79th book of 2021

Reading period: Sept 22nd 2021 - Sept 24th 2021

Summary

Kimi Nakamura loves a good fashion statement.

She's obsessed with transforming everyday ephemera into Kimi Originals: bold outfits that make her and her friends feel like the Ultimate versions of themselves. But her mother disapproves, and when they get into an explosive fight, Kimi's entire future seems on the verge of falling apart. So when a surprise letter comes in the mail from Kimi's estranged grandparents, inviting her to Kyoto for spring break, she seizes the opportunity to get away from the disaster of her life.

When she arrives in Japan, she's met with a culture both familiar and completely foreign to her. She loses herself in the city's outdoor markets, art installations, and cherry blossom festival -- and meets Akira, a cute aspiring med student who moonlights as a costumed mochi mascot. And what begins as a trip to escape her problems quickly becomes a way for Kimi to learn more about the mother she left behind, and to figure out where her own heart lies.

Rating

None

Review

This book is, for me, the definition of cuteness. It helps to stop a reading slump.

In this story, we are following Kimi, who love designing clothes for everyone. The only problem is that the most important things for her mother are painting and her future in a prestigious art academy. However, when she discovered that Kimi dropped her art class, she was not okay with it. So, to put distance from her mom and find herself, she spends some time with her grandparents in Kyoto. A city and a family she never meets but can give her a lot.

The first thing that I liked was the group she had with her two best friends. It reminds me a lot of my teenage years when we discussed boys, advice and fashion. They are genuinely caring for each other, and that if you have a problem and there is an ocean between them, they will always be there.

I liked seeing Kimi evolve even if we know the ending from the beginning. You learn about her not only through her actions or statements from her friends but also through the garment she draws. You always have a piece of her in the drawings and the way she is talking about it.

The relationship with Akira is so sweet. It's a fast burn as the book is short, but at the same time, there is something slow in it. I don't know how to describe it, but I liked it a lot.

Kyoto is a silent character, but it's here. While she finds herself, she is discovering the city, and we are discovering it simultaneously. However, it's not only see-sightings but also some cultural elements, which was for me a great plus. You also have some historical element, but the author doesn't dive into as it's a lighthearted story and those elements are much heavier even if they are essential to talk about them.

The ending was heartwarming, even if I was afraid at the beginning that they would not have a happy ending.

Liz.

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