The Perfect World of Miwako Sumida also contains the same magic realism of these books, where supernatural/magical occurrences, rather than being the focus of the story, are drawn on to create a deeper real-world understanding of grief and loss. In these stories, as in Goenawan’s, beautiful language and scenes are used as backdrops for a gentle uncovering of what it really means to be human if anything, the bareness of the writing contains more than any longwinded paragraph filled with metaphors ever could.
More than this, however, the language is reminiscent of Japanese books The Travelling Cat Chronicles (Hiro Arikawa) and If Cats Disappeared from the World (Genki Kawamura). Though the author, Clarissa Goenawan, is from Singapore, modern Japan is described in intricate detail with the easy familiarity of one who knows it well. I’m hesitant to give too much away, as part of the joy of reading this book was uncovering it layer by layer, each piece adding depth to the text. But as we get to know her through her friends’ eyes, we learn to love Miwako too - her intelligence, her honesty, and her deep loyalty and love for the people in her life.
In fact, during the beginning of book, she is downright unlikable certainly, more standoffish and rude than most fictional characters I have come across. The Perfect World of Miwako Sumida is a misleading title in a way, as Miwako’s world never does seem perfect. While they are gone, Fumi receives an unexpected visitor who helps her to uncover and understand her own demons. Heartbroken, Chie and Ryusei travel together to the village to trace Miwako’s last steps in an attempt to discover why she took her own life. Before her death, she sent Ryusei a letter to say that she’ll finally explain everything, but she dies before they speak again. Within the first page it is revealed that Miwako recently died by suicide after fleeing Tokyo for a remote village. However, rather than seeing the world through her eyes, the narrative is told through the perspective of three different characters, all of whom love Miwako in their own unique way: Ryusei, a close friend who harbours unrequited love for her Chie, Miwako’s best friend, who guesses at her secret but can never find the courage to talk about it and Fumi, Ryusei’s sister, who spent many years carrying a secret of her own.
The Perfect World of Miwako Sumida revolves around Miwako Sumida, a young woman in Tokyo who carries a traumatic secret. That being said, it’s done in a really gentle way, with the writing used to carve out the story rather than build it. For what is at first glance a small and unassuming tale, it certainly packs a punch. The Perfect World of Miwako Sumida | Clarissa Goenawan (Scribe Publications | RRP $29.99)
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