I am also way behind on this book still, but my goal is to catch up by Week 12. The juicy, speculative conversations started with this week’s reading, and I have a feeling that’s only gotten truer as the weeks have gone by.
Regarding the children
Like pretty much everyone else, I suspect abuse is happening. That passage people brought up about Yu’s mother “doting on him like a lover” set off red flags of possible sexual abuse. At the very least, I think both children are being emotionally abused (maybe to different degrees, but nevertheless).
That section with Natsuki scooping out the rice really got to me.
「いいええ、本当にあの子は みそっかす で、何やらせても下手くそなでね、見てるほうが疲れるんで嫌になっちゃうんですよう。」
実際に私は 出来損ないで、よそったご飯もうまく丸くふっくらせず、ぺったりしてしまっていた。
These are incredibly harsh terms, for a parent to use regarding their child, as well as for a child to use in regard to themselves. Perhaps it’s objectively true that her scoops aren’t immaculate, but there’s no reason to admonish her over something like this. Others brought up how her mother and sister are “海” people, so there’s a definite sense that the mother doesn’t want to be there. I get that there’s a sense that she needs to “perform” in front of her in-laws, of which there are a TON. I can certainly relate to that stress in some ways. I also imagine she feels her children need to “perform” to a certain level, as well, maybe because if they don’t, it will reflect poorly on her? This is speculation at this point. Regardless, the fact that it wasn’t even a quick scold, but kind of went on for a bit, makes me wonder if this woman is just that comfortable scolding Natsuki like this.
(Side note: really liked @wiersm’s observation that perhaps Natsuki’s whole family is uncomfortable being here. Really curious to find out if her father has any baggage with his family.)
After reading @AmomentOfMusic’s response, I’m now suspicious of pretty much all of the adults until they’re proven innocent.
Difficult aspect of reading
I posted about this in the Read every day challenge thread, but something that’s been bothering me for a while (and is very much present in this book) is how the tenses regularly switch between past and present. One example is here:
てるよしおじさんが玄関で声を 張り上げている 。「ほら、きた。奈月ちゃん、こっちはいいから行っておいで」「はい！」 私はしゃもじをおばさんに渡して 立ち上がった 。外からは虫の声が する 。もうすっかり、夜が訪れて、台所の窓の外は普通の色に 染まっていった 。
@downtimes provided me with a good explanation behind this, and I thought I’d share in case anyone here was wondering, too.