The Japanese Lover

The Japanese Lover is Isabel Allende’s 18th novel. Like most of Allende’s work, it falls under the genres of magical realism and historical fiction. The novel was originally published in 2015, the year after Allende was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. In addition to the overarching focus on romance and love, the novel addresses issues relating to World War II (WWII), Japanese American incarceration during the 1940s, racism, homophobia, and the struggles of aging and dependence. As a work of magical realism, there are many elements of the text that depart from realism, such as the inclusion of spirits and forces beyond human understanding, but the work is predominantly a historical fiction set in the mid-20th century. Allende is a best-selling author, and The Japanese Lover was highly anticipated. In addition to the Presidential Medal of Freedom, prominent awards Allende has won include the Hispanic Heritage Award in Literature, the Chilean National Prize for Literature, the Library of Congress Creative Achievement Award for Fiction, and the National Book Foundation’s Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters. Other works by Allende include A Long Petal of the Sea,