The Ten Loves of Mr. Nishino

The Ten Loves of Mr. Nishino

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Who loves Mr Nishino? Minami is the daughter of Mr Nishino's true love. Bereaved Shiori is tempted by his unscrupulous advances. His colleague Manami should know better. His conquest Reiko treasures her independence above all else. Friends Tama and Subaru find themselves playing Nishino's game, but Eriko loves her cat more. Sayuri is older, Aichan is much younger, and Misono has her own conquests to make. For each of them, an encounter with elusive womaniser Mr Nishino will bring torments, desires and delights.

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Author : Hiromi Kawakami

Genre : Romance

Language : English

Original Language : Japanese

Year Published : 2019

Pages : 195

Publisher : Granta

Firstly, thank you Granta for publishing Japanese novel in English, as an avid fans of Japanese Contemporary Literature, I always ecstatic find new-coming-english-book in the book stores. And when I saw The levitating woman in the cover, I know right away it is the new work of Kawakami-san.

The Ten Love of Mr. Nishino is the newest work of Hiromi Kawakami-san, the author of famous Strange Weather in Tokyo.

Bringing the same theme, romance, Kawakami-san bring her light mood to tell a story about Mr. Nishino from the point of view of 10 different women  in his life. 

Mr Nishino himself not taking any spotlight in the reading, but 10 women have encountered a phase of life with Mr. Nishino. From woman whom like him in the middle school until woman whom parting good bye when Mr Nishino died.

Mr. Nishino is eccentric, commitment-afraid, handsome, neat, polite and a smooth talker. The first story started with Minami, a daughter of a mother whom in love with Mr. Nishino. In several occasion, her mother brought her to meet with Mr. Nishino, even only enjoy a parfait ice cream that she didn't like it very much. 

Minami remember about Mr. Nishino's personalities back in her early days. Mr. Nishino is a funny guy that made her mother laugh. He is different from her father and she notice that her mother once loved Mr. Nishino. One day, she saw Mr. Nishino ghost come to their home, several years after her mother stop meeting him.That time, they realized that Mr Nishino was dying.

Then there is a story about Mr.Nishino's classmate. Mr. Nishino is the first boy she kissed behind the bush. She liked mr Nishino but knew that she didn't want to be Nishino's girlfriend. And the mysterious woman that Nishino met in the park, piqued her interest so much.

And there are other 8 woman that met Mr. Nishino from the university life until he is aging at 55 years. They are diversified woman but mostly they also share the skepticism about love. Most of them know that Nishino is two-timing and resist to admit that they fall in love with Mr. Nishino. Neither of the woman willing to give up to life and devoted her life to take care Nishino.

Meanwhile, Nishino is the same person as they described from their point of view even after he was an adult. He always adorable but in the same time look confuse. He said he love her, but deep down he knew that he is unable to love somebody.

The Novel is like an eulogy of Mr Nishino that told from women in his life. Though he died in a lonesome, but the memories of Mr. Nishino cherished by them. Those women ,a strong willed and once loved Nishino, but they refused to commit with him.

But if we trace back the life of Mr. Nishino, it is sad and devastating. I personally felt my heart is broken. 

Sometime, human behavior shaped by the tragedy of their life. For example, there is always a reason why a man behave as womanizer. It is like he is searching for something that made him refuse to stop until he found it. 

Mr. Nishino was missing of something in his life. He keeps searching for love and abruptly confess a love to woman he slept with. But deep down, he know he loved someone else.

It is beautiful and poignant story about love. Even the novel is light-reading, but there are layers that we can feel. The sorrow of being Mr. Nishino.

It feel the same way when I read Strange Weather in Tokyo, the Author carefully deliver the hints without telling much about it. Once again she is telling the story in a sad way without shedding the reader's tears. It was a moody story!

It was a good read and I am happy start my 2020 with such a beautiful story!