Having read and reviewed her three major works, it is apparent that I am fond of Mieko Kawakami, especially her novella Heaven. So I really should be picking up her shortest translated work, Ms Ice Sandwich.
From what I can understand from the blurb, it is a short and funny novella about a young man’s first love with an ice cream seller. Sounds pretty on par with the simple, zany nature of many Japanese works.
In my heart, I know I will pick this title up someday and read through it in a couple of hours at most, but I haven’t got around to doing that yet. Perhaps I am hesitant because I understand that could be the last of Kawakami’s translated works for a good while, or maybe forever.
Still, if a comedy romance with (I assume) some glibness is your thing, then definitely look into getting yourself a copy of Ms Ice Sandwich. If it’s Kawakami, then it’s most likely worth your money and time.
The only real drawback would be the price to length factor, which is an inherent issue with most shorter novellas, short stories, and any piece of writing that you can get through in a handful of hours. Should that really put anyone off from enjoying a good, if straightforward, story? I don’t think so.
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