Ms Ice Sandwich: Mieko Kawakami (Japanese Novellas)

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I enjoyed the almost stream-of-consciousness way in which the book was written, and overall, found it rather a thought-provoking story. And when that happens, I’m going to tell myself I can’t give in or freeze up and get discouraged and do nothing.

These famous flowers are strikingly beautiful when they’re in full bloom but disappear before you realise you’ve missed the chance to see them. Having the narrative told through the perspective of the young boy opens a lot of possibilities to examine his emotional currents. Successfully addressing topics such as loneliness, love, loss and friendship through the eyes of young protagonists, Kawakami finds a truly poetic voice in her story where she conveys the troubles of youth, especially in relation to sentimentality and attachment. He saves his money that he may purchase the products she sells and thereby get close enough to speak. In Ms Ice Sanwich, Kawakami finds a really beautiful language in which she expresses the difficulties of youth, particularly concerning emotion and attachment.I remember lamenting how I couldn't get anything out of The Woman in the Purple Skirt, but this book has successfully presented me with another perspective on Japanese literature. I also wanted to read this book because Haruki Murakami is a big fan of Kawakami and that speaks volumes. there’s loads of hard stuff in life, and maybe when we’re grown-ups, there’s going to be tons more hard stuff to deal with. As the story unfolds, we get a touching picture of his affection for his grandmother who is paralyzed and speechless from a stroke.

I would definitely recommend this to anyone with no exception, as you are certain to gain something upon reading it regardless of your literary preferences. Let me know in the comments if you’ve read anything by Mieko Kawakami, and what you’re reading or would recommend reading for the Japanese Literature Challenge. There is a paradigm shift in all your relationships and you clamour to hold on and ride the changes into what you hope is a more mature You. I had the thought that to create a proper love song, you need to confront a certain kind of shallowness and selfishness.I am keen to read more foreign literature this year, and Japanese literature in particular is always a plus with me. In one of Kawakami’s interviews available on YT, here , she was asked about her thoughts on female sexuality which I found quite complementary to the theme of adolescent ‘love’ in ‘Ms Ice Sandwich’. But life keeps getting in the way - there's his beloved grandmother's illness, and a faltering friendship with his classmate Tutti, who she invites him into her private world.

The novella is a breezy read and contains trademarks of other novels: bullying, escapism and an almost meta-fascination with something we take for granted. First friendship, first love, probably not the first loss and all in the same year - that's a lot for 4th grader to get through, but he manages it, with a little help of blue crayons and egg sandwiches.This passage into a new maturity is difficult for most, especially when you are at an age when you don’t quite have the emotional language or experience to productively process it.