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Synopsis

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Mayu goes to France after graduating from a College of Fine Arts to refine her artistry. She becomes acquainted with Jean, a priest who is devoting his life to rehabilitating juvenile delinquents, and is influenced by the way he lives. Through Jean she meets Anna, aged seven. One day Anna's brother Pierre stabs their mother Simone, who is involved in prostitution and drugs. Mayu finds out that Simone has been offering Anna to men for money. Mayu has to do something to keep Simone away from Anna and save Pierre. Not wanting Anna to go through lengthy investigations of sexual abuse, she lashes Anna's back with a belt to concoct evidence to incriminate Simone. Her risky measure works.
Mayu marries Shigeki, a wealthy wine dealer from Japan, and leaves France with him. Her happiness doesn't last long. He often takes business trips, and she feels insecure because she is afraid that he has been seeing someone. In trying to make her marriage work, she discovers the secrets of Shigeki's family. Shigeki was born out of wedlock. His mother hated her ruthless parents and her husband. In turn, her husband abused her and Shigeki. Abuse and hatred didn't stop there. Mayu sees Shigeki as another Anna. She accepts him as he is and starts to live with him and his son as a family.

Category Level

Fiction
Suspense

Editorial Review

The main character, Mayu Asaka, is a strong woman. She is brave enough to take big risks to do what she believes is right. She regards herself as a pseudo-Catholic, and religion underlies the story. Father Jean, who devotes his life to helping juvenile delinquents, has a profound influence on her. He teaches her that anybody is redeemable and every life is worthwhile.
The author, who works as a psychological counselor, sheds light on the minds of the abused and those of the abusers without becoming overly technical. I think the strength of this book is that it is a good mix of religion and psychology and a good mix of suspense and love fiction.

About the Author

Shiho Kishimoto was born in Tokyo in 1950. After graduating from the College of Art and Design, Joshibi University of Art and Design, she worked for a trading company. Transferred to the Hong Kong office, she was engaged in foreign exchange and trade operations. She appeared as a witness for the prosecution at a trial related to the Mitsukoshi, Ltd. tax evasion case and wrote an essay "Mo hitotsuno o-shigoto" (Another Line of Work).
Her debut novel "Sakebi ga kikoeru" (I Hear Them Cry) received the Toyo Shuppan Literary Award in 2002. Her specialty is psychological suspense and she explores the depths of human minds.
Kishimoto is also an NPO-certified counselor and works as a psychological counselor for those who have disorders such as school phobia and withdrawal from social contact. She is active on the lecture circuit, recommending education to keep children out of crime. Her other books include "Takarakuji " (Lottery) and "Betsu-jin ga mieru" (I Can See a Different Person).