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"My sister had taught me to look at the world that way, as a place that glitters, as a place where the calls of the crickets and the crows and the wind are everyday occurrences that also happen to be magic." - Cynthia Kadohata.
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Sometimes I read a book and mentally thank the author for writing it. Kira-Kira is one such novel that fills you up with warmth, starting at your head and flowing all the way down to your toes. This work of young adult fiction which is barely 244 pages in length, manages to create a storm of emotions within oneself. The after effect of this book was very much like a sweet chocolate melting in my mouth, the taste of it staying for many minutes even after the chunk is gone. Kira-Kira means glittering or shining in Japanese and each character of the book glitters in his/her own way, never trying to steal someone else's shine. Such an apt name for a book that feels like fireflies dancing on a warm night.
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This story is about a hard-working Japanese American family named Takeshima. The protagonist, Katie, is the middle child who shares strong bonds with both her siblings, Sammy and Lynn. She describes her father as a quiet and strong man, always caring for her mother who is petite and fragile in nature. When her parents decide to move to Georgia to work in a poultry factory, Katie doesn't complain. Their lives in Georgia falls into a routine, with her parents working double shifts and often clocking in overtime and the girls attending school. With the dream of buying a house, her parents are often exhausted, worry lines appearing on their faces with each passing day. At school, the girls are discriminated but it doesn't bother them much as they seek friendship in each other. Katie's life revolves around Lynn, her genius sister and Sammy, her baby brother. It is Lynn who teaches her the word Kira-Kira and Katie falls in love with it. To her, Lynn is Kira-Kira.
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The dream of owning a house comes true but they find themselves unable to enjoy the occasion because Lynn falls ill. As Lynn's health declines, Katie feels confused but assumes the role of a caretaker to look after her sister. Katie's selflessness is heartwarming to watch, as she sacrifices her desires to please her sister. She grows up quite fast, pushed to care for Sammy and then for her parents. Katie's transformation from being a carefree child to a responsible teenager is a prominent change to witness. While Katie thinks Lynn is the epitome of Kira-Kira, she often forgets that she is a glittery thing herself. This novel of unadulterated love and familial ties is a beautiful coming of age story of Katie and many other families like hers. The narration is graceful, cascading like gentle laughter. It reminded me of how we saw the world as kids, how we questioned about everything under the sky and how it was often the littlest things that brought us immense pleasure. As we grew up, we stopped noticing the Kira-Kira around us but Katie tells us not to.
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I definitely recommend this to everyone irrespective of their age. Cynthia convinces you to view the world differently. I absolutely loved this book and if you decide to ever read it, I think you too will.
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Rating : 4.5/5.