The Sound of Waves is the story of Shinji Kubo, son of a Japanese soldier killed in World War II. Shinji becomes enamored of the beautiful pearl diver Hatsue, but her father's exacting standards render relations between the two difficult. The title of the book is a reference to Hatsue's father's test of her suitors' mettle. He arranges for them to work aboard one of his ships during a towering storm, a test that Shinji passes.
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