Block Seventeen
Block Seventeen by Kimiko Guthrie is an unabridged edition published by Blackstone Publishing in 2020, featuring 288 pages in English. The narrative follows Akiko “Jane” Thompson, a half-Japanese, half-Caucasian woman in her mid-thirties, as she navigates life in the Bay Area with her fiancé, Shiro. After a strange car accident, Jane’s life begins to unravel, marked by an intruder who ransacks their apartment without taking anything, leaving behind only cryptic signs. As Shiro becomes increasingly obsessed with government surveillance, Jane grapples with the mysterious disappearance of her mother and the resurfacing of a long-buried family trauma.
Readers will find a blend of psychological and literary elements as Jane embarks on a quest to uncover her mother’s fate, confronting her family’s complex history in America. The story delves into themes of cultural heritage and family life, revealing how the incarceration of Japanese Americans has impacted her lineage. Through melodic and suspenseful prose, Guthrie weaves a narrative that oscillates between the past and an unreliable present, ultimately leading to a shocking revelation. Block Seventeen explores the enduring effects of fear and persecution, offering a thought-provoking examination of identity and belonging.
Official synopsis Publisher
Akiko “Jane” Thompson, a half-Japanese, half-Caucasian woman in her midthirties, is attempting to forge a quietly happy life in the Bay Area with her fiancé, Shiro. But after a bizarre car accident, things begin to unravel. An intruder ransacks their apartment but takes nothing, leaving behind only cryptic traces of his or her presence. Shiro, obsessed with government surveillance, risks their security in a plot to expose the misdeeds of his employer, the TSA. Jane’s mother has seemingly disappeared, her existence only apparent online. Jane wants to ignore these worrisome disturbances until a cry from the past robs her of all peace, forcing her to uncover a long-buried family trauma.
As Jane searches for her mother, she confronts her family’s fraught history in America. She learns how the incarceration of Japanese Americans fractured her family, and how persecution and fear can drive a person to commit desperate acts.
In melodic and suspenseful prose, Guthrie leads the reader to and from the past, through an unreliable present, and, inescapably, toward a shocking revelation. Block Seventeen, at times playful and light, at others disturbing and disorienting, explores how fear of the “other” continues to shape our minds and distort our world.
Publisher
Topics
FAQ
What is “Block Seventeen” about?
Who is the author of “Block Seventeen”?
When was “Block Seventeen” published?
What is the ISBN for “Block Seventeen”?
What are the book details (language, pages, edition)?
