Following a mysterious death in Yokohama Harbour, Japan, our tale forces two unlikely companions as they try to solve the death of a young lady. Han, a young Korean boy, is sent to Japan at the request of his abusive stepfather. However, soon realising that the school his stepfather sent him to does not exist, Han is left to survive in this foreign, unfamiliar place on his own. After finding a job at an eel stand, Han quickly learns how to chop eels, while also learning about Japanese culture and the Japanese language. Here, he meets his mentors, the socialist Scottish artist Archie Nith and the stoic Yamato.
T.Y. Garner’s emphasis on the importance of father figures what something that stood out in this novel – an element I really loved. Particularly, with the story itself opening with Han reflecting on his soon-to-be-father status. On top of this, despite the unconventional nature of their mentorship, there is a charm to all the characters that mentor Han.
Throughout the novel, Garner, much like our other protagonist, Archie Nith, paints a beautiful and vivid scene of Japan in the 19th Century. His setting of Yokohama Harbour also allows us a glimpse into what life was like in Japan, particularly exploring the continuing role of Western imperialism and its impact on local communities, culture and identity. It was clear while reading that Garner, whose background is in journalism and TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages), is well-researched in the topic, presenting an insight into how we define identity.
The charm of this novel also lies in its ability to teach. Throughout the whole story, there were moments when I felt I had to pause and take note of another insightful or interesting point. These little snippets varied from instructions on how to cook eels properly to understanding the difficulty of navigating isolation in a new place.
Inspired by Arthur Conan Doyle and Robert Louis Stevenson, Garner’s humour and quick wit poke fun at the actions of the Scots in the novel, something which I found myself laughing out loud to throughout the novel. Garner manages to inject the occasional Scottish banter, as well as light-hearted digs at the Scottish culture and people. Clearly, this novel is written by someone who knows the people of Glasgow well. One of my particularly favourite jibes was, ‘They were from Scotland – did they ever stop mentioning it?’ No, I don’t suppose we ever do.
Although the first-person narrative style took me a second to get used to it (evidently, I have been reading too much Sally Rooney and Jane Austen over the Festive period) it added level of immersion to the story. At times, I did struggle with the shift in time at certain points, with certain moments leaving me slightly confused as to whether it was a character flashback or a new scene entirely. That said, it is a well-paced story.
I would still say that Hotel Hokusai is a must-read for anyone who enjoys historical fiction, crime and coming-of-age novels!
Order online here: https://www.ringwoodpublishing.com/product/9626/
Or pick up a copy from Waterstones: https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-hotel-hokusai/t-y-garner/978190151498
Hi, I’m Erin. I’m currently studying English and History. She/her
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