Stephanie Scott is a Singaporean and British writer whose work delves into the intricacies of human relationships and cultural identity. Her prose is characterized by a fluid and compelling style, drawing readers into narratives that explore themes of loss, memory, and the search for meaning. Scott employs nuanced narrative techniques to craft stories rich with psychological depth. Her writing offers a distinctive voice that resonates with its exploration of complex emotional landscapes.
Finding Ways to Cope
Exploring the concept of managing anxiety, this book encourages readers to discover playful and engaging activities that can help alleviate worries. Through imaginative suggestions and interactive prompts, it invites individuals, particularly children, to embrace movement and creativity as effective tools for emotional regulation. The focus is on finding joy and relief in simple actions that promote mental well-being.
The book explores the unpredictable nature of life, likening it to navigating a bumpy road where external circumstances are beyond our control. It emphasizes the importance of managing our emotions and responses to challenges, advocating for a mindset of calm acceptance rather than succumbing to anger, sadness, or fear. By focusing on how we react to life's ups and downs, the narrative encourages readers to make thoughtful decisions amidst adversity.
In Japan, a covert industry has grown up around the Wakaresaseya (literally breaker-upper), a person hired by one spouse to seduce the other in order to gain the advantage in divorce proceedings. When Satō hires Kaitarō, a wakaresaseya agent, to have an affair with his wife, Rina, he assumes it will be an easy case. But Satō has never truly understood Rina or her desires, and Kaitarō's job is to do exactly that--until he does it too well. While Rina remains ignorant of the circumstances that brought them together, she and Kaitarō fall into a desperate, singular love, setting in motion a series of violent acts that will forever haunt her daughter's life. Told from alternating points of view and across the breathtaking landscapes of Japan, Stephanie Scott exquisitely renders the affair and its intricate repercussions. As Rina's daughter, Sumiko, fills in the gaps of her mother's story and her own memory, Scott probes the thorny psychological and moral grounds of the actions we take in the name of love, asking where we draw the line between passion and possession.