This book is a combination of Clueless and Emma with an emphasis on family and community — as the majority of the characters are Japanese — and a sweet, cheerful tone. Parties and suppers are set in various cultural moments with Japanese food that I think gives the book a slightly original flavour. However, as this is a retelling of Emma, if you’ve read the book or watched any of the movies all of the plot beats will be familiar.

Emiko isn’t a horrible person, but she is a flawed one, and I find those flaws well suited to a high schooler nearing her graduation, grabbing for any form of control she can have over her life. With an aging grandfather, everyone moving on to new lives, new cities, even new countries, Emiko is feeling left behind which has her clinging even more tightly to what’s comfortable, safe, and familiar. And pairing up people is something she thinks she’s good at, something that makes people happy and makes them like her … and Emiko has a need to be liked, to be valued.

She’s needy, insecure, but well-meaning and loyal. As a character, I liked her, and I liked her growing romance with Kenzo. He’s charming, ambitious, kind and patient — and Emiko needs that patience. If you’re a fan of Emma, I think you’ll enjoy this book. It hits all the right notes and yet adds something unique. Thank you so much to Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC.

~ thank you netgalley for an eARC! ˚ʚ♡ɞ˚. a cute 3 star romance!!
This was a fun, light-hearted retelling of Jane Austen's "Emma" about Emiko, a Japanese-Canadian high schooler, and her adventures before she graduates. The story features lots of drama, a sweet childhood friends to lovers romance, so many delicious foods, and insight on Emiko's culture.
Since it is an Emma retelling, Emiko has a similar personality as her which to some people can be frustrating because of their messy decisions, but that is the charm of the character. My favorite scene from the book is probably the dancing scene from their prom <3
Also, can we talk about this cover?! It's stunning!

This was such a cute fun read! The cover is so beautiful and it made me want to read the book. And I was not disappointed. I would highly recommend this book!

2.5 rounded up.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC!

I have very underwhelming feelings about this book and that's why I have to give it three stars. I don't dislike it but I also don't like it much. I think my main issue with it is that it has no idea what it wants to be: there is no singular plot. This book feels like a diary of a girl during her senior year and there's not succinct .... ANYTHING. It's all discombobulated and the character motivations are so weird and don't make much sense. I think this book could have used better direction to get it to become a full story instead of just meandering through a life.

That's what this book felt like: wistful meandering. The culture was cool. The characters were okay. But I really didn't feel like there was any ... POINT to the book as a whole? She's a matchmaker? Ok....... except she's NOT for the majority of the book. And her meager attempts at matchmaking are terrible. haha

Oh, also, I have to note that Emiko is an EXTREMELY unlikeable protagonist. I tend to enjoy reading about those but readers are going to REALLY hate her. I feel kind of bad too because she doesn't really go through a large growth period. She just kind of changes her ways on a whim at any point and I'm not really sure why Kenzo likes her except that she's just always been there. Their relationship was like... a cold wet noodle. They didn't feel like a couple and even though I knew they'd be endgame from the getgo because obviously... I never felt any real connection between them. Honestly, at times they did feel like brother and sister.

So, I think I'd recommend this to readers who maybe just want to read about the cultural aspects and the food? I'm not sure who the audience should be here. It's got a whole lot of random weird little tidbit plots that don't amount to much in the grand scheme of wistful meandering. So... if you like the idea of wistful meandering, give it a shot?

This was a really nice book, a new retelling and take on Emma by Jane Austen. Amazing in culture and storytelling

I thought this was lovely! It feels like Emma but still offers a fresh take with a unique voice at the same time. The story was rich with details of the culture and had a strong sense of family too. There were moments where the pacing felt slower in places but other than that I thought this was adorable! I would definitely recommend this to any Jane Austen/Emma fan!

Thank you so much to Tundra books for my ARC!

4/5

Emiko is a Japanese-Canadian High School Senior, who prides herself on her matchmaking abilities and dodges the looming question of what comes next for her with everything she's got. We meet Emiko as she prepares for her aunt’s wedding, a match she proudly takes credit for. True to Austen’s classic, Emiko’s meddling in her new friend’s love life brings about the expected misadventures and lessons in self-awareness.

This book is a charming modern YA adaptation of Jane Austen's Emma. Emiko is, sometimes frustrating, but a relatable teenager, struggling to figure out who she is and what growing up means. As an adult reader her thought processes seemed immature at times but I believe, that her perspective is authentic for the intended audience. The romance is sweet and heartwarming.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

Emiko is a Japanese-Canadian High School Senior, who prides herself on her matchmaking abilities and dodges the looming question of what comes next for her with everything she's got. We meet Emiko as she prepares for her aunt’s wedding, a match she proudly takes credit for. True to Austen’s classic, Emiko’s meddling in her new friend’s love life brings about the expected misadventures and lessons in self-awareness.

This book is a charming modern YA adaptation of Jane Austen's Emma. Emiko is, sometimes frustrating, but a relatable teenager, struggling to figure out who she is and what growing up means. As an adult reader her thought processes seemed immature at times but I believe, that her perspective is authentic for the intended audience. The romance is sweet and heartwarming. I believe this is a perfect book for teenage fans of Jane Austen's Emma or teenagers who love a good coming of age story.

Amazing such a cute read. I loved the plot the mfc could be annoying sometimes but I still loved her as a character and loved to see her growth. Kenzo was definitely my favorite character ever!! Overall an amazing book. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC

As a massive fan of Jane Austen's Emma, I immediately knew I had to read this book, and I am exceedingly glad that I did.
"Emiko" has fantastic Japanese and Canadian representation, as well as a fresh perspective to the "Emma" that those of us that have read and watched it know and love.
It was also lovely to see that there was representation for those with different sexual orientations and preferences throughout the story.
I love to see how an author puts their own spin on a classic tale and I think that some of the changes and additions that were made in this book were both smart and added something really special and unique to this version of "Emma".
This book is a wonderful modern "Emma" and I will be recommending it for sure.

This was so cute and sweet. I will definitely be following this author from now on. It was so fun and just what I needed.

Emiko by Chieri Uegaki
A beautifully written story of family, tradition, and self-discovery, Emiko is a novel that resonates deeply. Chieri Uegaki’s storytelling is rich with cultural nuance and heartfelt emotion, making this book a standout for readers who appreciate multi-generational narratives.

Emiko is a retelling of Jane Austen’s Emma that focuses on a Japanese-Canadian teenager (Emiko) who is strong-willed and intent on matchmaking her new friends. The characters were explored with depth and this feels like a very true retelling of Jane Austen. Although we get a new perspective on this tale through Emiko’s cultural background, so many aspects of what people love about Emma are also here—the connection to family, the complex nature of being a human and making mistakes. If people love the pacing and traditional feeling of Emma, they’ll love this retelling. It was a little slow in places for me, and some of the secondary characters weren’t developed enough for me to truly be invested in their stories, but I think this could be a love match for people who love Austen’s traditional works with a fresh take.

A charming retelling of Jane Austen's Emma, geared to MG/teen readers. I absolutely loved it and Janeites of all ages will adore it too!

I want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart to the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for allowing me the privilege of being able to read this book!

This book was perfect! This is a coming of age story (not marketed as such but it really needs to be) that needs to be around for generations. I honestly wish this book was around when I was highschool I really could have used this in my life back then.

This book could also be a modern retelling of Emma. If you believe the main character can come off maybe snobby, please read 'Emma' and you'll understand where that comes from. I've read Emma and from the minute I opened this book, I could see the personality and story comparisons so clearly. This wasn't a copy-paste fluff it up situation though. This was truly it's only book and could be completely taken also as one of the best modern retellings of a classic I've ever read, but it's still it's own book.

This is completely fair warning more middle school, ya than ya, new adult. However it could be read as an adult and might be a helpful if you feel a little lost in life. It would honestly make the perfect gift for a middle school graduate for someone going into their last year of high school. This book is more than a retelling, more than a story it's also a slight guiding tool about trusting in yourself and finding your own path in life no matter how that might look. I loved the quote referencing that sometimes our choices in life are like trying on an outfit to find what fits us best. It's a perfect anthology of life.

I loved the characters, I loved the story, I loved the beautiful descriptions of parts of my own country. I really loved getting to put myself back in time to when I was a child obsessed with learning Japanese and learning about the culture and relationships. I loved seeing it here for me again. I can't wait for more that this author puts out I would love to read her work again. When this novel is published I will also be bringing it home! As much as I would love to say it's for me, it won't exactly be it will be a middle school grad present for my daughter. This will be the perfect reminder to stay true to herself as she goes into high school.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for this truly wonderful read, I'm really grateful to have been able to experience it, and I'm so grateful to be able to share it!

This was such a great read! I was hooked from the first page and had a great reading experience. I always love reading Jane Austen retellings and this was another great one.

I'm convinced that if I had read this book as a middle/high schooler, I would have made it my entire personality. I will certainly be reccomending this to my younger cousins.