Ms Ice Sandwich: Mieko Kawakami (Japanese Novellas)

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Both the central boy and Tutti’s loneliness can be prescribed to a lack of parental care or involvement, their lives dominated not by their children or their duties as adults, but rather by the excesses of medias such as television and smartphones. And this is where the novel's greatest strength rests — as it transports the reader back to their childhood, forcing them to confront their youth. This is an age where you suddenly sense the world is not a idyllic utopia but can’t quite put your finger on why not and are left to scramble and make sense of it all as innocence crumbles around you. We are also introduced to some other really interesting charachters such as Ms Ice Sandwhich and of course the loveable Tutti. Last year, for Japanese Literature Challenge 14, I read Breasts and Eggs by the same author, which I found to be much richer and more complex.

However the narrator’s life is a challenging one: he does not have a father, his mother neglects him and his only confidante is his demented grandmother. The story is narrated from the perspective of the boy, and one of my favourite things about this book is the ability of the author to reproduce the mind and thoughts of a gifted child. I find that I definitely think about friendship break-ups more than romantic ones, but that doesn’t mean that I value romantic relationships less – just differently. This scene is so rife with sexual tension without ever touching upon sexuality or sexual language and is just a masterpiece of small fiction. In particular about how it’s a very selfish act, and it has to do more with oneself than the other person.The boy becomes obsessed with a young lady who sells sandwiches at the supermarket — because of her huge eye lined in blue. Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for providing a review copy in exchange for honest feedback. I had previously found that careless and somewhat frustrating, but perhaps leaving most things quite open in this novella was the right move – making it somehow more interesting and thought-provoking. I would definitely recommend this to anyone with no exception, as you are certain to gain something upon reading it regardless of your literary preferences.

This is yet another example of Kawakami’s strength as an author; her ability to comment on what is and has become normative in our society, and in turn what it has begun to neglect. Her translation remains faithful to the original version, retaining the sensibility and sensitivity of the main character’s personal journey and presenting it in an easy-to-read format that English readers should no doubt massively appreciate. I am keen to read more foreign literature this year, and Japanese literature in particular is always a plus with me. I am so confused because the comment I left here earlier today did not appear…unless it’s in your inbox? In Ms Ice Sanwich, Kawakami finds a really beautiful language in which she expresses the difficulties of youth, particularly concerning emotion and attachment.But life keeps getting in the way – there’s his beloved grandmother’s illness, and a faltering friendship with his classmate Tutti, who she invites him into her private world.