Tokunaga (Midori by Moonlight
) proves her ability to describe Japanese culture in absorbing detail, though she’s less adept at bringing her characters to life. After aspiring San Jose singer Celeste Duncan learns her aunt Michiko has died and left her possessions to her long-lost sister, Hiromi, Celeste dumps her dud boyfriend and relocates to Tokyo to find Hiromi and, hopefully, the identity of her own father. Her quest introduces her to a bustling Tokyo, and the staples of its pop culture are explored as Celeste bounces from experience to experience—commuting as contact sport, romance with a Japanese man, karaoke and her participation in a music competition show. While it’s easy to see why Celeste would be taken with Tokyo, it’s less clear why readers should be taken with Celeste, who comes across less a convincing lead than a tour guide. (Dec.)
