Territory of Light

By Yuko Tsushima: Translated by Geraldine Harcourt
  • Atmospheric
  • Fiction

Originally published in 1979, this recent translation has a distinctly contemporary feel - and sits somewhere between 'The Cost of Living' by Deborah Levy, and 'Pond' by Clare Louise Bennett. A young mother navigates work, divorce, childcare and her mental health following the breakdown of her marriage. This is no saccharine fairy-tale, our narrator moves in and out of depression and anger and her young daughter bears the brunt of this. However, their love is strong, and their bond intense. Territory of Light is the name given to the light filled studio apartment where mother and daughter now live, but it's also the liminal space between separation and divorce, or break-up and closure. We watch mother and daughter moving through this tumultuous time, emerging clear-headed, strong and hopeful. Ethereal, subtle and artful.

Staff Pick By
Vita