Mitsuyo Kakuta

Rika, la protagonista de esta novela, es una recién casada que intenta de manera humilde corresponder a la imagen que se ha forjado de la felicidad conyugal, pero no tarda en darse cuenta de que entre ella y su marido no hay nada que compartir.

Para salir de esa nada en que se ha convertido su vida, Rika solo ve una opción: reintegrarse al mundo laboral, alcanzar cierta autonomía económica, a la vez que algo de vida social.

Consigue un puesto en un banco para vender depósitos de ahorro a una clientela muy particular: personas mayores cuya confianza se debe ganar con visitas regulares a sus domicilios y aceptando sus invitaciones a compartir un rato de conversación alrededor de una taza de té.

Cuando un joven se cruza con ella en casa de su abuelo, Rika ha basculado ya hacia una verdadera adicción. Esa mujer corriente acabará por concebir y realizar uno de los mayores fraudes bancarios de la época.

Mitsuyo Kakuta explora en cada una de sus novelas los efectos de la sociedad contemporánea en la psicología femenina. Sus heroínas son inolvidables precisamente por ser tan cercanas: una suma de sentimientos, a menudo complejos, y a la vez el producto de las circunstancias y los acontecimientos siempre imprevisibles.… (plus d'informations)

Agarra el pomo de la puerta. Está congelado como un trozo de hielo, una frialdad que parece advertirla de que ya no hay marcha atrás.

Kiwako sabe que los días laborables, a partir de las ocho y diez de la mañana, el apartamento no está cerrado con llave durante unos veinte minutos. No hay nadie. En este intervalo dejan solo al bebé. Sin vacilar gira el pomo.

«No voy a hacer nada malo. Sólo quiero verlo un momento. Sólo me gustaría ver a su bebé; eso es todo. Después pondré punto y final. Lo olvidaré todo y empezaré una nueva vida.»

Kiwako pasa por encima de los futones para acercarse a la cuna. El bebé llora, mueve los brazos y las piernas. Tiene la cara roja. Kiwako alarga una mano temerosa, como si fuera a tocar un explosivo, y la mete por debajo de su espalda. Lo toma entre sus brazos. El bebé tuerce la boca; a pesar de sus ojos llorosos sonríe. Sí, claramente ha sonreído. Kiwako es incapaz de moverse, está paralizada. El bebé se ríe aún más, empieza a babear, a estirar sus extremidades con golpes secos. Kiwako lo abraza contra su pecho. Acerca la cara a su pelo suave, respira hondo para impregnarse de su olor.

Kiwako murmura como si estuviera hechizada: «Te protegeré. Voy a protegerte para siempre». En sus brazos el bebé juguetea como si la reconociera, como si la consolara y al mismo tiempo la perdonara. Kiwako se ha desabrochado el abrigo para meter dentro el bebé, como si lo envolviera. Después ha empezado a correr a ciegas.

Desde ese día, Kiwako y el bebé robado vivirán una huida sin fin. La lucha desesperada de Kiwako por vivir su maternidad atrapa al lector sin que pueda abandonar la lectura hasta un final que se lee con un nudo en la garganta.… (plus d'informations)

Sayoko è una casalinga trentacinquenne, moglie di Shuji e madre di un figlio di tre anni di nome Akari. Negli ultimi tempi, come se di colpo il peso della routine quotidiana le fosse caduta addosso, Sayoko sente di dover cambiare qualcosa nella propria vita e trova un impiego part-time come donna delle pulizie. La direttrice si chiama Aoi, ha la sua età, ma uno stile di vita completamente diverso dal suo. Eppure sin da subito le due donne sentono una naturale e reciproca curiosità. Durante i turni si studiano, si confidano e si domandano segretamente come sarebbe potuta essere la loro vita, se avessero fatto l'una le scelte dell'altra. Quando viene ricollocata in un gruppo speciale che si occupa di pulire alcuni appartamenti per le vacanze, Sayoko conosce altre dipendenti: giovani spensierate che vivono alla giornata; isteriche donne di mezza età; anziane in difficoltà economiche Ma, soprattutto, viene a sapere che Aoi, quando frequentava ancora il liceo, era stata bullizzata e aveva tentato di uccidersi assieme alla sua migliore amica...… (plus d'informations)

''I left the house and turned to the alley. No shops insight. This was a strange corner of the city, a row of uninhabited houses. Shutters closed, a rusty bike lying next to a shut door. The entire neighborhood looked like a ghost town. The steel tower rising looked fake, like a missing piece of a poorly-made backdrop in an impoverished theatre.''

A young woman flees from an apartment in Tokyo, carrying a baby girl, a child that isn't hers. Is she trying to save the child? And if she is, what is the danger? What makes her accept the dubious help of a mad woman? What drives her into the arms of a suspicious pseudo-religious cult? How can she create a home for her and the girl on a remote island? How can she escape from those who are after her?

This is the story of a woman who was weak and foolish enough to destroy her life because of a man. And yet, it was impossible for me not to sympathize with her. Kakuta has created a character that sees the wrong in her actions but is unable to withdraw because of a strange and powerful mixture of love and revenge.

Her quest is a troubled journey across Japan, its traditions, its values, its cities, and sleepy villages. In beautiful prose, Kakuta takes us into the world of neighborhoods that need to follow a controversial dogma of modernization in contrast to the island communities where the residents are there to support one another. Myths of deities, ghosts and demons, beautiful festivals and fables create an extraordinary setting in a story where motherhood takes the spotlight. Kakuta stresses two important questions regarding the theme of motherhood. Is every woman capable of being a true mother to a child and do we have the right to project our own mistakes to our children? In the end, it is certain that they will pay the prize.

The construction of the novel and the prose were satisfying. Even though the main theme isn't one I am interested in, my love for Japanese Literature prompted me to read it. But for the last 100 pages, I'd say I was satisfied. Unfortunately, the last chapters managed to disappoint me. First of all, the chapters that were based on the girl's point of view were boring. Why? Because choosing to have your two main characters committing the same mistakes in an attempt to show that life moves in inevitable circles is the epitome of lazy writing. Certain parts of the plot didn't make sense and the questions were answered in an extremely neat way. Too convenient, too organized, too unrealistic. The contrast was so intense that I found myself turning the last pages too fast…

Melodrama isn't my cup of tea. It doesn't appeal to me in the slightest. I am not a sentimental person and I consider the women who sacrifice their choices and their life for the sake of a man to be devoid of personality and ideals. The moment a novel takes a turn into the soap-opera territory, I'm out. This one takes 3 stars for the beautiful writing and an interesting main character. Unfortunately, the last 20% of the novel was so bad that in the end I was left with a bitter taste in my mouth.
*Extract translated by me, taken from the Greek edition translated by Irene Papakyriakou.*

My reviews can also be found https://theopinionatedreaderblog.wordpress.com/… (plus d'informations)