Kamusari Tales Told at Night

Forest, Book 2

By: Shion Miura, Juliet Winters Carpenter - translator

Narrated by: Brian Nishii

Length: 6 hrs and 7 mins

Publisher's summary

From Shion Miura, award-winning author of The Easy Life in Kamusari, comes a spirit-lifting novel about tradition, first love, and ancient lore in a Japanese mountain village.

It’s been a year since Yuki Hirano left home—or more precisely, was booted from it—to study forestry in the remote mountain village of Kamusari. Being a woodsman is not the future he imagined, but his name means “courage,” and Yuki hopes to live up to it. He’s adapting to his job and learning constantly. In between, he records local legends—tales pulsing with life, passion, and wondrous gods. Kamusari has other charms as well. One of them is Nao.

Yuki’s crush on the only other young single person in the village isn’t a secret. Yet how impressed can she be with someone at least five years younger who makes less money and doesn’t even own a car? More daunting, she’s in love with another man. Finally finding his place among the villagers, a feeling deepened by his crush, Yuki seems headed for a dream life of adventure and camaraderie—and Nao could be the missing piece of that dream.

©2009 Shion Miura (P)2022 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved. Translation © 2022 by Juliet Winters Carpenter.

More Sweet Kamusari Tales

I love this addition to the Kamusari Tales. These stories are so gentle and sweet. It’s such a pleasure to read as a break from the craziness of the world. And it even includes a celebration of Christmas which was especially nice since I read this during the holidays. Great characters and funny situations make these books very memorable. Also I love the descriptions of life in the remote Japanese forest village. Just a delightful read and highly recommended for those who enjoy charming characters with loving hearts.

Kamusari In the Snow

This the second in this series. My favorite character was the sneaky, computer savvy Gramma & of course, Yugi' the teller of this tale. But the wonderful citizens of Kamusari. I be listening to the book.

Fun book, easy listen

You've probably heard this story a thousand times. City person moves to the country and at first has trouble adjusting. The reasons why -- the unfamiliar customs, the dialect -- are what eventually wins him over. Since this is a sequel, he's already won over. He hasn't fully adjusted, though, so more hijinks ensue. This is not a profound, change-the-world kind of book. Nothing serious happens, no major issues are explored. There's not really a plot, just a series of episodes. But it's quirky and entertaining. If you're looking for an escape, this should fit the bill.

Sweet, slow burn of a story…

Beautiful story, relaxing and slow paced but done in a good way.

It has a lot of wisdom and shares it with you. It’s main theme is that of love. Love for friends, and family and the place you live in. The MC is an inexperienced good hearted young man, who discovers the aspects of love in a fantastical and heartwarming small village. As a young man myself, I can relate. Keep it up Kamusari.

A sweet, and slow burn of a story.

Not my favorite work from Shion Miura

Is not what I expected, kind of disappointing. I still like Shion Miura, so I hope to read or listen more of her. Brian Nishii was as good as always.

Lumber stories - 5 stars, Love Story - 1 star

Despite the meandering into the love story told by a Jr High school student in the first book, I really enjoyed hearing about the wood cutting, and Lumber practices and other aspects about the work and traditions in the mountains. Because of this I decided to do the second book to get more history and Lumber stories. I did get some of that but, the love story got much worse and more forced in this second book. "Will you be my Girlfriend?", I'm honestly wondering if this book was written by two different people. You literally stop asking a girl that after about oh.. the 4th or 5th grade. Also, what was up with that completely unnecessarily vulgar reference to the... Male components and processes? Up to that point it was a G or maybe PG book. Really an unnecessary tidbit to be added to the book. I am hoping it was just a gross misunderstanding of the translation from the original text.