The Turtle House, Amanda Churchill's moving debut novel, weaves the life stories of Mineko "Minnie" Cope, a woman in her 70s who was once a Japanese war bride, and her Texan granddaughter, Lia. A promising architect, Lia has fled her dream job and returned to tiny Curtain, Tex., to share a room with Mineko, recently displaced after a house fire. Lia, suddenly curious about her Grandminnie's past experiences, begins recording Mineko's accounts of her early years in Japan. As Mineko opens up about her past, Lia gains a greater understanding of her prickly grandmother, and the two eventually join forces on a secret project that may bring healing to both of them.
With spare but powerful descriptions, Churchill draws readers into Mineko's early life: her love of swimming, her sharp intelligence, and her first love, Akio Sato. The two spend hours at the titular turtle house and plan their future together. But after World War II, Mineko finds herself married to James Cope, a U.S. soldier; they immigrate to Texas with their two children. Mineko adapts to her new world, but she never forgets Akio or the life she left behind. Meanwhile, 20-something Lia struggles with anxiety and insecurities in architecture school, as well as the unsettling attention of a charismatic professor. As she listens to Mineko's story, Lia knows she must stop hiding, confront her painful experiences, and decide how to move forward.
Sensitive and vividly described, The Turtle House is a powerful meditation on family, love, and the complicated meaning of home. --Katie Noah Gibson, blogger at Cakes, Tea and Dreams