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Overview
When the Emperor Was Divine, a novel by Julie Otsuka, was first published in 2002
. It tells the story of a Japanese-American family’s experience in an internment camp during World War II. Through lyrical prose and shifting perspectives, the story portrays the emotional toll of displacement and prejudice. Otsuka’s novel is a work of historical fiction that draws on her own family’s experiences in the camps. The novel’s themes include the loss of identity and the long-lasting effects of trauma.Read the full book summary and chapter-by-chapter summaries for When the Emperor Was Divine.
