Midori by Moonlight [Paperback]

Wendy Tokunaga (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Aspiring Cinderella Midori Saito does not heed her mother's warning-"Running off with a foreigner will bring you nothing but trouble"-in Tokunaga's delectably frothy debut. Trouble is exactly what Midori finds after following English teacher Kevin Newbury from her native Japan to San Francisco, where Prince Charming quickly becomes Prince Alarming after a nightmarish engagement party. After Kevin dumps her to return to his ex-girlfriend, Midori doesn't want to tell her parents or return to Japan, although with little savings, no green card and only a temporary visa, she may have to. Fortunately, Kevin's old friend Shinji Nishimura, who met Midori at the ill-fated party, offers Midori refuge while she figures out her next moves-she's a talented baker-and Shinji ponders his. Tokunaga, author of the self-published No Kidding, depicts Midori's determination to create her own version of the American dream with exuberance.
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Review

Midori By Moonlight is part wasabi, part ginger, and as scrumptious as a California roll. You'll devour this book in a day! Cara Lockwood, bestselling author of Dixieland Sushi --Cara Lockwood, bestselling author of Dixieland Sushi

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Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin (September 18, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312372612
• ISBN-13: 978-0312372613
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #945,313 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Midori conquers San Francisco, one dessert at a time, October 10, 2007

By	Rachel Kramer Bussel "Cupcakes Take the Cake ... (New York City) - See all my reviews (VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

This review is from: Midori by Moonlight (Paperback)

Midori Saito is an innocent yet powerful heroine. Tokunaga presents her new-to-America, just-hilted protagonist as a woman who never quite fit in in her native Japan, and leapt at the chance to go with the gaijin of her dreams to San Francisco. Once there, however, she winds up living in an apartment with her ex-fiance's friend, Shinji, lusting after a gay chef, and working as a bar hostess. She avidly follows the soap opera Farrington Falls, only sometimes realizing that there are aspects of her life that could be described as soap operatic (not necessarily through her own doing, but for a relatively simple woman, she winds up in some unusual situations).

Midori's most charming trait is her relentless efforts to learn English and constant questioning of idiomatic phrases. Her use of them shows that she truly wants to fit in, and slowly, she does. There's a slightly outlandish story line about Japanese criminals that didn't totally ring true for me, but that's okay, because Midori is sweet but not gullible. She shows signs of fierceness, even though she doesn't always live up to them, and the tension between her traditional family, eager to marry her off, and her desire to make a real life for herself, on her own terms, exploring who she is and her new city, is powerful.

One of the ways Midori distinguishes herself is with her sweet tooth. She treats the desserts she buys and lovingly savors with the utmost of attention, capturing each one in her pastry album, and concocting her own creations. "Why would anyone wnat to sniff cocaine when there's marzipan in the world?" she wonders at one point, and her attention to detail, from making special cakes for Shinji's girlfriend, to making sure each one is perfect, is delightful to read about. Her desserts represent her independence; she is not making them out of obligation to a husband, but because she simply loves the act, and thankfully she manages to make money from her tasty snacks.

This is a wonderful first novel, and even though it's about culture clash and immigration to a large extent, the wonder Midori feels when she first arrives in San Francisco is akin to the wonder we all feel upon moving to a new city. Seeing Midori succeed, contrasted with her best friend stuck back in Japan at a job she hates or what happens with some of her fellow bar hostesses, makes this a happy ending you'll savor as much as the sweetest dessert.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Delightful, September 30, 2007

By	Kimberly Cain "Fiction fan" (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Midori by Moonlight (Paperback)

Tokunaga depicts her heroine with sympathy, depth, and humor, as she makes a new life in San Francisco after being jilted by her soon-to-be husband. Midori is as charming a main character as I've seen in a while--you'll be rooting for her from page one!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Amazing Book, Very Cool Read, September 19, 2009

By	J. Woolston (Indiana, PA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Midori by Moonlight (Paperback)

This book is a great tale for chick lit fans and general readers alike! Midori is a plucky heroine, trying to find herself in the USA after being jilted by her fiance. She has no green card, no money, and is afraid to tell her parents about the failed engagement. So..she must find a job (illegally), a home, and a life. Of course, her identity is most important as well. Loved everything about it!

Loved the text! Highly recommend it!