Territory of Light

Published first as 12 separate stories in magazine format, this translation was released shortly after the author's death. One of the stories ("Flames") featured in Rubin's Penguin collection of Japanese short stories I enjoyed earlier this year. Tsushima/Territory was also lauded in the Financial Times Books of 2018 and The Atlantic. Some have compared the author to Elena Ferrante. Territory is certainly an engaging and immersive read, all the more so given it is just 120 pages long. The subject matter is the trials of a single mother trying to rebuild her life after separation (although she rejected the labelling of this work as an "I"-novel). Some of this was based on Tsushima's own personal experience. The flat into which she moves (the eponymous "Territory") and the vividness of the narrator — author's dreams contrast abruptly with the darkness of her thoughts about/actions towards her daughter, as well as the broader mundanity of just keeping going. Being a single parent would surely be far from easy, offering the twin emotions of joy and guilt. In a hierarchical 1970s Tokyo, it must have been even harder. This work does feel uniquely Japanese (even Murakami — who compiled the Penguin collection — would have been influenced), combining both a certain darkness and also dreamlike element. Eight and a half out of ten.

By Yuko Tsushima