I have wanted to read When the Emperor Was Divine ever since I read Julie Otsuka’s other book, The Buddha in the Attic. When the Emperor Was Divine is a spare little book about a Japanese family’s experience before, during, and after they are sent to live in an internment camp. While it is a shameful story, highlighting a terrible period in American history, the matter-of-fact and bare style in which it is told is perfect. Otsuka is a very talented writer and her books are a delight to read.