Lynne Kutsukake Libri

Remarkable, beautiful. . . . A haunting mystery that is also a moving coming- of-age story. -Chris Bohjalian, New York Times bestselling author of The Guest Room and Close Your Eyes, Hold Hands [Kutsukake] conjures the voices of [an] agonized time with graceful simplicity. - The New York Times Book Review A spellbinding, magnificent story. . . . Thoughtful and discerning, The Translation of Love presents resonating testimony to humanity's resilience. - The Christian Science Monitor Dazzling. . . . A commanding story about identity, redemption, and healing that's not to be missed. - Bustle Mesmerizing. . . . Moving from the gorgeously epic to the unflinchingly intimate, The Translation of Love takes us to the emotional core of Occupied Japan. It captures the strange, liminal time between destruction and recovery, and the uttermost vulnerability of those carrying on in the rubble of uncertainty and loss. -Kyo Maclear, author of The Letter Opener Kutsukake skillfully weaves [her] characters' varied perspectives together to create a vivid and memorable account of ordinary people struggling to recover from the devastations of war. - Booklist (starred review) A bold, beautiful book. . . . Kutsukake's remarkable debut spans the emotional terrain between identity and loyalty, love and loss, victory and defeat. -Brian Payton, author of The Wind Is Not a River Stunning. - Library Journal The Translation of Love offers rich insights into an underreported period in history. - The Globe and Mail (Toronto) Eloquent, moving. . . . A heady blend of detailed historical research and compelling storytelling. - The Japan Times An elegantly crafted reminder that no one is left untouched by the ripple effects of war and that our quests for outside truths can often lead us to secrets we've been keeping from ourselves. -Sarah Bird, author of Above the East China Sea [A] moving debut. . . . A memorable story of hope and loneliness. - Publishers Weekly

"A fascinating glimpse into the intersection of art, class, and the complexity of adult friendship. . . . I couldn’t put this book down.” —Waubgeshig Rice, author of Moon of the Turning Leaves An intimate, explosive story of creativity and friendship between two young Japanese women in 1970s Tokyo. Akemi’s desire for independence and aversion to marriage are unusual in her small village. A gift for drawing allows her to move to a rooming house in Tokyo where she studies medical illustration, finding satisfaction in the precision and purpose of her work. Sayako is the first roommate to pay Akemi attention, and they quickly become inseparable—Sayako drawn to Akemi’s humble origins, so distinct from her own insufferable, wealthy family; Akemi attracted to Sayako’s rebelliousness and her aspiration to be a painter. As Akemi begins to model for Sayako, their connection deepens. Together, they attend ‘happenings,' encounters arranged by two enigmatic artists, Nezu and Kaori, in random locations, intended to free them from their worldly attachments. Following a devastating betrayal, Sayako disappears, and Akemi becomes determined to find her—and in the process, must newly face herself. Tender, enthralling, and evocative of the energy of Japan in the 1970s, The Art of Vanishing is the story of a young woman struggling to see and be seen; of authenticity and art; of the thin line between loyalty and obsession.