A collection of Michael Gardiner’s short stories which takes us into the heart of 21st Century Japanese culture. Beautifully written and accurately observed, each of the 19 stories gives us brief insights into the Japanese belief in education (or should I say obsession in prestigious universities?), the duties and roles of men and women, and relationships between people in the digital age.
Linked by a common theme of receiving the best education, none of the heroes or heroines are satisfied with their life. While some would give up dignity, freedom and pretty much everything to get through university, the graduates were doubtful of how far a decent degree can take them – in terms of developing a successful career or building a happy family.
One of the most extreme stories is the ‘Model‘ who lived under 24-hour surveillance so that she could pay her way through one of the most prestigious universities. The graduate in ‘Escalator‘ still worried about the uncertainty of his future, and the tramp in ‘Diamond‘ was once a respectable graduate with a desirable job but ended up living on the street and being abandoned by his family.
I was especially touched by the loneliness and dejection in ‘Exchange‘ and ‘Birthday‘ where isolation was extremely painful and yet wasn’t over dramatised.