Photo by Jennifer Picard
Chieri Uegaki is the author of the new young adult novel Emiko, an update of Jane Austen's classic novel Emma. Her other books include the children's picture book Suki's Kimono. She lives on Vancouver Island in British Columbia.
Q: What inspired you to write an updated YA version of Jane Austen’s Emma?
A: The short answer is: the pandemic and an out-of-the-blue email from an old colleague/work friend.
A few months after the lockdown started, the friend shared that they had written their first novel (and were working on book two in a planned series) and wanted to know about my experience publishing in Canada.
In replying, I didn't mention how shamed I felt that they'd completed this feat while balancing a challenging career and a busy family life; I had nowhere near the same demands on my time, and I realized that if I were ever going to attempt to write a novel (an ambition I hadn’t seriously considered before), it was now or never.
Around the same time, I was watching Autumn de Wilde's Emma. on repeat, and something about Anya Taylor-Joy's performance made me wonder how this character would work if she were a modern-day Japanese-Canadian teenager. Once I had this idea, the rest of Emiko's world, and the other characters, came to me fairly quickly.
I was also extra-motivated to work on this project because immersing myself in writing a romantic comedy (one of my favourite genres to read and watch) became my happy place during the strange and scary time that was 2020.
Q: What did you see as the right balance between Austen’s original character and your own character, Emiko?
A: I knew that I needed to include enough similarities between the two characters so that readers of Austen's book would recognize the Emma-ness of Emiko. But I also had to stay true to Emiko, a 21st century Japanese-Canadian Nissei (second generation), and make sure she, and the world she inhabited, was recognizable as such.
I did give Emiko some of the main character traits of Emma—her arrogance, snobbishness, and lack of self-awareness—while trying to emphasize her good heart and intentions, and potential for growth.
And as the story developed, rather than simply matching Emma beat for beat, I looked to looser reimaginings like Amy Heckerling's Clueless for inspiration on how to create something that would stand on its own. As one of my early readers said, their enjoyment of Emiko’s story shouldn't require having to read Austen's book first.
Q: How would you describe the dynamic between Emiko and Kenzo, and how would you compare it with the Emma-Mr. Knightley relationship?
A: I would say Emiko and Kenzo share that kind of longstanding friendship where you’re so comfortable, you run the risk of assuming everything you know about the other person will remain true forever. So when things and feelings between them do change, it comes as a surprise to Emiko (Kenzo may have been clued in sooner).
Also, there is a familial ease between them—although Kenzo is quick to point out they are not brother and sister—as well as a bit of competitiveness.
Because Emiko and Kenzo are so close in age and at a similar stage in life, I think they’re a little more evenly matched pair than Emma and Mr. Knightley might seem, given the latter couple’s age gap and differences in life experience.
Emotionally, though, I think both couples share a similar dynamic in that when Kenzo and Mr. Knightley justifiably call out Emiko and Emma, it comes from a place of deep friendship. It’s not because either Kenzo or Mr. Knightley feel somehow superior, or that it’s their job to teach Emiko or Emma how to behave.
Q: Is Emma your favorite Jane Austen novel?
A: It's neck and neck with Pride and Prejudice.
Q: What are you working on now?
A: I'm working on another YA rom-com and have completed the first draft.
Q: Anything else we should know?
A: Having the release of Emiko happen during Jane Austen’s 250th anniversary and the 30th anniversary of Clueless was a lovely stroke of luck!
--Interview with Deborah Kalb
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