Description

Shortlisted for the Costa First Novel Award
‘The perfect marriage of Sally Rooney and early Murakami’ Kathy Wang, author of Impostor Syndrome

‘A brilliant modern love story . . . atmospheric and transporting but also wise, clever and universal in its exploration of love, family and identity. I loved it’ Cathy Rentzenbrink

Mizuki is a Japanese housewife. She has a hardworking husband, two adorable children and a beautiful Tokyo apartment. It’s everything a woman like her could want . . . isn’t it?

One rainy night, she meets Kiyoshi. In him, she rediscovers freedom, friendship, a voice, and the neon, electric pulse of the city she has always loved. But the further she falls into their relationship, the clearer it becomes that she is living two lives – and in the end, we can choose only one.

Publisher Review

A brilliant modern love story. I found it atmospheric and transporting but also wise, clever and universal in its exploration of love, family and identity. I loved it. * Cathy Rentzenbrink, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Last Act of Love * This delicate and beautiful love story will fill your heart... Short, emotional and very funny, Emily Itami's debut is an unmissable treat for romantics everywhere. -- Francesca Brown * STYLIST * An addictive and beautiful novel with a fantastic voice, full of wry humour and sharp observations. It's funny and tragic, passionate and bold, and I know I'll be thinking about it for a long time to come. * Kate Murray-Browne, author of The Upstairs Room * Itami captures the magic of Tokyo and makes it part of the couple's relationship, complete with cherry blossoms, tiny bars and excellent food... it punches above its weight in its themes and the maturity with which it examines them, such as how love intertwines with or comes up against duty, and the feeling of having lost a part of oneself. Although she situates these ideas in a very specific social context, Itami manages to make them universal. -- Alys Key * I NEWSPAPER * An utterly accomplished novel that navigates the inner yearnings of the heart in stylish, sparky and engrossing prose. I absolutely loved it * Megan Bradbury, author of Everyone Is Watching * Exploring motherhood and Japanese culture, I found this a fascinating and insightful read. -- Nina Pottell * PRIMA * A lyrical story about love and a fascinating look at the collision of old and new traditions in modern Tokyo. -- Sarra Manning * RED * Atmospheric * NEW! MAGAZINE * For me it's the strong sense of place and Japanese culture that makes this short novel a worthy addition to the never-ending body of fiction on marital and domestic dissatisfaction. The perfect long-haul escape, albeit liable to induce its own frustrations in the form of wanderlust * The Literary Sofa, Summer Reads 2021 * It's rare to find a character that truly embodies the contradictions of contemporary motherhood, so thank goodness for Mizuki. An incredible portrait of love, strength, rage and fragility * Marianne Levy * Another striking debut, this bittersweet love story follows a Japanese housewife caught between tradition and modernity * Stylist * A very shrewd and funny story of a marriage and a wife whose identity has been annihilated by the very culture she railed against as a young woman * @itshelenwhitaker * Mizuki is a Japanese housewife. She has a hardworking husband, two children and a beautiful Tokyo apartment. But one night, she meets restaurateur Kiyoshi and rediscovers freedom. The further she falls into their relationship, the clearer it becomes that she is living two lives - and in the end, she can only choose one * Bella * What is the cost of a mother's love? In her debut novel Fault Lines, Emily Itami explores this question with wit and poignancy . . . dreamy . . . Itami's descriptions of spring in Japan are to be savoured * New York Times * Shrewd commentary on Japan's societal expectations of women * Washington Post *