United States of Japan

Taken individually, Akiko and Beniko might be considered mildly interesting. However, the real magic happens when they interact with each other, breaking each other down to the barest bones of their beliefs and ideologies before building each other up again. It doesn???t seem that way at first, given how angry they both are at the world and at each other, but that is precisely what happens: Akiko challenges Beniko???s passivity, while Beniko pokes holes in Akiko???s ideology. That, I think, is the best part about this novel: how these two characters play off each other in a way that furthers both their character development and the plot. I find myself wishing that there are more relationships like theirs in fiction: relationships that are (far) less about romance, but more about the unlikeliest partnerships working out in such a way that both characters grow.

Full review here: http://wp.me/p21txV-u4