[Review] The Ten Loves of Mr Nishino - Hiromi Kawakami

Title of Book: The Ten Loves of Mr Nishino

Author: Hiromi Kawakami
Translator: Allison Markin Powell
Publisher: Granta Books
Publication Year: 2020
Language: English
Format: Paperback
Pages: 208

Over the course of his life, Mr Nishino falls hopelessly in love again and again. One woman is a colleague, another a chance encounter; one is the girlfriend of a classmate, another the best friend of Nishino’s latest conquest. Some are entranced by Nishino, others care more for their freedom, their children (or their cats).
As we come to learn of the torments, desires and delights of each woman, a portrait emerges of a complicated man whose great capacity for love may well be the cause of his downfall.

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The Ten Loves of Mr Nishino is a collection of ten short stories. Each is told from the perspective of a woman who had an encounter with Yukihiko Nishino. In each they told their (somewhat) relationship with Nishino and how he affects their lives. Though told from other person’s perspective, this book is actually about Yukihiko Nishino. Since these women met Nishino at different stage of his life, this book is more like a journey of Nishino’s life. It’s not told in chronological order so as a reader we’re the one who collects bits and glimpses of his life and assembles it into the person Nishino is. Each story could be read on its own, or as a whole.

This book opens with a story titled Parfait. This story is told by a woman who had an affair with Nishino. The affair ended years ago. Back then, she would take her daughter along to eat parfait while meeting Nishino. From the first story, we get the first look of Nishino. Despite appearing as a ghost of the past, at least we learn that Nishino is a womanizer who cannot commit. In the next story, we jump back to Nishino’s younger years and learn that there might be more to his reluctance to be committed.

What intrigues me from this book is this enigmatic figure named Yukihiko Nishino. From what I gather, he’s good-looking which makes it easy for him to attract women. He’s also charming which invites women to open up to him. However, I couldn’t seem to detect ill intention from him. I feel like he’s two timing women because they are attracted to him and he couldn’t help it; like he has this sense of duty to help these women and make them happy. I know he’s a playboy but through some of his interaction with the women I get the sense that he actually wants to be able to commit.

Hiromi Kawakami is famous for her book titled Strange Weather in Tokyo. However, this is actually the first book by her that I read so I had no expectation on how her writing would be. Since this book is structured as a collection of several short stories, it’s easier for me to digest this book. My unfamiliarity with her writing doesn’t bother me at all. In the end, I did enjoy reading this book. In fact, I’m looking forward to read her other books including Strange Weather in Tokyo.

‘It’s a simple enough thing, loving a girl,’ Nishino went on quietly. ‘I wonder it is that I’ve never been able to love any of them.’’