Brooklyn BookBeat: A meditation on war and ‘Starstruck’
Acclaimed Brooklyn author Jennifer Cody Epstein will appear at BookCourt on Wednesday, March 13, to read from her latest novel “The Gods of Heavenly Punishment.” Epstein, who has studied and worked as a journalist in Japan, tells the fascinating story of several American and Japanese families who, despite their differences, are inextricably connected by a heartbreaking act of war.
Yoshi Kobayashi, a Japanese teenager, is on her way home one evening when an American attack on her city kills thousands of citizens. Suddenly separated from all that is familiar, Yoshi is catapulted into a life dominated by people who are considered the enemy. She meets Billy, an Occupation soldier; Cam, a bomber pilot taken prisoner by the Imperial Japanese army; and Anton, an architect who was instrumental in modernizing Tokyo’s prewar skyline. In the face of tragedy, Yoshi must coexist with these outsiders as she searches for comfort and safety.
Jennifer Cody Epstein is the author of the international best-selling novel “The Painter from Shanghai.” She lived for five years in Japan, first as a student and then as a journalist. She now lives in New York with her husband and two daughters.
The event begins at 7 p.m. BookCourt is located at 163 Court St. in Cobble Hill.