The Mulberry Leaf Whispers

“The Mulberry Leaf Whispers takes the reader on two intersecting storylines; one is the perspective of a Japanese soldier in WWII and the other is of sixteenth-century feudal royalty. Both of these perspectives are not often explored in American Literature and I commend the author for bringing them to life in such detail.

Akira and Lady Sono, are both members of the house of Matsura, although they are separated by about four hundred years. Each of them makes courageous decisions despite difficult circumstances and are guided by their Christian faith.

I found Lady’s Sono’s story to be more engaging, the author wove in beautiful descriptions of nature along with biblical allegories. However, Akira’s story brought in how the Japanese were treated during and after WWII, which is not widely talked about. I appreciate this new look at history, however, I found this novel focused more on the Christian faith than it was about Japanese culture and history. I would have appreciated a historical note about the role of Christianity during the time periods of the novel.”