Published May 1, 2020
I like this novel that follows the stray dog Tamon into the homes and lives of several different people along his five-year journey to find his original owner.
The dog stays with successive new
owners, a few of whom are connected to the yakuza (mob), until they can no longer keep the dog or are not in a
position to look after him. This was a good way to move the story
forward.
I also liked the ending when Tamon's true and newfound owner connects with the family of the first
person who took the dog in. There is pathos and true
sentiment in the relationships with his owners as Tamon was seen as a gift from the gods and a symbol of good luck.
Older
children and adults would enjoy the book without, hopefully, being too
affected by some of the sadder and more serious events in the stories.
Bando graduated with a BA from Yokohama City University in 1987.
A few of his novels were adapted into Asian films, such as The City of Lost Souls and Sleepless Town, in 2000 and 1998, respectively.
This review has been added to the Japanese Literature Challenge 16 hosted by DolceBellezza
