Tokyo Ever After by Emiko Jean - HIGH

Tokyo Ever After by Emiko Jean, 336 pages. Flatiron Books, 2021. $16.

Language: R (53 swears, 4 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

Growing up Japanese-American, Izumi has always felt out of place. And then Izumi and her friends find out that her dad is actually the crown prince of Japan, making her a legit princess. On the trip of a lifetime, Izumi flies to Japan to see if maybe she belongs somewhere after all.

With a fun twist on The Princess Diaries story, Izumi has to learn to navigate being royal in a new country with a language and culture foreign to her. I could tell that a lot of the situations were meant to be funny, but I mostly cringed in embarrassment for her instead of laughing. Thankfully, the cringey parts became less frequent, and I was able to get into Izumi’s story the farther we dove into Japan. I loved learning with Izumi about this culture I’ve never experienced, and I rejoiced as Izumi gained the strength to define herself by putting in the work necessary to gain the family, love, and culture she wanted -- no longer allowing those around her to tell her who she is. This is a lesson I hope to carry with me. The mature content rating is for alcohol use, innuendo, and mentions of sex and sexual organs.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen