Melody's Reading Corner: Japanese Literature

Showing posts with label Japanese Literature. Show all posts

Melody

Counterpoint | 9 August 2022 | 240 pgs

Source: Library

Translated from the Japanese by Asa Yoneda

This is a collection of five short stories about five different women who had walked through the path of grief, heartache and harrowing experiences but all had come out from their journey a different person and onto their ways to recovery.

The first story "House of Ghosts" was a melancholy story about Secchan and Iwakura in which their parents own a restaurant and a pastries shop respectively. Secchan has an interest in carrying on her family's business but Iwakura is the opposite. A chance visit to Iwakura's house leads Secchan to see him in a new light and has evoked much feelings in her especially after she's witnessed the ghosts of an elderly couple who used to live there. This isn't a horror story but one which will lead you into thinking about the simplicity of life and the warmth surrounding the relationship between people. This was one of my favourite stories in this collection.

The other three stories, "Mama!", "Not Warm at All" and "Tomo-chan’s Happiness" explore the change of each characters after they've encountered some life-altering events which leave emotional scars on the characters but managed to walk out of their nightmares through the help of another person and/or a situation that change their mindset.

"Dead-End Memories" was another favourite of mine and one which left a deep impression on me. It was a well written story about how Mimi managed to walk out from her heartache after witnessing her fiancé cheated on her. Her acquaintance with Nishiyama and their interactions were the highlight of the story and Nishiyama's free-spirited ways and advice play an important part in Mimi's overall perception of happiness. That ending brought a lump to my throat.

Although these stories may seem simple and not that intriguing to an extent, the beauty lies in the author's writing and the way she could weave an ordinary day-to-day life stories into something thought-provoking and moving. Happiness, the other theme in this collection, may seem unattainable to some but it's always been there if we decide to pause and reflect on the tiny moments which make us happy.

© 2023 Melody's Reading Corner (https://mel-reading-corner.blogspot.sg/), All Rights Reserved. If you are reading this post from other site(s), please take note that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Labels: 3.5 stars, Book Review, Japanese Literature, Short Stories 8 comments |

Fish Swimming in Dappled Sunlight by Riku Onda

Melody

Bitter Lemon Press | 26 July 2022 | 286 pgs

Source: Library

Translated from the Japanese by Alison Watts

Where to begin? Everything about this story baffled me; starting with the sunny poetic title which has nothing to do as what it suggested (or perhaps I just missed it). In any case the concept was refreshing albeit a bit muddled in my opinion.

The story opens with a couple in their shared flat for a late night conversation before they go on separate ways. Aki and Hiro felt they've to know each other's feelings and thoughts after their mountain trek in which their guide had fallen off the mountain. To begin with, their relationship has somewhat broken down before the trip and looking back, they began to wonder if the other has anything to do with the guide's death.

Set over the course of one night, the reader will soon learn that the mind games between the couple go far beyond from that fateful trekking trip as there's something more about their past which might have start the chains of events leading to what happened on the mountain.

With narratives alternate between Aki and Hiro, this story was draped in an intense, suffocative atmosphere which have you question the characters' inner thoughts and the unravelling truth as a new day began. Truth be told, the strength of the story lies in the taut atmospheric setting and the tension between the characters but the suspense of the guide's death was shadowed by the characters' reminiscence as the story progresses. It was quite a well-crafted story characters-wise but a bit lacking in the thriller department (though I later understand that this isn't the core of the story at all). This book wasn't what I'd expected initially but the author's writing intrigued me. Perhaps I should check out her previous book, The Aosawa Murders (selected by NYT as one of most notable books of 2020.)

© 2022 Melody's Reading Corner (https://mel-reading-corner.blogspot.sg/), All Rights Reserved. If you are reading this post from other site(s), please take note that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Labels: 3 stars, Book Review, Japanese Literature, Psychological Suspense 8 comments |

Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata

Melody

Grove Press | 12 June 2018 | 176 Pgs

Source: Library

Translated from the Japanese by Ginny Tapley Takemori

36-year-old Keiko Furukura has been a society misfit since young. She doesn't really know how to interact with others; and what she expresses or does at times may seem inappropriate or unsound to others although her intentions are simply innocent and to get things done in her own ways. Her portrayal may lead to some wondering if she's autistic but the direction wasn't clear. At the age of eighteen, Keiko dropped out from school and began working at a convenience store, "Smile Mart". For once, she finds peace and purpose in her life and she realises that in order to fit in with the society, she has to act "normal" like others. Like following the rules from the store manual, she does her best in copying her colleagues' mannerisms, speech and even their fashion sense.

Keiko may have perfected her speech and mannerisms as the time go, but she has other problems to face, such as the pressure of finding a husband and getting a "real" job. When she crosses path with an ex-colleague, Shiraha, she begins to think that perhaps she could lend a helping hand considering he is a misfit, too. This leads to misconceptions from her family and colleagues as they think that she's finally found someone and the latter embrace her more warmly into their groups. Keiko values her friendship with her colleagues, but in her mind she's wondering if she should be content living a troubled normal life rather than a carefree abnormal one.

At its core, this book is about meeting societal expectations. Keiko was an empathetic character who thinks nothing much about herself but more of how she should portray herself and being accepted by the society regardless of her unusual characteristics. This isn't to say Keiko is wrong, but since the autistic spectrum was never fully explored (perhaps intentional by the author?), it is easy for the society to interpret her as an "outsider" - someone who simply doesn't fit in or adjust. While this perception happens anywhere around the world, it was strongly felt through Keiko's narrative as the role of men and women are often viewed differently based on their culture, mindset and any other issues. Work culture and gender discrimination (Shiraha's views will anger many women so I won't go there) are also explored here; and you'll learn more about the job and responsibilities of a store clerk through Keiko's eyes (she's a devoted employee and definitely deserves an award in my opinion). Overall this was a quick read and an interesting portrayal of an extraordinary quirky heroine in today's society conformity.

© 2021 Melody's Reading Corner (https://mel-reading-corner.blogspot.sg/), All Rights Reserved. If you are reading this post from other site(s), please take note that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Labels: 3.5 stars, Book Review, Fiction, Japanese Literature 13 comments |

那年夏天，19岁的肖像 - 岛田庄司 (That Summer, the Nineteen-year-old Portrait by Shimada Sōji)

Melody

ISBN-13: 9789573330165
Publisher: Crown
Publication Date: September 2013
Format: Paperback, 254 pgs
Source: Personal Library

第一次看到这本小说，就被封面给吸引住了。再加上是一本日本推理小说，而作者是岛田庄司时，我就非常期待读这本书。虽然没读过岛田庄司的书，但听说他是当今日本推理文坛的重镇，而他的作品曾多次获奖及进入畅销排行榜，可说是位非常了不起的作家。凭这些，就足以让我期待的不得了。

故事的大纲就是描述一个19岁的大学生因车祸受伤而住进了医院。在那段时期里，日子非常得无聊，再加上脚上了石膏，所以行动很不方便。然而，在百无聊赖之中，它无意间发现了离医院不远处有一栋房子。因好奇和无聊索然，就拿起了望远镜从窗户看出去。经过他几天的偷窥，他知道这户人家共有三个人：年迈的父亲、忧愁的母亲和一个年轻美丽的女儿。他每天看着这位女孩出门上学、喝咖啡买面包；可说对她的生活有一点了解。他对她所吸引，并有这个念头想结识她。直到有一天晚上，他目睹了女孩的父亲动手打她，然后女孩便拿起一把刀，从背后刺向父亲。。。

自从他发现了她的举动后，他更加地注意着她。然后他更发现了一件令他不敢相信的事情，就是他目睹她在一个雨天的夜晚，手里拖着一个黑色塑胶袋，朝医院的建设工地里把那袋子给埋了。虽然被他所目睹的事情给吓坏了，但是他还是无法自拔的爱上了那名美丽的杀人凶手。后来，他出院了。于是，他开始了跟踪行动，并找了机会接近和认识她。认识她后，他觉得他的生活变得和以前不一样了。此刻，他对她的保护欲也跟着加强了，即管她杀了人。女孩起初不想结识他，但随着日子一天一天的过去，她也渐渐地对他有些好感。但是，事情总有一天难免会被揭穿的。他开始收到警告条，告知他远离那位女孩，不然他会有危险。虽然他知道他的处境有危险，但他还是选择和女孩在一起。直到发生了一连串的事，他不得不揭开女孩的谜底，而发现了一件令他震惊的事。

老实说，我读完了这本小说后，心情是复杂的，但那种心情又非几句话可形容的。起初，我还以为这是本纯推理小说，但是惊悚率不高。总的来说，这是本描述男孩在他19岁的夏天里邂逅了21岁的女孩的爱情故事。整本书里，从不知道男孩的名字，作者只以 “我” 来讲述了他的世界和他所经历的事物。作者用他那细腻的手法，巧妙地描述了男孩的感想和他所经历的一切。身为读者的我，完全跳进了岛田庄司所编的故事里，好像那位男孩所经历的每一件事物，就像发生在我的周围里。不知不觉中，我也跟着男孩的心情而起伏不定。震惊、伤感是我对这本书的结局而产生的感觉。即然过了一天，那种感觉还在，觉得有点落寞的。但无可否认，这本书已促使我对岛田庄司的确认与尊敬，我相信我在接下来的日子里，会继续读他的书，不管是新或旧的作品，我都会非常非常的期待。

Brief summary of the novel:

A story of a 19-year-old college student who has fallen in love with a 21-year-old female murderer. Due to a motor accident, the narrator was admitted to a hospital. During those time, he was bored and he would use a telescope to view out of his window. There was an apartment near to the hospital where he stayed and he would use his telescope to watch the residents. He knew there were three people staying in the apartment: an elderly couple and a pretty young girl. Almost every day, he would watch the girl came out from her house and watch her every moves. He was fascinated by her and wanted to know her. Until one night, he witnessed her murdered her father with a knife.

What most shocked him thereafter is, he also witnessed her dumping a black bag at the hospital construction site on a rainy night. The hospital planned to expand a wing and the girl thought that the construction site was the best option to dispose off the body. However, little did she know that what she has done was being seen by the narrator.

Despite what happened, the narrator was very much attracted to the girl and after he was dismissed from the hospital, he followed her. He then tried every means to befriend her and finally they were friends. As the days gone by, the narrator felt more in love with her and protective towards her, until he started to receive warning notes to stay away from the girl. He knew there were risks if he continued his relationship with the girl but he couldn't help it. Then bad things started to happen and he felt he has to keep his watch on her and found out some things he didn't want to know.

My thoughts:

Initially I thought this was a suspense thriller. Well, it is a suspense thriller at some part, but the core of it is a narrative story of a 19-year-old college student and his love towards a 21-year-old girl, who killed her father. What attracted me to this story is not only the mystery surrounding the girl but the way the author described the narrator's encounter from the beginning till the end. You could say this is more of an emotional-drive story than a suspense thriller, as the narrator's thoughts was well described. I couldn't help but to shake my head on what he thought and done, yet at the same time I felt sorry for him too. Yes, I had mixed emotion reading this book but it was a good reading experience. After closing the book, it was hard to describe how I really felt but there was a sense of shock and loss at the same time. I really look forward to reading more of Shimada Sōji's books in the near future.

Labels: 4.75 stars, Book Review, Japanese Literature, Romance, Suspense 0 comments |

Hotel Iris by Yoko Ogawa

Melody

ISBN-13: 9781846554032
Publisher: Harvill Secker
Published: April 2010
164 pgs
Translated from the Japanese by: Stephen Snyder
Source: Personal Library

I mentioned in my review of The Diving Pool that I am interested to read The Housekeeper and the Professor, since I have heard nothing but raves about that book but I am ashamed to admit that I have not got around to reading it, yet. I picked up Yoko Ogawa's Hotel Iris from the bookstore last week and decided I would read this first since it is a thin book and the premise sounds intriguing.

Frankly speaking, I do not know what to say about this book. The theme surrounding the story is dark and disturbing. It explores the emotions and mentality of the 17-year-old Mari and an unnamed middle-aged man (usually referred to as 'the translator' due to his work) after their short encounter at Hotel Iris.

Mari's mother runs Hotel Iris single-handed after the death of Mari's father and grandfather, and Mari helps at the counter and run little errands as and when necessarily. She finds her life routine and boring, but all that change after she stumbled upon the unnamed middle-aged man. He had created a commotion in the hotel but instead of turning her off, she is intrigued and mersmerised by the tone of his voice. They became friends ultimately, but no one knew of their acquaintance and they wanted to keep their relationship a secret anyway. Mari will find ways to go to his cottage which is situated in an island, and the unnamed man will always have something planned during her visit. It is as if he has turned into a monster when Mari is alone in his house, where he would do anything to her, including tying her up and made her do the most unthinkable things. It is not a comfortable read, but yet I read on because I was hoping that Mari would come to her senses eventually.

The story took a turn when the unnamed man's nephew enter into the picture, but I felt it rather abrupt and could not really decipher the feelings between him and Mari. Without a doubt, Hotel Iris is a character-driven story; it is a story that allows readers to take a glimpse of a person's dark side and what he/she will do under certain circumstances. While writing this review, I am still not sure of my feelings towards Mari. Should I sympathise with her for being a victim to the translator's sadistic demand, or should I criticise her for degrading herself?

Also, does Mari attraction towards the translator has something to do with the loss of her father? And does the translator seek solace and security in Mari because he too had lost his wife, something which he has in common with Mari? These are the questions I had asked myself after closing the book.

As for the ending, I guess it is up to the readers to decide if it is for the good or for the bad but let's just say it will linger in your mind for a while.

Other reviews:
1MoreChapter
Bibliographing
(Let me know if I missed yours.)