قصة الكتاب :
Kōdansha (Kōdansha Bunko), 2012. 320 pp. ¥552. ISBN 978-4-
06-277246-4.
Originally published in Gunzō, Aug. 2009.
Kawakami Mieko
Born in 1976. Debuted with the 2007 novel Watakushiritsu in hā,
mata wa sekai [The World According to Tooth]. Won the Akutagawa
Prize in 2008 for Chichi to ran [Breasts and Egg]. Also awarded the
Nakahara Chūya Prize in 2009 for the poetry collection Sentan de
sasuwa sasareruwa soraeewa [In the Forefront, Pointing and Being
Pointed At, and That’s Just Fine]. In 2010, Hevun won the Minister
of Education Encouragement Prize for New Artists and the Murasaki
Shikibu Prize for Literature.

This book by rising star Kawakami came a year and a half after she won the
Akutagawa Prize in 2008. Whereas her other works are intricately woven and
challenging to read, her first full-length novel features surprising simplicity and
clarity and was hailed as a foray into new literary territory. The story, whose central
theme is violent bullying in junior high schools, is told through the eyes of a
14-year-old male student subjected to relentless torment for having a lazy eye.
Instead of putting up resistance, the boy chooses to suffer in complete resignation.
His single kindred spirit is a female classmate suffering a similar treatment for
being “dirty.” Eventually the two are tricked into coming to a park where they are
made to suffer torment so appalling as to make readers cringe.
These raw and realistic portrayals of bullying are counterbalanced with a nearcomplete
presentation of the range of philosophical and religious debates surrounding
violence committed against the weak. As well as addressing some of the
social problems now facing Japan, Kawakami’s simple yet profound new work
stands as a dazzling testament to her literary talent. There can be little doubt that
it has cemented her reputation as one of the most important young authors working
to expand the boundaries of contemporary Japanese literature. (NM)