Hiroshima: A Novella

Reference: Yep, Laurence.  Hiroshima: A Novella.  Scholastic Inc, 1995. 56 pg.

Laurence Yep’s Hiroshima: A Novella describes the historical events and outcomes of the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima on August 5, 1945 through the story of two fictional Japanese sisters, Sachi and Riko. The novel is not told from the point of the view of the girls, rather it appears to be a historical novel.  The novel describes the roles of the two girls in Japanese society during World War II where Riko, the older sister, is forced to leave school to work for her country while Sachi, the younger sister, works in factories while not in school.  The first atomic bomb was released on Hiroshima while the sisters are on duty at their jobs.  This is a very compelling novel with the descriptions of the dropping of the bomb and states many historical facts about the actual act in Hiroshima.  While the two fictional sisters both miraculously survive the atomic blast at Hiroshima, the novella continues on to describe the death toll and the negative aftermaths, such as issues with radiation that occurred as a cause of the bombing. 

This novella could be an amazing companion piece to another novel set in the World War II or the effects of nuclear war.  By itself, I feel that the novella is too short to be unit of its own.   However the concepts discussed in the novel are very mature.  The novella explores the another point of view to the dropping of the atomic bombs on Japan, and the lasting and horrible effects that action produced.  Laurence Yep’s novella appears to be call for his readers to remember this novella when war is discussed, so history will not repeat itself.