Starred review from May 15, 2023
Kobayashi (Trinity, Trinity, Trinity) grapples with nuclear power’s long shadow over Japanese society in her fascinating collection. Throughout, Kobayashi contrasts nuclear power’s destructive and constructive capabilities. In the title story, she traces the life of Yō
ko, who’s born after the bombing of Nagaski and dies shortly before the explosion at Fukushima. In “Precious Stones,” a standout among many strong entries, chemotherapy saves an ailing mother’s life. The same story also details how advancements in nuclear technology led to mass production of synthetic jewels. Woven together, the twin story lines illustrate how nuclear power has become inextricable from daily life. In starkly lyrical prose, “She Waited” follows the Olympic torch’s journey through Nazi Germany and illuminates the connections between sports and fascism. Other stories enter more enigmatic and speculative territory. “See” imagines a drug that causes temporary blindness, which users take to experience a kind of sensory deprivation. For “The Flying Tobita Sisters,” Kobayashi envisions a human world where everyone has wings, and the concept of bipedal life is revolutionary. With recursive events and characters, the author makes the most of her core themes. It’s a knockout.