Seventeen-year old Yuko lives with a young stepfather who takes his job as a parent seriously. Despite several changes in her home situation, and being raised by people who are unrelated, Yuko does not consider herself unfortunate since everybody responsible for her welfare has made her happiness their priority. She is pragmatic and emotionally resilient, able to ride out conflict with classmates and friends over a tough final year at school, then successfully launches into society to find meaningful work in the field of her choice and love with the man she finally weds. Along the way she learns important lessons about friendship, what makes family, the effect of music on the heart, and all the different ways there are of showing love, especially through food.
Section One
The first section unfolds over Yuko’s last year of high school and occupies approximately three quarters of the novel. Flashback chapters inserted into the main narrative relate her life history up to that point and supply background to developments in the story.
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