Rating: 
Summary: A Treat!
Review: A small southern town, a lonely spinster with an overbearing family & a male stranger. These come together to make a beautiful, compassionate love story set during WWII between Sophie & Mr. Oto, the new Japanese gardner in town. The beauty of this book is seeing the love grow between these two lonely people. Mrs. Trobaugh has once again written a wonderful book.
Rating:
Summary: A Treat!
Review: A small southern town, a lonely spinster with an overbearing family & a male stranger. These come together to make a beautiful, compassionate love story set during WWII between Sophie & Mr. Oto, the new Japanese gardner in town. The beauty of this book is seeing the love grow between these two lonely people. Mrs. Trobaugh has once again written a wonderful book.
Rating: 
Summary: Sophie & the Rising Sun
Review: As a huge fan of Trobaugh's other novel, Swan Place, I was delighted to find that Sophie & the Rising Sun has the same charming qualities and great writing that I loved so much. Sophie & the Rising Sun will take you to a small town in Georgia, where part of southern life, includes everyone in town knowing your business. Alternate chapters are told from the voice of Miss Anne, a widow, who takes in dear Mt. Oto, a foreigner who wound up in this all white community. Mr. Oto is Asian and cares for Miss Anne's garden. He comes to be adored by several members of town, who are such loving characters, you will fall in love with each of them. Unfortunately, every town has a gossip, and Miss Ruth is no exception, creating all sorts of trouble. Sophie & the Rising Sun is a love story, but it is also a story of compassion, accepting the differences in others, and small town life. It is a quick, easy read, but with a lot of substance and lasting impressions.
Rating:
Summary: Sophie & the Rising Sun
Review: As a huge fan of Trobaugh's other novel, Swan Place, I was delighted to find that Sophie & the Rising Sun has the same charming qualities and great writing that I loved so much. Sophie & the Rising Sun will take you to a small town in Georgia, where part of southern life, includes everyone in town knowing your business. Alternate chapters are told from the voice of Miss Anne, a widow, who takes in dear Mt. Oto, a foreigner who wound up in this all white community. Mr. Oto is Asian and cares for Miss Anne's garden. He comes to be adored by several members of town, who are such loving characters, you will fall in love with each of them. Unfortunately, every town has a gossip, and Miss Ruth is no exception, creating all sorts of trouble. Sophie & the Rising Sun is a love story, but it is also a story of compassion, accepting the differences in others, and small town life. It is a quick, easy read, but with a lot of substance and lasting impressions.
Rating:
Summary: Sophie & the Rising Sun
Review: As a huge fan of Trobaugh's other novel, Swan Place, I was delighted to find that Sophie & the Rising Sun has the same charming qualities and great writing that I loved so much. Sophie & the Rising Sun will take you to a small town in Georgia, where part of southern life, includes everyone in town knowing your business. Alternate chapters are told from the voice of Miss Anne, a widow, who takes in dear Mt. Oto, a foreigner who wound up in this all white community. Mr. Oto is Asian and cares for Miss Anne's garden. He comes to be adored by several members of town, who are such loving characters, you will fall in love with each of them. Unfortunately, every town has a gossip, and Miss Ruth is no exception, creating all sorts of trouble. Sophie & the Rising Sun is a love story, but it is also a story of compassion, accepting the differences in others, and small town life. It is a quick, easy read, but with a lot of substance and lasting impressions.
Rating:
Summary: Very good
Review: I liked the premise of the book. Japanese American and Southern girl fall in love in the days before WW2. So I bought it and was glad I did. This is a great summer read.
Rating:
Summary: A pleasant book.
Review: If you're looking for a pleasant, quick read, this is a a nice novel for a lazy afternoon. Since the Publisher's Weekly review above just about recounts the entire storyline, there's no need to cover that here. The book reads like a short story, with interesting characters stepping lightly through the story to give the book a surprisingly quick pace. For those who have ever lived in the rural South, you'll recognize these characters (you may even be related to some of them). Trobaugh is obviously fond of the people she portrays, and that takes some of the sting out of the less noble qualities they possess. While it's not a "I couldn't put it down" sort of novel, it is a very pleasant read, a sweet story and written in an intimate style. I liked the book quite a bit. I've read rumors that the book is to be made into a film, with the role of Mr. Oto played by Chow Yun-Fat. I can't think of a better vehicle for him. Let's hope this is one rumor which turns out to be true.
Rating:
Summary: A sweet, light read.
Review: Nothing too heavy here. Sopie and Oto's budding love story is told through the eyes of Anne, Oto's employer and the "keeper of the town". This story touches on inter-racial relationships, racism, fear, war. It has a little bit of everything. However, it keeps it's sweet tone throughout. This book is great for a light, weekend read.
Rating:
Summary: A Wonderful read!
Review: SOPHIE AND THE RISING SUN by Augusta Trobaugh
February 6, 2005
What a wonderful book! I read this book in nearly one day and loved every page. SOPHIE AND THE RISING SUN by Augusta Trobaugh is the star crossed love story of Sophie and Mr. Oto, who because of the time era, are destined never to fulfill their dreams of being together.
It is WWII, and Mr. Oto is the gardener for Miss Anne, while Sophie is a middle-aged spinster who happens to be Miss Anne's oldest friend. The book delves into Sophie's history, narrated by Miss Anne, who has known her since she was a baby. We see Sophie's life through Anne's eyes, and learn about the love she lost in WWII and the reason why she never married. Sophie never thought she would love again. Instead, she took care of her aging mother and two elderly aunts, and felt this was her lot in life.
Mr. Oto's story is told through his point of view, in the third person. The reader will learn how he made his way to Georgia unintentionally and why he never left. He has no friends or family in Salty Creek, but he has no intentions of returning to California. When he finally meets Sophie, he finds that she is different from the other women in town, and he finds himself drawn to her.
When the Japanese invade Pearl Harbor, their worlds are changed forever. The fact that Mr. Oto is Japanese is significant, and fortunately the townspeople do not know (yet) that he is. They all think he is Chinese. Only Sophie knows Mr. Oto's true ethnicity, and both she and Miss Anne are worried for his life. What happens next is up to the reader to find out.
I greatly enjoyed SOPHIE AND THE RISING SUN. I am definitely picking up her other books. Ms Trobaugh has an obvious talent for writing, and did a great job with depicting her characters to make them feel as real and authentic as they should. SOPHIE AND THE RISING SUN is highly recommended by the Ratmamy.
Rating:
Summary: A small Southern town on the eve of Pearl Harbor.
Review: Sophie and the Rising Sun by Augusta Trobaugh is an excellent book which relates the effects of a strangers entrance into a Southern community. The year is 1939 when Mr. Oto, a Japanese man wanders into the town of Salty Creek Georgia. Arriving by bus, Mr. Oto is quite ill and is tended to by the local doctor. After he recovers Miss Anne, a kindly widow hires him as a gardener and offers him a place to live. As Mr. Oto he works hard and adjusts to his new life, he also tries to put behind him the shame and circumstances that led him to Salty Creek. One day while working, Mr. Oto sees a lovely woman walking by. In due time he learns that this is Miss Sophie, a Southern spinster lady who paints by the river. Following her one morning, Mr. Oto finds the courage to talk to her and these two unlikely people begin a relationship that will be severely tested and threatened when Pearl Harbor is attacked. Although most of the townspeople think Mr. Oto is Chinese, Miss Sophie knows the truth. As feelings of prejudice and tension towards anybody who looks foreign heats up in Salty Creek, Miss Sophie and Mr. Oto must made a decision that will forever change their lives. This book, which speaks volumes about isolation and ostracism, is somewhat reminiscent of When the Emperor was Divine by Julie Otsuka and Snow Falling on Cedars by David Guterson, both excellent novels. A well written, well presented novel, Miss Sophie and the Rising Sun will have reader finding themselves pausing to consider the plight of many who are born in this country but have ties to a foreign land. I do recommend this book and look forward to reading more by Augusta Trobuagh
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