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A review by rubeusbeaky
Strange Weather in Tokyo by Hiromi Kawakami
4.0
I found this book charming, funny, and EXTREMELY relatable. Tsukiko is every girl who's been told she's not "feminine" enough. A slice of life tale about a near-middle-aged woman who becomes companions with her former high school literature teacher (who is 30 years her senior). The pair are equally blunt, whimsical, socially anxious and desperately lonely. What begins as companionship deepens into a life-changing, meaningful relationship.
This is one of those rare cases, though, where the last few pages of a book completely distorts the entire book XD. Up until the final chapter, Tsukiko and "Sensei" (with many shy starts and stops) fall into a romantic relationship. I thought it was beautiful representation, showing that physical attraction and intimacy is not what's most important, or even a contributing factor, for some couples. Sometimes, love is being able to sit quietly with someone, or strolling through nature, or eating together, or feeling safe enough to fall asleep next to them, or feeling secure enough to speak your mind to someone... There are a lot of behaviors people exhibit, both within their own personality and in how they behave as a couple, which can foster passionate love, and it's as real as the relationships which use sex to form intimacy.
But the LAST chapter had to wreck all of that by having Sensei insist that physical intimacy is a necessary part of every relationship.
Another point, Tsukiko awakens to the possibilities of the world around her, after being shut in for so many years afraid to trust or try anything new. Being with Sensei makes the world more inspiring and desirable to her. I had inferred that she had learned from her relationship not to choose isolation anymore, even if putting yourself out there is sometimes stress-inducing and awkward.
... But again, the LAST chapter has Tsukiko quickly sum up that Sensei died three years ago, and she has not kept up any of the friendships or activities she made/did with him, instead isolated once more and crying over his absence.
I can just imagine the Hollywood producer adapting this book, insisting that they make it a happy ending: Tsukiko strolling down a busy market, marveling at all the life around her, fade to black as she walks into the sunset...
It confuses me that the original title of this book was "Sensei's Briefcase". There is some symbolism going on with Sensei always carrying around a briefcase, and in the end he's dead and the case is empty... But there is so much more symbolism in the book about the changing seasons, and weather, and how it mirrors Tsukiko's self-discovery and her relationship with Sensei. The change in title was smart. I wish whoever had told the author to do that, had also told her to drop the sad final chapter about the empty briefcase XD.
Can I give some quick applause too for the fact that this is a romance about a couple with a substantial age difference that didn't make me feel squicky?! So refreshing! These two were so sweet and funny with each other, they clicked across time and space, it was beautiful to see kindred spirits united despite all the stigmas in their way.
A lovely, romantic read. I highly recommend.
This is one of those rare cases, though, where the last few pages of a book completely distorts the entire book XD. Up until the final chapter, Tsukiko and "Sensei" (with many shy starts and stops) fall into a romantic relationship. I thought it was beautiful representation, showing that physical attraction and intimacy is not what's most important, or even a contributing factor, for some couples. Sometimes, love is being able to sit quietly with someone, or strolling through nature, or eating together, or feeling safe enough to fall asleep next to them, or feeling secure enough to speak your mind to someone... There are a lot of behaviors people exhibit, both within their own personality and in how they behave as a couple, which can foster passionate love, and it's as real as the relationships which use sex to form intimacy.
But the LAST chapter had to wreck all of that by having Sensei insist that physical intimacy is a necessary part of every relationship.
Another point, Tsukiko awakens to the possibilities of the world around her, after being shut in for so many years afraid to trust or try anything new. Being with Sensei makes the world more inspiring and desirable to her. I had inferred that she had learned from her relationship not to choose isolation anymore, even if putting yourself out there is sometimes stress-inducing and awkward.
... But again, the LAST chapter has Tsukiko quickly sum up that Sensei died three years ago, and she has not kept up any of the friendships or activities she made/did with him, instead isolated once more and crying over his absence.
I can just imagine the Hollywood producer adapting this book, insisting that they make it a happy ending: Tsukiko strolling down a busy market, marveling at all the life around her, fade to black as she walks into the sunset...
It confuses me that the original title of this book was "Sensei's Briefcase". There is some symbolism going on with Sensei always carrying around a briefcase, and in the end he's dead and the case is empty... But there is so much more symbolism in the book about the changing seasons, and weather, and how it mirrors Tsukiko's self-discovery and her relationship with Sensei. The change in title was smart. I wish whoever had told the author to do that, had also told her to drop the sad final chapter about the empty briefcase XD.
Can I give some quick applause too for the fact that this is a romance about a couple with a substantial age difference that didn't make me feel squicky?! So refreshing! These two were so sweet and funny with each other, they clicked across time and space, it was beautiful to see kindred spirits united despite all the stigmas in their way.
A lovely, romantic read. I highly recommend.