Inheritance from Mother

"Steeped in literature, Inheritance from Mother is also a work of literature—and a fascinating example of the overlap of Japanese and foreign influences, nicely brought to the fore by Mizumura." —Complete Review

“Inheritance from Mother is a thoughtful examination of the emotional complexities and contradictions that surround the aging and death of a parent. Through deft, engrossing storytelling, Mizumura addresses the reality of this all too commonplace experience. It’s a timely, substantial novel and a pleasure to read.” —Euan Monaghan, Structo Magazine

“Minae Mizumura’s Inheritance from Mother is a deeply moving exploration of the complex and often fraught relationships between mothers and daughters. Mizumura uses her astute powers of observation to reveal, layer by layer, the turmoil and anger roiling beneath the surface of her characters. A beautifully crafted novel with universal appeal.” —Cari Luna, author of The Revolution of Every Day

“Mizumura’s previous novel in English was transcendently romantic; in Inheritance from Mother, romance manifests mainly as liability and false lure, while the years devolve from poetry to prose. The ingenious plot, however, produces vitality and beauty mercifully different from the conventional love story's, surprising us with gleeful relish and bursts of sheerest gratification.” —Anna Shapiro, author of Living on Air

“In this coming of a certain age novel, the longings and desires of a middle-aged daughter are as bountiful as those of Emma Bovary. If Douglas Sirk and Agatha Christie went on a writing junket to Japan, they might return with this quietly seductive novel, in which Minae Mizumura's heroine uses her mother's inheritance to compose a new life story for herself.” —Judith Pascoe, Professor of English, University of Iowa

“In this loving homage to Japan's century-long tradition of serialized fiction, Mizumura has taken all the classic themes of the grand newspaper novel--sibling rivalries, unhappy marriages, family inheritances--and woven them into a moving tale for our own day.” —Michael K. Bourdaghs, Professor of Modern Japanese Literature, University of Chicago

“Minae Mizumura’s The Inheritance from Mother is the kind of masterpiece destined to emerge in today’s aging society...This page-turner is both thought-provoking and emotionally satisfying.” —Shukan Shincho

“The author’s voice is mature and captivating, conveying sly humor, a sense of the ridiculous, and a quiet resignation that lend the story dignity and grace. On finishing the novel, the reader has a renewed appreciation of just how engrossing a novel can be.” —Shukan Bunshun

“In this superb novel the author, who is also a student of early modern Japanese literature, has assimilated novelistic conventions nurtured since the Meiji period, creating a seamless literary whole.” —Bungei Shunju

“The contents are fascinating, the work gripping. Human longings and hatreds; beauty and ugliness; grace and vulgarity; money problems, family lineage, and a marriage gone sour; sickness and old age—the author’s adeptness in dealing fully with a plethora of such themes is simply scary.” —Yomiuri Shimbun

• Push highlighting author backstory and publication history
• Pursuit of essay placement tied to journey of dealing with an aging parent
• Review & feature coverage in women's and literary interest media
• Outreach to Asian media, including Multicultural Review, BookDragon, Asian American Times
• Serialization outreach in literary outlets (New Yorker, Believer, Poets & Writers)
• National review and feature outreach to print long-lead, weekly & daily publications (New York Times, LA Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal) & national and local radio outreach, including NPR shows, All Things Considered, Diane Rehm, Fresh Air
• Author appearances in NYC, DC and other key markets by request
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• Backlist promotions positioning the book alongside the award-winning A True Novel
• Reading group outreach
• Goodreads giveaways and promotion
• DRCs available on Netgalley, Edelweiss
• Social media and email marketing, features, and giveaways