"Gensen, Selected Stories in Modern Japanese Literature" (Volume 1) is a collection of five Japanese short stories, translated by J. D. Wisgo.
The stories are the following:
The Uncharted Road by Sakunosuke Oda
The Dream Egg by Yoshio Toyoshima
Musical Clock by Murou Saisei Space
Prisoner Number One by Juza Unno
The Mysterious Telescope by Kyusaku Yumeno
My experience with Japanese fiction is, to be honest, minimal. As a teenager, I loved certain elements of Japanese culture, and Japan held a special place in my heart as it was a dream destination for nearly fifteen years until I went there for my honeymoon. But I have read very little of the translated Japanese fiction. (I also do not read Japanese to be able to read any untranslated fiction.)
So, I went into this selection of stories with very little knowledge as to what to expect.
According to the introduction, the word 'Gensen' means 'specially selected', which is a very apt title for this small collection. The stories are of a wide variety, and they cover a variety of genres.
Each story in the collection was by a different writer from the 20th century, with very different writing styles and in different genres. They ranged from the realist depiction of violin lessons in "The Uncharted Road" by Sakunosuke Oda to fairy tales with fantasy elements (like "The Dream Egg" by Yoshio Toyoshima) or fairy tales with science fiction touches (like "The Mysterious Telescope" by Kyusaku Yumeno)."Prisoner Number One" by Juza Unno is a science fiction piecd about a scientist that invengs a terrifying device, adding an interesting layer on the dangerous scientist trope. Finally, the "Musical Clock" by Murou Saisei Space is a surrealist and very touching story about a dying child.
My personal favourite of the stories is the first one, "The Uncharted Road" by Sakunosuke Oda. It is the story of a little girl, Hisako, who goes through a near abusive level of musical training to prove the superiority of his teaching methods. Clearly, the exploration of complicated family dynamics caught my eye. (If anyone has taken a look at my reading history, previous reviews or writting, I am sure they are not surprised.) As I know very little of Japanese Literature and wider culture, I can only compare the depiction of fatherhood from my own Greek upbringing. I certainly saw similarities of my culture and the one depicted in this story. The emphasis on family and the need to sacrifice for the sake of making your parents happy was immediately a familiar concept. As was the subverted guilt of failing to offer enough happiness to your parent to make them smile.
I think this little collection acts as a great taster for Japanese fiction and the wide variety of stories Japan has produced.
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Top reviews from other countries
- IoannaReviewed in the United Kingdom on December 29, 2023
Lovely little collection
