I have a profound admiration for Ruth Ozeki. Her writing is characterized by a remarkable conscientiousness that truly captivates me. Her most recent novel, A Tale for the Time Being (2012), stands as one of the finest literary works I have ever had the pleasure of reading. Additionally, My Year of Meats was also an outstanding piece. All Over Creation had its share of truly shining moments, and overall, it presented a compelling story.

However, it did have its drawbacks. The book felt overlong and overextended. With an audio length of 16 hours and 430 pages, it seemed to be a case of too much of a good thing.

I have a penchant for family dramas, whether in books or on the screen. I am drawn to stories of resistance and quiet revolutions, as well as those about people with passion. I adored the sections on heirloom plants and gardening, and the Idaho setting added an extra layer of charm. These were the aspects that I cherished about the book.

Conversely, there were elements that I did not love. Cass's incessant longing for a baby became tiresome, Yumi's irresponsible parenting was concerning, and the way the community simply brushed off a murder was insensitive. Moreover, the marginalization of the family's matriarch due to her dementia was disheartening.

In my opinion, a better balance would have been achieved with less focus on Yumi's drama and the baby drama, and more emphasis on the Seeds of Resistance and Momoko's quiet seed revolution.

Despite these critiques, I still hold Ruth Ozeki in the highest regard and will eagerly devour anything and everything she writes.

But maybe that was the trick — to accept the responsibility and forgo the control? To love without expectation?

This thought-provoking idea presents a paradox that is both challenging and liberating.

Accepting responsibility means taking ownership of our actions and their consequences, yet it also requires us to let go of the need to control every aspect of a situation.

Loving without expectation implies giving our hearts freely, without demanding anything in return.

It is a concept that goes against our natural instincts, which often drive us to seek security and certainty.

However, when we embrace this paradox, we experience a sense of relief.

We no longer feel burdened by the need to micromanage or manipulate outcomes.

We can simply be present in the moment, allowing love to flow freely without the constraints of our own desires and expectations.

It is a powerful and transformative way of living that can bring us closer to true happiness and fulfillment.

I'm lukewarm on this book.

Perhaps it's because I had such a great enjoyment from reading A Tale for the Time Being, which is far more sophisticated than this one.

This book was readable enough, but it just felt too pat, too tidy, and too overtly 'issues'y.

It seems that everything was neatly wrapped up, lacking the depth and complexity that would make it truly engaging.

Am I being ungenerous in labelling this forgettable? Maybe, but that's just the impression it left on me.

I expected more from it, something that would make me think and feel long after I finished reading.

However, it failed to deliver on that front and ended up being just an average read that I'm likely to forget soon.

This book delves deep into many of Ozeki's recurring themes.

It explores humans' relationship with nature, encompassing all its glory, beauty, and the degradation that has occurred.

The issue of corporate greed is also addressed, highlighting the negative impact it can have.

Furthermore, the complicated interplay between science, process, and progress is examined.

I felt that this novel was not as conceptually dense as her previous works such as "Year of Meats" or "A Tale for the Time Being".

However, Ozeki made up for it with some truly remarkable and breathtaking depictions.

She vividly portrays the strength of familial bonds, the traumas and loyalties that are passed down through generations, and the simple pleasures of good-old friendship and affection.

These aspects add a layer of depth and emotion to the story, making it a truly engaging read.

Loved it!

Fascinating characters populated this work. Several of them were extremely well-drawn and delightfully complicated. They added depth and intrigue to the narrative, making it truly captivating.

The story itself was great. It had the power to encourage me to explore and learn about topics that I hadn't given much thought to before. In fact, I wasn't even particularly interested in these topics initially. However, as I delved deeper into the story, I found myself becoming more and more curious and engaged. It opened up a new world of knowledge and understanding for me, and for that, I am truly grateful.

This piece of work is not only entertaining but also educational, and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a thought-provoking and engaging read.

It was very much in the vein of Barbara Kingsolver, yet with a touch more wild and wacky elements. I probably should have noticed this from the huge Barbara Kingsolver cover blurb. I didn't love it quite as much as "A Tale for the Time Being", but it was still an engaging novel. The characters were interesting as they grappled with environmental issues in an intriguing way. Yumi, for me, was definitely not a likable protagonist. However, I think this made the book stronger. After all, who says that protagonists have to be likable? It's refreshing to have a character who is complex and perhaps not entirely sympathetic. This adds depth and realism to the story. The exploration of environmental themes was also well done, making the reader think about the impact of our actions on the planet. Overall, it was an enjoyable read that had its own unique charm.

This is my least favorite of Ozeki’s works.

However, that doesn't imply that I didn't like it at all. It was simply a little on the long side and not as refined as her other novels.

Ozeki is quite consistent in her themes. She writes extensively about environmental issues, the contrast between found family and actual family, and the Japanese - American identity.

Her characters always come across as extremely real and human. This often makes me, as a reader, feel very frustrated at times.

But I can firmly state that I will read whatever Ozeki writes in the future. (I truly hope she will pen more...) Because her stories are just so distinct and essential.

Her unique perspective and the way she weaves together these complex themes make her works stand out. Even though this particular one wasn't my absolute favorite, I still recognize the value and artistry in her writing.

I look forward to seeing what new and exciting stories she has in store for us.

I have now read all of Ruth Ozeki's books.

Her works have truly been a captivating journey, filled with unique perspectives, rich characters, and thought-provoking themes.

Now that I've completed this literary exploration, I find myself pondering what to do next.

Perhaps I could re-read some of my favorite passages, delving deeper into the nuances I might have missed the first time.

Another option could be to explore other works by similar authors, those who share Ozeki's ability to craft engaging stories that touch on the human experience.

Or maybe I'll take some time to reflect on the overall impact of her books on my own thinking and writing.

Whatever I decide, I'm excited to see where this next literary adventure will take me.

4.5

This book didn't have me in the first half. The story seemed to unfold at a rather slow pace, and I found myself not fully engaged. However, everything changed in the second half.

It was as if the author, Ruth Ozeki, suddenly took hold of me and didn't let go. The plot became more intense, the characters more complex, and the themes more profound.

I was completely absorbed, and before I knew it, I was finished. I love Ruth Ozeki for her ability to create such a powerful and engaging story. Her writing is beautiful, and her ideas are thought-provoking.

This book is definitely one that I will be recommending to others. It's a must-read for anyone who loves literature and wants to be taken on a journey that they won't forget.

All over Creation, by Ruth Ozeki, is a remarkable book that I found myself re-reading without realizing it at first.

Downloaded from audible.om, this story follows Yumi Fuller, who has a Japanese-American mother and an American father. Raised in a small Idaho town where potatoes are the main crop, Yumi stands out due to her Asian heritage and is often called "Yummy" by her schoolmates because they can't pronounce her name. At 14, she has an affair with her history teacher and runs away from home after having an abortion.

Twenty-five years later, living in Hawaii, teaching classes and selling real estate, Yumi receives a letter from her former best friend and neighbor. It informs her that both of her parents are old and sick, and she needs to return home to sort things out. When she arrives with her three children, each with a different father and no marriages, she finds her mother in the early stages of dementia and her father dying from colon cancer.

Enter a group of present-day hippies and activists who are mainly interested in persuading farmers not to plant and harvest genetically modified crops. Yumi's father, Lloyd, had always been against these newer methods, believing that it's wrong to develop seeds that grow only once and kill their embryo seeds, forcing farmers to constantly buy new seeds. The group of youngsters moves in, takes over the care of her parents, and helps them find a solution for their gardening business.

It's a very heart-warming book. Anna Fields, who read this in 2004, did a splendid job and even received an audi award for it. The story is engaging, filled with complex characters and their struggles, and offers a thought-provoking look at family, heritage, and the choices we make in life.

I think I was never going to love anything Ozeki wrote as much as ‘A Tale for the Time Being’ because it absolutely blew me away.

However, this older novel of hers still has all the beauty and intricacy of everything I’ve read by her, albeit just a little clunkier.

She is such a wonderful storyteller and touches on so many important themes in this book - aging in families, abortion, environmental justice, and youth rebellion.

I felt like the characters in the activist group were a rough draft for some of her characters in her newest book The Book of Form and Emptiness, and their story line was the least interesting part.

All around, this is a high praise three stars. It shows that even in her earlier works, Ozeki had a remarkable talent for weaving complex and engaging stories that explore the human condition.

While it may not be as perfect as some of her later novels, it still has a lot to offer and is well worth reading for fans of her work.

This book initially had several drawbacks for me.

The title didn't capture my attention as effectively as that of "My Year of Meats" by Ruth L. Ozeki. Additionally, the subject matter didn't seem overly interesting.

Moreover, Ozeki's writing style was at times a bit cumbersome. Her characterizations appeared to be a bit forced or, to me, came across as slightly unnatural, especially when she was writing from the perspective of a teenage boy. Also, the book was a bit preachy.

However, despite all these shortcomings, I truly appreciated the way she intertwined all the storylines. And, in spite of the occasional awkward writing, I felt a connection to the characters. For me, this is the most crucial aspect. Once I delved into a few chapters, the book became a relatively quick read, and I even stayed up late to finish it. So, it was definitely more engaging than one might expect a book about potatoes to be.

Overall, while the book had its flaws, it also had its redeeming qualities that made it an enjoyable read for me.