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Richard's Reviews > Someone to Watch Over You
Someone to Watch Over You
by
by
A subtle but thought-provoking novella about alienation, belonging and the weight of the past.
This is the story of Tae, a former school teacher who has moved back home after a death and Shinobu, an out-of-work security guard whose past looms over him, and their unexpected connection throughout COVID-dominated 2020. There’s very little plot, though - while I found this engaging and eerie some readers will definitely find it dull.
For me the strength of the book is were the themes - it covered the value of connection, exclusion in small town Japan and the way people’s pasts linger with them really effectively: very much by showing rather than lecturing. The setting was another strength - the anxieties of lockdown were clear in an understated way.
This is the kind of book where you’re left to ponder what really happened and how much of what you’re shown is true. While I found that worked really well for the character’s pasts, I liked it a bit less when it came to the time the characters spent together as it all felt quite vague as things progressed.
All in all an enjoyable novella that was both thought-provoking and easy to read. Great for those who like books with themes and enjoy being allowed to reach your own views, less so for those who want plenty of plotting.
Thank you to Kumi Kimura, Pushkin Press and NetGalley providing an ARC of Someone to Watch Over You in return for an honest review.
This is the story of Tae, a former school teacher who has moved back home after a death and Shinobu, an out-of-work security guard whose past looms over him, and their unexpected connection throughout COVID-dominated 2020. There’s very little plot, though - while I found this engaging and eerie some readers will definitely find it dull.
For me the strength of the book is were the themes - it covered the value of connection, exclusion in small town Japan and the way people’s pasts linger with them really effectively: very much by showing rather than lecturing. The setting was another strength - the anxieties of lockdown were clear in an understated way.
This is the kind of book where you’re left to ponder what really happened and how much of what you’re shown is true. While I found that worked really well for the character’s pasts, I liked it a bit less when it came to the time the characters spent together as it all felt quite vague as things progressed.
All in all an enjoyable novella that was both thought-provoking and easy to read. Great for those who like books with themes and enjoy being allowed to reach your own views, less so for those who want plenty of plotting.
Thank you to Kumi Kimura, Pushkin Press and NetGalley providing an ARC of Someone to Watch Over You in return for an honest review.
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