A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki
A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki was first published in the UK in 2013. Even though it’s been sitting on my bookshelf since then, and I’ve consistently wanted to read it, I only got around to it in early 2026. It’s moved house with me 4 times and has since become a modern classic, but is A Tale for the Time Being worth reading today?
A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki summary
It’s 2011, and living in a remote area of British Columbia with her reclusive husband, Ruth attempts to write her elusive second novel. During a stroll on the seafront, washed ashore, she finds a Hello Kitty lunchbox. Inside, she finds some letters and the diary of a 16-year-old girl, Nao Yasutani. Just like Ruth, Nao is Japanese-American and struggling with daily life.
After taking the lunchbox home and beginning Nao’s diary, Ruth is filled with questions. How did the diary end up with her? Did the lunchbox wash ashore following the tsunami? Is Nao alive?
As Ruth struggles to find her own words, she’s absorbed into Nao’s. She learns about the horrific bullying, her suicidal father, the anarchist nun who saved her and the neighbour who almost destroyed her. But as Ruth reaches the final pages, Nao’s words disappear. She’s sure they were there before. Could reading the diary have changed Nao’s experiences? If so, was it for the better or the worse?
A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki quotes
A Tale for the Time Being is packed full of great quotes, but I’ve narrowed them down to my top 5:
1 ) “Sometimes when she told stories about the past her eyes would get teary from all the memories she had, but they weren’t tears. She wasn’t crying. They were just the memories, leaking out.”
2) “You can’t take this world seriously, but you can take this world sincerely.”
3) “Life is fleeting. Don’t waste a single moment of your precious life. Wake up now! And now! And now!”
4) “But memories are time beings, too, like cherry blossoms or ginkgo leaves; for a while they are beautiful, and then they fade and die.”
5) “The truth is, yes, there is sadness, but we can crouch down inside it and find ourselves a whole new way of seeing.”
A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki review
From the first page, Ruth Ozeki’s writing is a pleasure to read. There’s a tenderness to her words that warms you to every character, whether ‘good’ or ‘bad’. She conveys Nao’s innocence and vulnerability in such a touching way that you’re incapable of anything but loving her.
One of the major themes of the novel is shame, an emotion that inflicts immense damage. Nao’s father is ashamed of losing his job, failing in America and not living up to his uncle’s brave death as a kamikaze pilot. Instead, he fails to protect his daughter from bullies and even fails in his suicide attempts. Nao is ashamed of being bullied, leading to a lack of self-worth that becomes apparent later in the novel in a truly heartbreaking way.
Most of this novel is a reflective look at Nao’s vulnerable teenage life. However, as the diary comes to an end, there’s a surreal twist that weaves themes of time, space and physics. I wasn’t expecting this, but I loved the surprise. I’ll say no more because it’s great to experience for yourself.
There are so many smaller stories tenderly wrapped within the pages of A Tale for the Time Being, and every one of them packed an emotional punch. Ruth Ozeki’s storytelling skills really are a delight.
Is it worth reading A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki?
OMG, yes, absolutely, A Tale for the Time Being is 100% worth reading. The storytelling is captivating, the characters are vivid and moving, and the ending is unpredictable and thought-provoking. Now I want to read Ruth Ozeki’s entire back catalogue.
A bit of a specific recommendation, but social media assures me I’m not alone. Start to like Haruki Murakami’s stories, but quit, grossed out by his depictions of young women? Then this book is for you.
Overall, I’m gutted it took me so long to read this. Luckily, A Tale for the Time Being is a timeless novel that I’m sure will be read and loved by generations of readers well into the future.
Buy your copy of A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki
If you like the sound of this, try If Cats Disappeared From The World by Genki Kawamura.
A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki book trailer
