Insights to Japan (and China) that after all these years can still hold true. The first third of the book was indescribably good. The next third was interesting and the last third seemed slightly odd but the final sucker punch to the gut clinched it for me. Some parts of the plot may leave you scratching your head but I encourage readers not to scrutinise too logically but just allow themselves to be swept along by Mary's life in East Asia. The slightly impassionate tone of her diary entries actually worked quite well, allowing the reader to have their own emotional reactions to her observations and tribulations.