Review: How to Be an American Housewife by Margaret Dilloway

How to Be an American Housewife is a novel about mothers and daughters, and the pull of tradition. It tells the story of Shoko, a Japanese woman who married an American GI, and her grown daughter, Sue, a divorced mother whose life as an American housewife hasn't been what she'd expected. When illness prevents Shoko from traveling to Japan, she asks Sue to go in her place. The trip reveals family secrets that change their lives in dramatic and unforeseen ways. Offering an entertaining glimpse into American and Japanese family lives and their potent aspirations, this is a warm and engaging novel full of unexpected insight- Synopsis taken from Goodreads

I really enjoyed this book. It was easy to read and the language of the book made me feel as if I was there. I adored the relationship between Sue and her mother Shoko. Except for the accent, Shoko sounded just like my own mother. I swear I've heard the same type of comments or advice from my mom and I bet a lot of women would recognize a bit of their relationship to their mother in Shoko and Sue. I loved that as Sue and her daughter go to Japan and start understanding more of their Japanese roots that they seem to understand and find a bit of themselves there as well. It's a beautiful story and I totally recommend it.