Nice start to the night. Honestly, I wanted to keep on reading. What an interesting setup. I especially liked his eoght year old explanations.
She’s certainly in the process of becoming a mummy…
I agree. I’m enjoying this story.
I particularly enjoy Ogawa’s stories that focus on a child’s view of the world. Here, I loved the excuses that the narrator gave for answering the door when he had been expressly instructed not to. They are super-authentic sounding reasons given by an eight year old for doing something that they know their parents wouldn’t want them to do, though technically have not forbidden.
The most interesting character here is the mysterious daughter from next door. What do you think is the malady afflicting her? I had wondered if she had an eating disorder, but actually I think that she probably has schizophrenia. The reason is that her writhing hand movements are very reminiscent of a movement disorder (choreoathetosis) sometimes seen as a side effect of anti-psychotics. There is also a mention of 妄想… If I am right, I wonder if perhaps the excuse to come and cook consommé in the narrator’s kitchen is going to turn out to be also delusional in some way. (I also wonder if, in fact, the mother next door has died, and the boy was correct in thinking that it is her mummified body that is brought out in the wheelchair. But that seems too dark for this book).
I also think she has some sort of mental disorder, judging from the parents‘ reactions when talking about her - it felt very much like a „taboo“ topic, and I am not sure an eating disorder (especially in Japan) would trigger such a reaction. So far she seems to be pretty reasonable, though (apart from the fact that she went to the neighbors‘ house which is unthinkable for many Japanese, from what I gather).
Oh this one has really caught my attention. I too wonder about the daughter - her language is so excessively formal, and for talking with a child! Admittedly weird mother/daughter dynamics immediately made me think of a true crime book I read sometime back (母という呪縛 娘という牢獄 | L34) but I doubt this will get that dark as well. Since I’m behind the club I might finish this story out tonight
