Book Review: "The Waiting Years" by Fumiko Enchi

When I first read a book by Fumiko Enchi, it was "Masks" and honestly, I thought that it was the peak of her writing until I read this one. Little known to me at the time, this book entitled "The Waiting Years" was actually far more famous than the one I had initially read. Winning multiple awards and translated really well - this novel basically sets the bar for any sort of period drama literature of Japan. Fumiko Enchi's writing style is in no way shy when it comes to talking about female sexuality, especially when the novel is set within a time when it was considered taboo to even look upon the topic let alone talk about it. Enchi is incredibly open with her criticism of the male ego and how women are told to be not only subservient but also willing to do whatever it takes to keep the bond strong even if the marriage itself has already started to break and crumble. Fumiko Enchi's self-awareness in her writing, her way of giving voice to women who would have been without a voiced opinion and her manner of writing style which includes long, overwhelming moments of sadness and contemplation is only part and parcel to this short but wonderful book.

"The Waiting Years" is about a woman called Tomo who is the wife of a government official - an incredibly rich man. Tomo's husband asks a favour of his wife; which is that she go to Tokyo to find him a mistress. He wants specifically a younger and more inexperienced woman. Leaving Tomo to look back on her marriage to a man who has a huge ego and knows nothing of love, she contemplates the kind of woman she should find for him. Encountering a number of women, including a beautiful Geisha named Suga, along the way, she dreams about what her marriage could have been and thinks about the overtly psychological abuse bestowed upon her by this man she married. From symbolism of snakes and blood all the way down to the traditions of the Japanese women of the 19th century to be nothing but quiet and subservient - this novel practically covers each inch of a married woman's life in gross and often upsetting detail. It is an amazingly moving book and the writing is just perfect for its themes and genre.

The novel is not only a testament to the women of those times and places, but it also shows us the thoughts and souls of so many different kinds of people. In this novel, we see that souls are often presented by ‘airs’ or the atmosphere around the person. For example: just by looking at Suga, Tomo can tell that she is young, inexperienced and pure. When meeting her, there is a confirmation of this and though that is the case, she could have never prepared to know about Suga’s background and where she comes from. The geisha is a tragic woman just as she, but it is of different means that she became sold to the life of a geisha. It is unclear about the morals of whether it would be fair to sell one who has been sold to the geisha life to be sold to another man. But it is made perfectly clear that the geisha in question has little to no say in the matter whatsoever.

A brilliantly written novel, a beautiful and tragic story of love and abuse and characters that you just fall in love with. Tomo is one of the strongest women I have witnessed in a novel this year and I am not about to leave her just yet. I do not think she will ever leave me either.