As my previous proposal had some “flaws”, I would like to propose this book instead:
女坂
Author:円地文子 (Fumiko Enchi)
Summary
English
The Waiting Years is a beautifully written tale of suffering set in Meiji Japan. Tomo, the novel’s female lead, struggles through her life and marriage to her unfaithful husband, with each new woman that enters the picture reaffirming the protagonist’s powerlessness to change her situation. Fumiko Enchi was one of Japan’s most respected novelists, and her books portray the plight of women in a patriarchal society. While the novel is set during the Meiji period, the characters and their torments remain relevant for a modern readership.
Source: https://theculturetrip.com/asia/japan/articles/10-japanese-books-you-need-to-read
Length: 226 (followed by 20 pages of footnotes plus two postscripts)
Category: Hard
Natively link: 女坂 | L44??
Availability
Only available in paper form (see Natively page).
English translation: The Waiting Years
Personal Opinion
When I started studying Japanese, I came across the website 10 Japanese Books you need to read and I got interested in the books listed there! So far I’ve read a few of the mentioned books, and other books by the mentioned authors, and they didn’t disappoint. Now I feel like it’s time to approach one of the older and harder books on the list.
Pros and Cons for the Book Club
Pros
- Won the 10th 野間文芸 prize (notable contenders were Mishima Yukio and Tanizaki Jun’ichirou, among others)
- Has an English translation for those who are interested
Cons
- Not available digitally
- Probably heavy contents at times
