Content levels
Trigger warnings
Positive tags
Heroine archetypes
Protagonist archetypes
Themes
Synopsis
In Tokyo, sixteen-year-old Nao has decided there's only one escape from her aching loneliness and her classmates' bullying. But before she ends it all, she plans to document the life of her great-grandmother, a Buddhist nun who's lived more than a century. A diary is Nao's only solace. Across the Pacific a novelist living on a remote island discovers artifacts washed ashore in a Hello Kitty lunchbox and is pulled into Nao's drama and her unknown fate. (Bestseller)
Is A Tale for the Time Being appropriate for my child?
Suitable for most readers 16 and up.
This literary fantasy contains mature themes including teen suicidal ideation, bullying, and depression, along with philosophical explorations of time, identity, and Buddhism. The dual narrative structure and literary style are complex.
What to know going in
This book has mild violence, no sexual content, and mild language. Content notes include suicidal ideation, bullying, and depression (see the full list above).
Who'll love this
Teens interested in thoughtful stories about connection, identity, and finding meaning will appreciate this unique dual narrative about a lonely girl and the woman who discovers her diary.