when the emperor was divine summary

"When the Emperor Was Divine" is a historical fiction novel by Julie Otsuka that tells the story of a Japanese American family forcibly sent to an internment camp in Utah during World War II. The novel is divided into five sections, each from the perspective of a different family member—mother, daughter, son, and father—who remain unnamed to give the story a universal quality. The story follows their eviction from California after the father is taken away separately by the government. The mother becomes the head of the family as they prepare to leave, and the family endures the harsh experience of relocation by train to the Topaz internment camp. The son and daughter experience camp life and the difficulties of returning home to face post-war discrimination. The final chapter is a confession from the father, who addresses the reader directly, expressing bitter sarcasm and the sense of loss from their internment experience. The novel explores themes of identity, loyalty, resilience, and the harsh consequences of racism and wartime paranoia. Overall, the story evokes a poignant meditation on the human cost of internment and the struggle to rebuild life after such profound upheaval.