Find out what Mumsnetters thought of A Dictionary of Mutual Understanding by Jackie Copleton

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Amaterasu Takahashi has spent her life grieving for her daughter Yuko and grandson Hideo, who were victims of the atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki in 1945. When a man claiming to be Hideo arrives on her doorstep, she is forced to confront those memories, of the daughter she tried too hard to protect and the secret that would drive them apart.

For fans of Memoirs of a Geisha and The Piano Teacher, prepare to be gripped by A Dictionary of Mutual Understanding, the heart-wrenching debut novel from Jackie Copleton.

We've got 50 copies of A Dictionary of Mutual Understanding to give away to Mumsnetters who want read and share their thoughts about it on this discussion thread. The giveaway has now closed but you can head over to the giveaway page now to find out more about the book.

You don’t have to win a free copy to take part in the discussion. Anyone who has read A Dictionary of Mutual Understanding can post their feedback here. If you missed out on a free copy, you can always buy a paperback and all who post before 5 August will be entered into a prize draw to win a £100 Love2Shop voucher.

This giveaway is sponsored by Cornerstone

A fascinating read. Thank you so much for my copy. It is a terribly moving and emotional novel. It is a shame that we never really seem to learn from the past horrors of war.

I hope I'm not too late to be entered into the draw! Please excuse the delay - I've been reading two books to review! Thanks firstly for my copy, it was a lovely surprise and made my day.
Without wanting to cause any spoiling, I can't tell you how much I loved reading this book. I enjoy literature with a historical aspect anyway, to learn is always a goal of mine whatever I'm doing, and this certainly taught me a lot. Some novels with the historical aspect just miss the mark though and the story can end up weak, but not with this book. The tale is gripping from start to finish, with lots of unexpected twists and turns along the way. It was not a book I could second guess. There are certainly sad themes running throughout but not to the detriment of the story, I thought. I am very glad I've read it and have already recommended it to a number of friends, also buying a copy as a gift for my sister. She is currently reading it and says she is 'immersed'. That's what it did to me - plenty of character development and renewably interesting throughout. I'd highly recommend it!

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to review this book. It arrived late, but perfect timing as I took the chance to read it on holiday.
I really enjoyed it: my sign of a good book is if I am left with a feeling of loss when I have finished it, and on that basis this book scores highly. I found it hard to put down at times.
Unlike one of the earlier posters, I loved the title of the book: I can't really articulate why: just found it slightly intriguing and a clever idea. And really the book is about understanding: between generations, cultures, and I found the story wove together different narratives and timelines well. It is beautiful in places, but also harrowing and the 'what would I do?' and ''how would I cope?' questions pervade throughout the novel.
The story turns unexpectedly at places which drew you in.
I know very little of the detail around the events in Japan at the end of WW2, and in this respect the novel was a great education, as were the insights into Japanese life that the chapters each provide.
A great read. I so rarely find time to read these days, and am glad that this was a novel I spent time with.

Thanks v much for the copy. I thought this was a really good read - an interesting exploration of a difficult episode in the characters' personal history but also in the history of the country. I expect we will see more of the author in due course. Would highly recommend - quite an easy read despite the difficult topics that it tackles.

I Loved this book, I am a big fan of historical fiction but hadn't read anything regarding Hiroshima before...what a brilliant introduction to this horrendous event and Japanese life. definitely recommended

I wasn't sure I'd like this book but have almost finished the book and can honestly say I'm gripped by the story. It gives an insight into the plight of the Japanese when the bomb dropped on Nagasaki, and also into the cruelty of the Japanese to POWs. I'm intrigued by the life of the main character and her relationship with her daughter.

I would definitely recommend this book.

This is a haunting novel packed with lots of accurate information about the Japanese city of Nagasaki, its culture and customs and details of the atom bomb and its fallout.
This could be a bit overwhelming but Jackie Copleton chooses to focus on just one family to tell the story and that helps to make it more human.
It was a book I felt pleased to have read, but I can't honestly say I 'enjoyed' it - the subject matter is simply too harrowing.

Loved the book, so many twists and turns and great to find out about Japan and its culture. All so very different than our lives but so interesting.

Not got very far yet but it's gripping from the very start. Love the insight into Japanese culture and already hooked on the authors mesmerising way of evoking strong emotion.

Intriguing first chapter, I'm interested to see how the story develops.

I have only just started to read this book, but I am immediately engaged with the emotion and sentiment that is very simply but cleverly conveyed. Looking forward to continuing with it.

I love reading about Japanese culture having enjoyed the likes of Memoirs of a Geisha and this didn't disappoint. It's the first book I've come across to tackle the subject of the effects of the atom bomb and I thought this was cleverly done. It leaves the reader with several unanswered questions.

Thank you for allowing me to review this book. The story is well written and the text flows well which made me want to read on, even though the subject matter is harrowing. It is not necessarily a book I would have picked up in the bookshop but I feel I would have missed out. As previous posters have said, the book has made me want to explore more about Japanese culture and this particular period in history.

I loved this book. So refreshing to read about a country, a culture and a period in time that I sadly know so little about. The depiction of the grandmother's upbringing and the events of the momentous day were heartwrenching, and the ending was so poignant. Beautifully written and a real page Turner.

Just finished reading this book whilst away for a long weekend. So beautifully written, tender in places, but totally gripping! I really enjoyed how different characters stories were told through diary entries and letters. They gave a real insight into what they were thinking and showed that what things look like on the surface may not be how the actually are. I loved the shifting story and how it's focus changed. I couldn't help to hold back the tears at the end, my son even came to ask if I was ok (he is 5 and the last time he saw me cry my grandmother had died). I think that as a mother I responded differently to the hook. Had I read it 6 years ago, I would have been touched, but not fully understood the feelings of the mother.

Did the winner get chosen for this?

Books set in Japan are not usually ones of my choice, but I learnt so much about Hiroshima and the Japanese culture that I would definitely seek out other books. This story was beautifully written and easy to follow, although highly emotional.