Gaijin
3.5 stars
The trope of this erotic interlude is familiar: a blond-haired, blue-eyed gaijin working as a ‘hostess’ in Tokyo is secreted away by a powerful Japanese yakuza to be his personal love slave...
Some of the visual imagery was lovely and I appreciated the straight-forward, clean writing. With an abrupt, startling ending this felt like a section out of a larger work. While the premise didn’t stand out as especially unique and we don’t have time to get to know the main characters in real depth, the writing...well, it at times distinguished itself.
”...The onyx saplings rose like thin knives from the snowy forest floor. At first the only sound was that of her own breath, rough and jagged as she walked. Her feet were bare, but the snow felt like cotton wool—not cold at all—but each puff of steamy breath told her otherwise.
Then there were drops of water, dripping from the tree branches and hitting the snow. Each one was like a glass bell struck, a pure high tone...
Jennifer looked up. Walking towards her amidst the trees was a woman dressed in an elaborate red wedding kimono. As she came nearer, the gold thread embroidery sparked like tiny embers in the harsh winter light. Her hair was as black as the naked trees, her face pale as snow. Sliver-thin eyebrows, painted far above the natural curve of her brow gave the woman an almost frightening appearance...”
(she said) “...There is nothing more important than life. Men think other things matter more because they can never carry life inside them. But women—even you— must know: all you must do is endure. Have patience and endure.”