer snippets of wisdom along the way. And as for the setting - it was everything - the authors descriptions of Onomichi and Hiroshima and of Kyo and Flo's train journeys made me want to book a ticket to Japan yesterday!

I thought 'Four Seasons in Japan' was a wonderful book. It was heartwarming and wholesome and very human. I was totally captivated by it.

Ad/ PR product. Thanks to @netgalley and @doubledayukbooks for an advance copy of this wonderful book.

Thankyou to Netgalley for sending me this arc copy of Four Seasons in Japan. I absolutely adored Cat in the City so I knew I would love this. It's a book within a book and immediately Nick Bradley's writing draws you into the curious world of Japanese culture.

A curious book within a book - the real life of a translator, and the four seasons of the book they discover.
I was sucked into both worlds - the locations, the characters (well drawn, flawed and human), and the details of culture and life in Japan were interesting too
I loved the seasonal illustrations for each section

Stunning. Huge thanks to the publisher for the ARC, I hope to read more from the author. The cover illustration was equally amazing. Highly recommend.

Four Seasons in Japan is an intimate look at life in contemporary Japan, as seen by both locals and outsiders. It’s a gently paced book that takes place over the course of a year, as the title suggests. It highlights the differences between city and rural life and contrasts traditional culture and attitudes with modern ways. The author, Nick Bradley, has lived in Japan for many years, and it shows. He is able to highlight things that are of interest to readers who are new to Japan while writing authentically about his characters. And his cats! There’s some fun word play and well-rounded characters, with suspense maintained until the end. The book includes some delightful line drawings and calligraphy, which added to the experience.

Flo Dunthorpe is an American translator living in Tokyo, who is at a crisis point in her life. Her work has dried up and so has her relationship with her girlfriend, Yuki. She is a gloomy character when we meet her, but she has loyal friends who believe in her, which is cause for optimism. (I loved that she looked up her own reviews on TrashReads – a sort of in-joke for those in the book world!) She needs to find work and to decide whether to follow Yuki to New York or stay put. Fate conspires to put a novel in her path, Sound of Water by Hibiki. Flo becomes engrossed with the story of Kyo and his grandmother, Ayako. She begins translating the book and we read what she has written, so Four Seasons in Japan becomes a meta novel – a book within a book. Flo is desperate to ensure her editor will like her translation of Sound of Water – but can she find Hibiki, the mysterious Japanese author, and get permission to publish it in English?

Bradley divides Four Seasons in Japan into sections according to the seasons that Kyo and Ayako experience in Sound of Water, which mirror those that Flo is living through as she translates their story. Kyo has failed his exams and become a roninsei: he attends a cram school in order to retake and go on to the career in medicine that his family wants for him. Meanwhile, he must live with his grandmother, who he barely knows. He is tormented by the death by suicide of his father when he was a baby – as is Ayako, who is strict and traditional and determined not to let her grandson down in the way she feels she let her son down. She secretly admires Kyo’s skill as an artist but both characters are so repressed that they don’t show their true emotions. Kyo’s dilemma is whether to fulfil his family’s expectations or follow his heart and become an artist.

Locations are vital to the book. Kyo becomes attached to life outside Tokyo, and it becomes apparent that the mountains and water are more than just part of the scenery; they’ve played an important part in the story of his family. Kyo is the respectful grandson, meaning that he won’t ask questions of his taciturn grandmother, and their shared history is only gradually revealed. You’ll want to keep reading to discover how Flo, Ayako and Kyo change over the course of the four seasons and whether they achieve their respective aims.