The Perfect World of Miwako Sumida by Clarissa Goenawan

What is it about?

Miwako Sumida, a 20-year-old university student, is dead, leaving those closest to her trying to understand why she would take her own life.

Is it any good?

The story is told from the point of view of three different characters: Ryu, who was in love with Miwako; Chie, her best friend from high school; and Fumi, Ryu’s older sister who took in Miwako as an apprentice at her art studio.

This format works very well for Ryu and Chie. Their respective relationships with Miwako help to paint a picture of the young woman who hanged herself, a glimpse behind the façade and into her layered, complicated inner life. The readers slowly begin to understand why Miwako was broken, a horrible realization dawning and taking shape as the story moves forward. 

The third part of the book, however, which is told through the eyes of Fumi, felt a little bit out of place for me. I actually thought that as a character, Fumi was the most interesting one in the whole book, but her narrative didn’t fully connect to the other two. I was also a little bit disappointed that Ryu was degraded to a minor character in Fumi’s part, while Chie didn’t make an appearance at all – a missed chance and loose end, because I’d have loved to see how Chie in particular comes to terms with her grief.

What the author does really well, however, is to portray the inner turmoil the characters go through as they try to grasp the reality that Miwako is gone. They are all struggling with the burning yet unbearable question of “why did she do it”, and perhaps worse, the guilt-ridden, uncomfortable “could I have done anything to stop her?” 

Favorite character?

As I mentioned before, Fumi had the most interesting backstory in this novel. Since Clarissa Goenawan tends to expand the literary worlds she builds (those who have read her first book, “Rainbirds,” came across some familiar faces in “The Perfect World of Miwako Sumida” – although both books that be read as separate entities), I’m hoping to cross paths again with Fumi in the author’s next book.

Most memorable quote?

“For a moment, Chie felt the forest spirit calling her, beckoning her to join souls with it and remain here forever, in this world where the goddess of earth ruled and everything was preserved for an eternity. Stay here, so you can be free. You no longer need to carry this burden.”

Conclusion? 

Clarissa Goenawan is a gifted writer, and I thoroughly enjoyed her debut novel “Rainbirds,” which was published in 2018. Her writing style has often been compared to none other than Haruki Murakami. “The Perfect World of Miwako Sumida,” however, didn’t draw me in as much as “Rainbirds”. But I deeply appreciate the way she approaches and tackles serious issues. 

During a time, where Own Voices in literature are (rightfully!) becoming more and more important, one might wonder why an Indonesian-born Singaporean writer chooses to exclusively write novels that are set in Japan. I have no answer to this question, but I do know that the author feels a deep connection to Japanese culture, and that – at least to me – her insights into Japanese life and culture don’t feel out of place, condescending or unknowing. 

Trigger warning: suicide, bullying, emotional and physical abuse, rape

AT A GLANCE

Title: The Perfect World of Miwako Sumida

By: Clarissa Goenawan

Published by: Soho Press (2020)

Pages: 288

Language: English