A short story about the end of love.
The 393rd book
Satisfaction level ★ ★ ★ 3.5
Easy to read ★ ★ ★
I wanted to read about adult romance after a long time, and I picked up Ekuni's Naoki Prize winning work ✨
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A collection of 12 short stories, including the title work, which depicts the pain of being crushed by the loss of the end of a love that was filled with both body and soul.
The end of love, passing each other, loneliness...
First love, unrequited love, cheating, adultery...
It was packed with 12 forms of love. All of them are short and easy to read, but I got the impression that there are many works that leave the final interpretation to the reader 🤔 It made me wonder what happened after this 💭
Personally, I liked "Jako Jako no Biscuit." It was very good that the memories of the bittersweet first date at the age of 17 were tightly packed. A faint memory came back.
The title work "I was ready to cry" was also impressive.
Fumino forcefully answers "I know" to Takashi who apologizes for sleeping with another woman...
'I think my heart died in part at that time. It was twisted by loneliness. '
This expression came to me.
In the end, no one can be happy with infidelity or cheating. Still, I felt that the human weakness that repeats itself was realistically depicted. Even if you go to another woman, you can't maintain your sanity just by being called by her name over the phone. That clumsiness is just lonely.
"Groove" also left an impression. A couple in divorce talks visits her husband's parents' house to celebrate her niece's birthday. Of course, the fact is hidden. I'm reading it and I'm getting soaked up here. Love, when it cools down, it becomes so far... and.
[Words that left an impression]
"Life is dangerous. There are times and strangers. Men, women, dogs, children."
Freedom is a lonely state with nothing more to lose.
I am as free as a single woman and as lonely as a married woman.
Personally, I think Ekuni-san is better than short stories
I thought that I liked feature films like "Kirakira Hikaru" better! However, the feeling of being able to catch a glimpse of adult romance was thrilling 😳
江國香織さんの短編集を読んで改めて感じたのは、大人の恋愛は単なる甘美なロマンスではなく、心に刻まれた傷や孤独が共存する繊細な世界だということです。特に不倫や浮気のエピソードでは、誰も幸せになれない苦しみが描かれており、登場人物の弱さや儚さが生々しく伝わってきます。こうした作品はいずれも短く読みやすいながら、後の展開を読者に委ねるクローズで余韻の残る作りになっており、読み終わったあともしばらく感情が揺さぶられます。 私自身、「じゃこじゃこのビスケット」という初恋のほろ苦い体験を描いた作品に共感しました。17歳の頃の淡い思い出や初デートの緊張感がまざまざと蘇り、誰しも経験する初恋の切なさや成長の瞬間が巧みに表現されていると感じました。 また、作品中の『私の心臓はあのとき一部分はっきり死んだと思う。さびしさのあまりねじ切れて。』という表現は深く心に響き、不倫や恋の終わりがもたらす痛みの重さをリアルに感じさせてくれます。恋愛は楽しいだけではなく、時に自分の心の一部の死を経験することがある――それを描き切ったこの短編集は、大人の恋愛の真実や複雑さを理解したい人にとって貴重な読み物です。 さらに、「溝」という作品で描かれる離婚協議中の夫婦のぎこちない関係にも引き込まれました。表面上は普通の家族の行事を装いながらも、心の溝が徐々に広がる様子が緊張感とともに伝わり、恋愛や結婚に伴う孤独やすれ違いのリアリティを感じました。こうした細やかな人間模様も江國香織作品の魅力の一つです。 今回読んでみて、江國さんの作品は短編よりも長編で丁寧に感情を掘り下げるタイプの方が自分には合うかもしれないと思いましたが、それでもこの短編集に描かれた大人の恋愛の多様な側面を垣間見るのは大きな刺激になりました。恋愛の甘さや切なさ、そして人間の弱さを深く味わいたい方に、ぜひおすすめしたい一冊です。
