In Japan, a covert industry has grown up around the Wakaresaseya (literally breaker-upper), a person hired by one spouse to seduce the other in order to gain the advantage in divorce proceedings. When Satō hires Kaitarō, a wakaresaseya agent, to have an affair with his wife, Rina, he assumes it will be an easy case. But Satō has never truly understood Rina or her desires, and Kaitarō's job is to do exactly that--until he does it too well. While Rina remains ignorant of the circumstances that brought them together, she and Kaitarō fall into a desperate, singular love, setting in motion a series of violent acts that will forever haunt her daughter's life. Told from alternating points of view and across the breathtaking landscapes of Japan, Stephanie Scott exquisitely renders the affair and its intricate repercussions. As Rina's daughter, Sumiko, fills in the gaps of her mother's story and her own memory, Scott probes the thorny psychological and moral grounds of the actions we take in the name of love, asking where we draw the line between passion and possession.
Stephanie Scott Libri
Stephanie Scott è una scrittrice singaporiana e britannica la cui opera approfondisce le complessità delle relazioni umane e dell'identità culturale. La sua prosa è caratterizzata da uno stile fluido e avvincente, che immerge i lettori in narrazioni che esplorano temi di perdita, memoria e ricerca di significato. Scott impiega sfumate tecniche narrative per creare storie ricche di profondità psicologica. La sua scrittura offre una voce distintiva che risuona con la sua esplorazione di complessi paesaggi emotivi.






The book explores the unpredictable nature of life, likening it to navigating a bumpy road where external circumstances are beyond our control. It emphasizes the importance of managing our emotions and responses to challenges, advocating for a mindset of calm acceptance rather than succumbing to anger, sadness, or fear. By focusing on how we react to life's ups and downs, the narrative encourages readers to make thoughtful decisions amidst adversity.
Tools to Cool
Finding Ways to Cope
Exploring the concept of managing anxiety, this book encourages readers to discover playful and engaging activities that can help alleviate worries. Through imaginative suggestions and interactive prompts, it invites individuals, particularly children, to embrace movement and creativity as effective tools for emotional regulation. The focus is on finding joy and relief in simple actions that promote mental well-being.
Sumiko, eine Tokioter Anwältin, hat nur bruchstückhafte Erinnerungen an ihre verstorbene Mutter Rina. Nach Rinas Tod wuchs sie bei ihrem strengen Großvater auf. Ein mysteriöser Anruf weckt Sumikos Neugier und führt sie auf die Suche nach der wahren Geschichte ihrer Mutter, die von verbotener Liebe und einem tragischen Verrat geprägt ist.
V Japonsku vznikl tajný byznys. Jeden z manželů si na svého partnera najme agenta skupiny wakaresaseja, který ho svede a získá svému zadavateli příznivé podmínky pro rozvod. Když Sató nařídí agentu Kaitaróovi, aby se zapletl s jeho manželkou Rinou, domnívá se, že všechno půjde jako po másle. Rina netuší, jaké okolnosti je s Kaitaróem svedly dohromady, a postupem času se do sebe vášnivě a zoufale zamilují. O mnoho let později se Rinina dcera Sumiko, kterou matčin osud pronásleduje, rozhodne doplnit prázdná místa v jejím příběhu i ve své paměti. Autorka prozkoumává ožehavé téma psychologických a morálních motivů činů, jež konáme ve jménu lásky, a ptá se, kde končí vášeň a začíná posedlost.