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The Tokyo Suite
The Tokyo Suite | Giovana Madalosso
8 posts | 4 read | 9 to read
The English-language debut of one of the most exciting voices in contemporary Brazilian literature, The Tokyo Suite is a gripping exploration of the complexities of modern family dynamics and the tensions hiding just under the surface of ordinary lives. It's a seemingly ordinary morning when Maju, a nanny, boards a bus with Cora, the young girl she's been caring for, and disappears. The abduction, an act as impulsive as it is extreme, sets off a series of events that will force each character to confront their deepest fears and desires. Fernanda, Cora's mother, is a successful executive who is so engulfed in her own personal crisis that she initially fails to notice her daughter's disappearance. Her marriage is strained, and she finds solace in an affair, distancing herself further from her family. Meanwhile, her husband, overwhelmed by the complexities of their domestic life, remains emotionally detached. As Maju navigates the streets of So Paulo with Cora, the "white army" of nannies, a term coined by Fernanda, seems to watch her every move, heightening her sense of paranoia and urgency. Madalosso's narrative delves deep into the human psyche, examining themes of maternal guilt, societal expectations, and the search for personal identity. Rich and multi-layered, The Tokyo Suite is a poignant and gripping tale that captures the essence of modern urban life and the lengths to which people will go to reclaim a sense of control and meaning in their lives.
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review
ChaoticMissAdventures
The Tokyo Suite | Giovana Madalosso
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Pickpick

#WomenInTranslation month this reminded me a bit of Elena Knows it might be the South American setting, or the traveling, but it gives the same vibe.

I liked the bits with Maju and her travels with the child best, I struggled a bit to care about the mother and her affair, but the reasoning behind both women's actions pulled me along. I liked the language and tone shift between POVs and thought overall it is well done

BarbaraBB I liked this one too. Didn‘t love it though, as I expected I would (edited) 2mo
ChaoticMissAdventures @BarbaraBB I didn't love it either. I am not sure what is going on this year, I am reading great things but I am not falling in love with any particular books. 2mo
BarbaraBB I know what you mean. I think I read less than five 5⭐️ books so far this year 🤷🏻‍♀️ 2mo
42 likes3 comments
blurb
ChaoticMissAdventures
The Tokyo Suite | Giovana Madalosso
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Coffee out for this #weeklyforecast I cannot believe August is almost over. Life has been super busy so I have been very distracted but hopefully will get some good reading done soon.

3 library books to get through -tagged Slanting Towards the Sea and Twilight of Empire (history for my rapidly approaching trip)

Then - #camplitsy25 SA Cosby and #womensprize Elizabeth Strout

review
sarahbarnes
The Tokyo Suite | Giovana Madalosso
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Mehso-so

I didn‘t like this as much as I hoped to. At times I was really immersed in the story, but at other times it felt disjointed to me and I struggled to buy in to the motives driving the characters. Somewhere between a low pick and a so-so.

BarbaraBB I liked it more than you did but I understand what you mean 5mo
dabbe That cup! 🤣🤣🤣 5mo
Cathythoughts Oh dear !! 5mo
See All 7 Comments
sarahbarnes @BarbaraBB @Cathythoughts it might just be me. 🤷🏻‍♀️ Reviews of it seem to be positive. 5mo
sarahbarnes @dabbe it fits the entire vibe of that coffee place. 😁 5mo
Suet624 I always expect I will love a Europa book. It‘s always a disappointment when I don‘t. 5mo
sarahbarnes @Suet624 yes I feel exactly the same way. 5mo
47 likes7 comments
blurb
sarahbarnes
The Tokyo Suite | Giovana Madalosso
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Very excited for these books that came in at the library in time for the weekend. 😁

BarbaraBB Very interested in the Stairs and the Belinda Bauer! 5mo
squirrelbrain I just ordered The Tokyo Suite, and have reserved the Bauer on Libby audio too! 5mo
Cathythoughts Great looking trio ❤️ just stacked Stairs , sounds so good. 5mo
sarahbarnes @BarbaraBB @squirrelbrain @Cathythoughts I‘ve been looking forward to all of these! I read Tokyo Suite this weekend and didn‘t like it as much as I hoped I would…hoping the other two work for me! 5mo
38 likes4 comments
review
BarbaraBB
The Tokyo Suite | Giovana Madalosso
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Pickpick

A nanny kidnaps the little girl she takes care of. It takes a while before their disappearance is noticed because the girl‘s mother has a career and much going on. In this story the intertwined stories of mother and nanny highlight the societal expectations placed on women and the consequences. A very surprising read! Thanks for the rec @Lesliereadsalot

#ReadTheWorld2025 book 17 #Brazil

? Last pic from the weekend in San Sebastián, Spain

Lesliereadsalot I knew you‘d like it. It‘s told so well I felt like I could identify with all the characters. Even that crazy mom! 5mo
sarahbarnes This one is on my list! 5mo
Suet624 I‘m so happy to see sunshine, even though it‘s only in a photo. Days of grey skies, rain, and political tragedies are trying to do me in. 5mo
GatheringBooks And it‘s Europa Editions, too! Sounds exactly like my kind of book. 💕 5mo
Cathythoughts I have this stacked. Sounds good 👍🏻❤️ 5mo
78 likes6 stack adds5 comments
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BarbaraBB
The Tokyo Suite | Giovana Madalosso
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#WeeklyForecast 21/25

I have started Audition for #CampLitsy25 and halfway through I still don‘t have a clue where the story will go. But I like it.
Next will be The Tokyo Suite and hopefully I‘ll start Bright Young Women too!

TrishB You won‘t have a clue by the end either! 😁 just read this afternoon. 5mo
BarbaraBB @TrishB I‘m afraid so 😉 5mo
squirrelbrain @TrishB @BarbaraBB - I just read the first half this evening…. 🤔 5mo
See All 12 Comments
TrishB @squirrelbrain can‘t wait to see the questions 😁 5mo
AmyG Hahahahaha. EXACTLY what @TrishB said. 5mo
Lesliereadsalot You guys are making me nervous about Audition! 5mo
BarbaraBB @Lesliereadsalot @squirrelbrain I enjoy reading it, I just don‘t know what it‘s actually about 😂 5mo
BarbaraBB @AmyG We‘ve chosen a good one for discussion 😅 5mo
AmyG I think I may have figured out what it‘s about? 🤷🏼‍♀️ 5mo
BarbaraBB @AmyG I can‘t wait to hear your thoughts. Our discussions around the camp fire always add so much to my reading experience and I think especially for books like these. I haven‘t finished it yet though so maybe I‘ll figure it out too 🤞🏽 5mo
squirrelbrain No pressure @TrishB @AmyG 🤣 I‘d love to hear your thoughts Amy - it might help with the questions. 😬🤨😜 5mo
JenP I‘ve just started it and curious to see where it goes too. I am really liking the writing style. Looking forward to the discussions 5mo
64 likes12 comments
review
Lesliereadsalot
The Tokyo Suite | Giovana Madalosso
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Pickpick

Really liked this Brazilian novel from Europa Press. If #EuropaCollective was still around, this would be my recommendation. Why does Maju, nanny for a well-off family, decide one day to kidnap the little girl she watches? The story alternates points of view between the nanny and the mom. Richly drawn characters and a good story!

sarahbarnes This one is on my list! Glad to see you liked it. 😊 7mo
BarbaraBB Stacking! Sounds very good! 7mo
Lesliereadsalot Read it in one day…I was really drawn in! @sarahbarnes @BarbaraBB (edited) 7mo
23 likes3 comments
blurb
Lesliereadsalot
The Tokyo Suite | Giovana Madalosso
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“I‘m kidnapping a child.”

Well that‘s a showstopper if I‘ve ever read one!

#FirstLineFridays @ShyBookOwl

Cathythoughts Well , that‘s a stack ! ❤️😬 7mo
14 likes1 comment