Летние истории

Natsuko is 30 and awaits a family visit. She lives in a hot suburb of Tokyo. Her older sister, Makiko, will come from Osaka with her daughter. Her daughter, Midoriko, is 12 and no longer speaks to her. She hopes this will make Makiko drop her plans for surgery. Makiko wants the surgery to make her breasts larger. She plans to spend the visit looking for a clinic instead.

Natsuko had hoped they would talk about their shared past. But each has troubles she finds hard to share. Midoriko fears the changes in her growing body. She cannot bring herself to talk about them with her family. Natsuko moved to Tokyo ten years ago to become a writer. She still has not finished her first book.

Миэко Каваками wrote this work of fiction set in modern times. It explores family ties and how people see their bodies. It also looks at hopes that have not come true. It suits readers drawn to stories about women's lives. It also suits those drawn to strained ties between mothers and daughters. All three feel cut off from the world around them. Their brief time together helps them see how they support each other.