Hi everyone!
Recently I’ve been reading more works in translation to expand genre and themes of the books I’m reading, so today I’m going to share some books that I have really loved, and some that I am excited to get into!
If Cats Disappeared from the World by Genki Kawamura
Our narrator’s days are numbered. Estranged from his family, living alone with only his cat Cabbage for company, he was unprepared for the doctor’s diagnosis that he has only months to live. But before he can set about tackling his bucket list, the Devil appears with a special offer: in exchange for making one thing in the world disappear, he can have one extra day of life. And so begins a very bizarre week . . .
I read this a few months ago, I thought it’ll be something fun and short but it literally made me question everything. Japanese literature always makes me feel existential
Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata
Meet Keiko.
Keiko is 36 years old. She’s never had a boyfriend, and she’s been working in the same supermarket for eighteen years. Keiko’s family wishes she’d get a proper job. Her friends wonder why she won’t get married.
But Keiko knows what makes her happy, and she’s not going to let anyone come between her and her convenience store…
I haven’t gotten to this yet but I’ve heard a lot of good things, so I’m excited to read!
Woman at Point Zero by Nawal El Saadawi
From her prison cell, Firdaus, sentenced to die for having killed a pimp in a Cairo street, tells of her life from village childhood to city prostitute. Society’s retribution for her act of defiance – death – she welcomes as the only way she can finally be free.
I read this last year and his wasn’t an enjoyable read in any sense but a gut wrenching and piercing one. I felt anger and sorrow for Firdaus and the many women who suffer the same plight as her.
Heaven by Mieko Kawakami
Hailed as a bold foray into new literary territory, Kawakami’s novel is told in the voice of a 14-year-old student who subjected to relentless torment for having a lazy eye. Instead of resisting, the boy chooses to suffer in complete resignation. The only person who understands what he is going through is a female classmate who suffers similar treatment at the hands of her tormentors.
I read as part of my coursework and it was such a beautiful book!! I loved Kojima and the Narrator’s friendship. A lot of parts of this book were truly disturbing so TW for that.
Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto
Banana Yoshimoto’s novels have made her a sensation in Japan and all over the world, and Kitchen, the dazzling English-language debut that is still her best-loved book, is an enchantingly original and deeply affecting book about mothers, love, tragedy, and the power of the kitchen and home in the lives of a pair of free-spirited young women in contemporary Japan.
Haven’t gotten a chance to read this yet but the story seems very exciting! Also I’m trying to get into Japanese literature especially feminist literature so this seems like a great read.
Pyre by Perumal Murugan
Saroja and Kumaresan are in love. After a hasty wedding, they arrive in Kumaresan’s village, harbouring the dangerous secret that their marriage is an inter-caste one, likely to anger the villagers should they learn of it. Kumaresan is confident that all will be well. He naively believes that after the initial round of curious questions, the inquiries will die down and the couple will be left alone. But nothing is further from the truth. The villagers strongly suspect that Saroja must belong to a different caste. It is only a matter of time before their suspicions harden into certainty and, outraged, they set about exacting their revenge.
I genuinely could not put this book down. The story is quite disturbing but it addresses gender and caste based violence as well as casteism within Indian context in a very cogent manner.
The Pachinko Parlour by Elisa Shua Dusapin
The Pachinko Parlour is a nuanced and beguiling exploration of identity and otherness, unspoken histories, and the loneliness you can feel amongst family. Crisp and enigmatic, Shua Dusapin’s writing glows with intelligence.
I’m currently reading this book and I’m enjoying it very much! It touches upon topics such as The Korean War, uncertainties between different languages, and the feeling of never belonging; which are themes I usually love in books.
That was it, I hope you liked the recommendations!
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