T.H.E. Book Report Vol 2 – Hikikomori And The Rental Sister

I would have to say that this book shattered any expectations I had for it. It is an excellent read, as well as being beautifully written. The story concerns Thomas, an American man living in New York city, is devastated by the death of his very young son and has barricaded himself in his room for three years. His wife, Silke, is desperate and seeks out the only help she can find to get Thomas out of his room. The help comes in the form of a small, young Japanese woman called Megumi. She has the talent for working with Hikikomori, the Japanese word for what Thomas has done – shut himself away from society altogether. Megumi, who is tasked with getting him out of this situation is known as a “rental sister”.

As she works her way toward getting Thomas to come out of his room, she first must find her way into his room to really come to know him and why he has remained locked away. The story is excellently set up and executed as the three characters form a sort of triangulation with their most precious, unspoken feelings, schemes, and inevitable resolutions.

Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys great contemporary fiction from a new and upcoming voice. I look forward to reading Jeff Backhaus novels for a long time to come.

~ todd

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Deadline Man by Jon Talton

I hadn’t heard of Jon Talton before receiving the copy of his latest thriller, but you can bet that I will be searching out more of his backlist now that I have read this brilliantly written novel.

Just from reading the back cover blurb I was interested in this book, but all too often I am disappointed by promises made by some publisher on the back cover of a book. In many cases it isn’t fair to the author either. If the back blurb is promising one thing and the book delivers another, then the readers will immediately think that the author failed in their delivery, when it probably isn’t even what the author had intended…. Anyway, I digress, I read the blurb with a huge grain of salt. Right from the opening scene we are in the middle of the action.

Children In The Morning by Anne Emery

I have to admit that I was unaware of Anne Emery before I received my copy of “Children In The Morning”. Since completing my first experience as a reader of her work, I have to say that I have been happily surprised by what I have discovered; a previously unknown author (to me), who is an excellent story teller, and is able to do so in some of the most interesting and rich culture that Canada has to offer. I am both proud and excited that Canada can deliver writers with a growing amount of talent and doing so more and more often.