When Japanese-American Izumi Tanaka learned her father was the Crown Prince of Japan, she became a princess overnight. Now, she’s overcome conniving cousins, salacious press, and an imperial scandal to finally find a place she belongs. She has a perfect bodyguard turned boyfriend. Her stinky dog, Tamagotchi, is living with her in Tokyo. Her parents have even rekindled their college romance and are engaged. A royal wedding is on the horizon! Izumi’s life is a Tokyo dream come true.
Only…
Her parents’ engagement hits a brick wall. The Imperial Household Council refuses to approve the marriage citing concerns about Izumi and her mother’s lack of pedigree. And on top of it all, her bodyguard turned boyfriend makes a shocking decision about their relationship. At the threat of everything falling apart, Izumi vows to do whatever it takes to help win over the council. Which means upping her newly acquired princess game.
But at what cost? Izumi will do anything to help her parents achieve their happily ever after, but what if playing the perfect princess means sacrificing her own? Will she find a way to forge her own path and follow her heart?
- Title: Tokyo Dreaming
- Author: Emiko Jean
- Publisher: Flatiron Books
- Publication Date: May 31st 2022
- Genre: Contemporary, Romance
- Source: Digital ARC provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review)
- Targeted Age Range: Young Adult
- Content Warnings: Estranged parents, complicated parental/family dynamics, panic attacks/anxiety
- Rating: ★★★
I’ve been eagerly anticipating Tokyo Dreaming ever since I finished Tokyo Ever After! The Princess Diaries was a favorite series of mine growing up, and so I just knew that I’d love Tokyo Ever After. Still, I felt like it was a little short, and wanted to see more growth and character progression for Izumi, and so I was stoked to hear that there would be a sequel — Tokyo Dreaming.
Tokyo Dreaming takes place shortly after Tokyo Ever After, and primarily follows Izumi as she navigates her role as a princess, the media, and the conflict between what she wants, and what everyone else wants for her. As if figuring out where she wants to go to college isn’t hard enough — if she even wants to go to college — she’s also got to adjust to being a princess, how the media views her, and her parents. It’s even more pertinent now, with the Imperial Household Council’s disapproval of her parents’ engagement.
Tokyo Dreaming is above all else, a coming of age story, and a love letter between Izumi and her family. Sure, there’s a strong romantic storyline with Akio — and also Eriku, but at the very core of Izumi’s relationships and story is always her love for her parents. It’s evident how much Izumi loves her mother, and would do anything to see her parents’ marriage be successful. She starts applying to college, studying more than she ever did, and even tries to get along with her cousins. Throughout Tokyo Dreaming, we also see Izumi lose bits of herself in order to please the crown. All of her decisions are an action of love for her parents. When asked what she wants to pursue in university and why, Izumi immediately answers botany, just like her mother, despite not knowing what she wants to pursue, and not liking science. Still, she knows that’s an answer that willl present her mother in a more favorable light, and the choice she’ll pursue if it means winning over the Imperial Household Council. I really enjoyed watching Izumi grow from her past, and to take more ownership of her actions this time around. From mending her relationship with her cousins, to playing by the rules of the council, it’s evident that Izumi has grown up quite a bit since we left her in Tokyo Ever After.
A large component of Tokyo Dreaming is how media plays a role in our daily lives, as well as how harmful media can be. I appreciated how Emiko Jean showed the direct link between the media and the relationships between Izumi’s parents, as well as Izumi and Akio. It’s a reminder that no matter how famous or well-connected someone is, they’re a real person with feelings, and words do matter. I found the scene where Izumi’s mom talks about the pressure she’s faced to be particularly powerful.
Tokyo Dreaming also introduces new characters, with Eriku being my favorite. I was charmed by Eriku, and found him to be an interesting foil for both Akio and Izumi. Eriku was so sweet and charming, and I loved his character progression. I appreciated how he stood up for himself, and his passions, and how he always encouraged Izumi to do what was best for her as well.
Something else that really stood out to me was watching Izumi and her cousins mend their relationship, and how they came to reconcile their differences. I loved watching them all realize how similar they were underneath the hurt, and their family dynamics, and I found it really special when they came together to help Izumi achieve her goals.
I wasn’t the biggest fan of the romantic storyline; I understood why it was important for Akio and Izumi to spend some time apart, but I also wish that we’d had more of Akio in this book! A lot of Izumi and Akio’s dynamic felt more tell than show, and I wanted to see more of their cute moments, rather than just a montage. Overall, I think that this book was a satisfying sequel to Tokyo Ever After, and I’m excited to see what Jean does next.
Links for Tokyo Dreaming: Goodreads | TheStoryGraph | Bookshop | IndieBound
When Emiko is not writing, she is reading. Most of her friends are imaginary. Before she became a writer she was an entomologist (fancy name for bug catcher), a candle maker, a florist, and most recently a teacher. She lives in Washington with her husband and children (unruly twins). She loves the rain.
I love Eriku 🥺