Green plum

Author: Hayashi Mariko
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-06-01
Features: The novel depicts the emotional entanglements and spiritual loss of the female protagonist, Mayuko, portraying a modern woman who is dissatisfied with her comfortable life and persistently pursues the perfect unity of a woman's spirit and flesh, ultimately feeling that true love is hard to find. Tokyo office worker Mayuko has a stable job and a peaceful family, but her husband Koichi, overwhelmed by work pressure and a lack of passion in life, gradually makes Mayuko feel bored. She then strays, seeking excitement, though she enjoys it for a while, she remains empty inside. Later, she meets a handsome and talented artist, Kudo, and, after a passionate encounter, believes she has found true love, leading her to divorce her husband. However, as time passes, her desire fades, and life returns to its former misery. Love is like a green fruit—sour and tasteless. The novel is meticulously written with precise psychological portrayals, rich in its era's color. It is one of the finest works in the emotional novels by the beloved Japanese female author Hayashi Mariko.