Customer Reviews

Sophie and the Rising Sun

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Sophie and the Rising Sun by Augusta Trobaugh is an excellent book which relates the effects of a strangers entrance into a Southern community. The year is 1939 when Mr. Oto, a Japanese man wanders into the town of Salty Creek Georgia. Arriving by bus, Mr. Oto is quite ill and is tended to by the local doctor. After he recovers Miss Anne, a kindly widow hires him as a gardener and offers him a place to live. As Mr. Oto he works hard and adjusts to his new life, he also tries to put behind him the shame and circumstances that led him to Salty Creek. One day while working, Mr. Oto sees a lovely woman walking by. In due time he learns that this is Miss Sophie, a Southern spinster lady who paints by the river. Following her one morning, Mr. Oto finds the courage to talk to her and these two unlikely people begin a relationship that will be severely tested and threatened when Pearl Harbor is attacked. Although most of the townspeople think Mr. Oto is Chinese, Miss Sophie knows the truth. As feelings of prejudice and tension towards anybody who looks foreign heats up in Salty Creek, Miss Sophie and Mr. Oto must made a decision that will forever change their lives.

This book, which speaks volumes about isolation and ostracism, is somewhat reminiscent of When the Emperor was Divine by Julie Otsuka and Snow Falling on Cedars by David Guterson, both excellent novels. A well written, well presented novel, Miss Sophie and the Rising Sun will have reader finding themselves pausing to consider the plight of many who are born in this country but have ties to a foreign land. I do recommend this book and look forward to reading more by Augusta Trobuagh

If you're looking for a pleasant, quick read, this is a a nice novel for a lazy afternoon. Since the Publisher's Weekly review above just about recounts the entire storyline, there's no need to cover that here. The book reads like a short story, with interesting characters stepping lightly through the story to give the book a surprisingly quick pace.

For those who have ever lived in the rural South, you'll recognize these characters (you may even be related to some of them). Trobaugh is obviously fond of the people she portrays, and that takes some of the sting out of the less noble qualities they possess.

While it's not a "I couldn't put it down" sort of novel, it is a very pleasant read, a sweet story and written in an intimate style. I liked the book quite a bit.

I've read rumors that the book is to be made into a film, with the role of Mr. Oto played by Chow Yun-Fat. I can't think of a better vehicle for him. Let's hope this is one rumor which turns out to be true.

As a huge fan of Trobaugh's other novel, Swan Place, I was delighted to find that Sophie & the Rising Sun has the same charming qualities and great writing that I loved so much.

Sophie & the Rising Sun will take you to a small town in Georgia, where part of southern life, includes everyone in town knowing your business. Alternate chapters are told from the voice of Miss Anne, a widow, who takes in dear Mt. Oto, a foreigner who wound up in this all white community. Mr. Oto is Asian and cares for Miss Anne's garden. He comes to be adored by several members of town, who are such loving characters, you will fall in love with each of them. Unfortunately, every town has a gossip, and Miss Ruth is no exception, creating all sorts of trouble.

Sophie & the Rising Sun is a love story, but it is also a story of compassion, accepting the differences in others, and small town life. It is a quick, easy read, but with a lot of substance and lasting impressions.

Understated, elegant and poetic, Augusta Trobaugh's "Sophie and the Rising Sun" traces the evolution of forbidden love between a white woman and a Japanese-American man immediately after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Other novelists have used the backdrop of racism and wartime hysteria as a means of exploring the consequences of debilitating prejudice and the restorative hopes generated by love; Trobaugh, however, gives the theme a compelling wrinkle. The setting is not the west coast, but a small, isolated Georgia community near the Atlantic Ocean. The two protagonists are also far from typical. Sophie, middle-aged and resigned to a loveless existence, has lived an emotionally-stunted life, accented by a repressive home and town whose adherence to racism symbolizes not only ignorance, but spiritual dysfunction. Mr. Oto, an adult Nisei, bears his own shame and disgrace; disguising himself as a "Chinese gardener," his only hope of human attachment revolves around a myth of a crane-wife.

"The Rising Sun" is at once slow-paced and emotionally compelling. Trobaugh's command of language is impressive, and her evocative use of metaphor transforms both place and person. Sophie's voice, for instance, "was soft and melodic, like the faint lapping of ripples at the edge of a beautiful marsh deep inside him." Decent people, struggling for a sense of authenticity during a period of racist hysteria, discover themselves in a well-intentioned but potentially disastrous lattice of lies. Sophie's only friend in town, Miss Anne (whose voice assists in providing a subjective view of Sophie's experiences), quietly rebels against the prevalent, quiet evil of Salty Creek. Yet her resistance and friendship comes with costs; even Miss Anne must confront conscience against friendship, love against safety, pride against pragmatism.

As Sophie and Mr. Oto initiate a relationship which slowly, quietly and surely develops its own definition and dimension, they must wrestle not only with their own needs and hopes, but how those aspirations and desires enmesh their beloved in physical and emotional danger. Trobaugh is nothing less than exceptional in her deft handling of quiet terror and spiritual isolation. It is that central tension between love (and its attendant optimistic hope) and betrayal (of decency, of honor, of interdependence) that gives this slender novel its enormous power.

"Sophie and the Rising Sun" is that kind of unassuming, subtle novel that reminds readers how and why the ability to love may be our most noble human achievement. When it occurs amidst ignorance and prejudice, love is even a more impressive achievement. Augusta Trobaugh, as surely as the symbolic crane which reappears mystically throghout her writing, interprets this terrain beautifully. This novel is cause for celebration.

This book was really slow going for me, I just couldn't get into it. I think my main problem was right from the beginning I knew what the whole story was about and how it would go. I don't mind a little predictability now and then, but this book is VERY predictable.

Not to say it wasn't a sweet story though, because it was. Most of the tale is told from Miss Ann's viewpoint, a neighbor and friend to Sophie. She shares with us the gentle, quite love that Sophie and Miss Ann's former gardener Mr. Oto share. Set in 1941 Georgia, everything changes for everyone after Pearl Harbor is attacked, and Mr. Oto must stop working for Miss Ann, but with her help he goes into hiding. It's about this time that Sophie and Mr. Oto discover how they feel about one another, and the story goes from there (don't want to give anything away, not that you can't figure it out though).

Now, as sweet as the love story part of the book was, the ending was a disappointment for me. I like clean endings that wrap a story up, whether it be happy or sad...I do not however, like to be kept guessing, and that's exactly what this book did. Overall, I don't think I'd recommend this book, but I also don't discourage anyone from reading it. Many people here really enjoyed it, and that's great, but I just wasn't feelin it as much.

A small southern town, a lonely spinster with an overbearing family & a male stranger. These come together to make a beautiful, compassionate love story set during WWII between Sophie & Mr. Oto, the new Japanese gardner in town. The beauty of this book is seeing the love grow between these two lonely people. Mrs. Trobaugh has once again written a wonderful book.

Nothing too heavy here. Sopie and Oto's budding love story is told through the eyes of Anne, Oto's employer and the "keeper of the town". This story touches on inter-racial relationships, racism, fear, war. It has a little bit of everything. However, it keeps it's sweet tone throughout. This book is great for a light, weekend read.

This is a great book. Beautifully written love story written in several different points of view and wonderfully executed. I will def be checking out more books by this author.

I love books about small Southern towns and this one was no different. Good pace, not slow but not too fast, this book is just an all around alright book. Lots of talk about fried chicken and biscuits, made me hungry!

This book is about Mr. Oto, Sophie, a crane and Ms. Anna, along with a few other smaller characters. Mr. Oto has to be hidden but secrets can't be kept in a small town as we all know and the story goes very quickly. You will read it in one small setting! Enjoy!

I liked the premise of the book. Japanese American and Southern girl fall in love in the days before WW2. So I bought it and was glad I did. This is a great summer read.

This book was a pleasure to read. It was written quite well, almost as though an old friend were telling you the story.

Sophie & The Rising Sun is perfect to read on a lazy day, and leaves you an ending with multiple possibilities.

This love story is one like no other I've read before - both fascinating in the development of characters and plot - I recommend this book to all!