A pretty modern fable

In the biggest surprise of the author himself, this beautiful modern fable both sweet and sad was a hit. More than six million copies sold in Japan and an international success.
As the author explains in his interesting and short postscript, even though the novel is not strictly autobiographical, it is his love affair with his wife fusion he says. It is rare for Japanese to express their feelings but Takuji Ichikawa does not recognize absolutely in modern Japanese society and has always felt the sidelines, different, probably unsuited to an impersonal and ferocious world both. These factors could explain the incredible literary success.

Tak-kun, the central character of the novel (and also emotional diminutive of the given name of the author), is a young widower who tries to cope with his six year old son. Since his wife Mio died at the age of twenty-nine, Tak-kun is trying to survive. This is particularly difficult when one is psychologically and physically frail man as Tak-kun is unable to support public transport, distance from home, stress generally and perpetually lives between two crises that leave him exhausted. So, the focus goes awry. Repetitive and unbalanced meals, laundry, which is stacked, seamy apartment. And Tak-kun is less diligent and efficient in his work.

Before dying, Mio had promised him that if he took care properly for their son, she would see the beginning of the rainy season to the dry season to start. Now walk back to Tak-kun and his son, it is Mio awaits them at the door of an abandoned factory.

But Mio seems to have forgotten and they will have to learn to live together, relive their romance by daring to go in search of each other. What is simple for a child who readily accept the improbable, will be a little longer for all the adults they hide secrets that will be revealed at the end of the novel which will allow us more or least, understand how Mio has returned from the dead.

All this will have only a short time, six weeks, but allow Tak-kun to face more serenely its final life without his wife and become a fully responsible adult.

This novel full of good feelings and modesty also read with pleasure and is sure to draw some tears of compassion or sorrow of any normally constituted player. A pretty modern fable to discover.

Published by Flammarion Editions' 2012 -321 pages

Find my reading notes on thierrycollet-cetalir.blogspot.com