Written by Natushiko Kyogoku, Translated by Alexander O. Smith and Elye J. Alexander with Amanda Jun Katsurada
Vertical, 320 pp

A cursed family bloodline, a locked room mystery, and a year-and-a-half-long pregnancy. Tatsumi Sekiguchi and his various friends are dragged into the mystery, but as Sekiguchi learns early on, nothing in this world is as straightforward as it seems, and even apparent supernatural phenomena can have a basis in the rational. Struggling to keep his sanity about him, can Sekiguchi unravel the elaborate mystery?

The story focuses on Tatsumi Sekiguchi, an aspiring reporter who’s forced the slave away in the muckraking tabloids of post-war Japan. Suffering from a spotty memory and prone to following his emotional impulses, Sekiguchi is the lens through which we view and watch the story unravel and, despite his flaws, comes across as a generally decent person. As he journeys deeper into the mystery of unusually long pregnancy and the disappearance of the woman’s husband, he slowly begins to uncover his own nebulous connection to the case at hand and finds himself strangely attracted to and familiar with one of the suspects.

Thankfully for Sekiguchi, he’s not alone in the investigation. He’s accompanied by a host of others, ranging from the bizarrely offbeat detective Enokizu to the man who is arguably the second main character, Akihiko Chuzenji. Chuzenji, owner the Kyogokudo used bookstore, is the polar opposite of Sekiguchi. Coldly logical, incredibly well-read, Chuzenji operates on an intellectual level far above that of his friend and often serves as a guide for Sekiguchi as he attempts to navigate the web of intrigue in which he finds himself lost. He’s also the source of most of the philosophy that comes with the book, usually through long-drawn-out expository speeches whose purposes are often unknown until their very end. It’s a habit that angers Sekiguchi and I’m sure one that may annoy a few readers out there as well. It is, however, necessary, as it creates and explains the framework for the revelations to come.

Natsuhiko Kyogoku weaves an absolutely amazing and enthralling tale throughout, but the real treat isn’t the mystery, it’s the way Kyogoku uses the the story to introduce ideas about our memories, reality, language and the supernatural, which blur the lines between cutting-edge science and the occult. Examples of this can be seen in his use of exorcisms as therapy, language as magic, and the like. Of course, none of this would be readable or understandable if it wasn’t for tremendous job that Alexander O. Smith, Elye J. Alexander and Amanda Jun Katsurada did in handling such complex and heady material. The book, while dealing with concepts that are universal in some regard, relies heavily upon Japanese folklore, explaining the myths and legends behind things such as the Ubume, a bloody female spirit of a mother who died during childbirth, with the cold rational eye of modern man. A number of footnotes are included, helping to expand on some of the myths, regions and historical figures referenced throughout the novel. Natushiko Kyogoku is clearly a well-read author and it’s nice that Vertical found a trio who are more than capable of translating and explaining the references to US readers.

This is probably the best book I’ve read all year. I was immediately hooked and drawn into the tale and on more than one occasion found myself stopping only due to my inability to stay away any longer. It was a fantastic read that left wanting to see more of the characters and of Natushiko Kyogoku’s work. Sadly, there’s nothing else of his available in English at the moment, so I can only hope that The Summer of the Ubume does well enough for Vertical to publish the other novels in the series. Highly recommended.

The Summer of the Ubume is available now.

Review copy provided by the publisher.