This novel won the Naoki Prize in 2005, the highest honor in Japan. It revolves around Sayoko, a 35-year-old housewife with a three-year-old child, an indifferent husband, and a sharp-tongued mother-in-law. After a five-year absence from the workforce, she decides to re-enter the job market and meets her boss, who graduated from the same university and is of the same age. Initially, the differences between the two women seem stark, but as the story unfolds, significant similarities are revealed, particularly in their social withdrawal and shared past of being ridiculed in school.
Mitsuyo Kakuta Books
Mitsuyo Kakuta focuses her literary lens on the lives of women of her generation, often navigating the complexities of their mid-thirties and forties. Her narratives delve into the intricate web of relationships and personal dilemmas with keen observation and profound empathy. Kakuta excels at crafting relatable characters, drawing readers into their everyday struggles and triumphs. Her stylistic dexterity and deep understanding of the human psyche make her a compelling storyteller.
対岸の彼女
- 340 pages
- 12 hours of reading
女社長の葵と専業主婦の小夜子。二人の出会いと友情は、些細なことから亀裂を生じていくが......。孤独から希望へ、感動の傑作長篇
Hisoyaka na hanazono. ひそやかな花園
- 381 pages
- 14 hours of reading
幼いころ、毎年家族ぐるみでサマーキャンプを共にしていた七人。全員ひとりっ子の七人にとって天国のような楽しい時間だったキャンプは、ある年から突然なくなる。大人になり、再会した彼らが知った出生にまつわる衝撃の真実。七人の父は誰なのか―?この世にあるすべての命に捧げる感動長編。