The Electrical Field

by Kerri Sakamoto

When the beautiful Chisako and her lover are found murdered in a park, members of the small Ontario community must finally acknowledge certain inescapable truths. Set in the 1970s, The Electrical Field reaches deep into the past to explore the dire legacy of the internment of Japanese-Canadians during the war.

Genres: Fiction, Canada, Historical Fiction, Japan, Literature, Crime, Adult

320 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

Reviews

[Cecilia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not really sure how to rate this. On the one hand, it was pretty compelling - I really wanted to know what had happened. On the other hand, it was dark and claustrophobic, and the narrator had a particularly repellent way of looking at things. So, I think it was well-written, but I hated reading it at the same time.

[Lindsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an unusual book, and not at all what I was expecting. When reading the back of the book, you are led to believe the novel is about the internment of Japanese Canadians in WW2. Actually, it's about the consequences of a Japanese woman who has an affair with a "hakujin" (Caucasian) businessman. The story is told by a single Japanese woman neighbour, and she is an unreliable narrator. She is plagued by demons of her past that are slowly revealed, and she is hard to follow, and seems quite confused. She is perhaps mentally unstable. The writing is actually quite compelling, and although it takes a very long time to get anywhere, they story kept me interested.

[Colleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book and have read it 2 times. A little depressing but intriguing as well.

[Grace Applegate · Rating 5 out of 5]

FIVE STARS. Masterful.

[Loraxe · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mostly I just wanted this book to be over. It was far too slow for me. It seemed as if the author took a tragic event and tried to add some drama to it that just did not exist. When the story starts, we already know what happened and who did it. Within a few pages we also know what the main characters issues are. Since these are never resolved in any way, there is really no conflict in the story. Without conflict or resolution, or let's face it a single likeable character, what exactly was the point in writing this?

[Flavia Pintea · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Electrical Field is a book that will appeal to readers who can truly immerse themselves in long, poetic descriptions and deep emotions. It's slow-paced, with the weight of descriptions often far outweighing the narrative's action. This is not an easy read; rather, it drags the reader into a space of sorrow, pity, loneliness, and past memories. At times, it's almost painfully exaggerated, sometimes teetering on the edge of the melodramatic. But even in those moments, the quiet solitude and yearning it conveys may resonate deeply, especially for those who've ever felt a similar emptiness.

While the plot may be predictable, often leaving you with a sense of knowing what’s going to happen before you even read it, the emotional immersion is powerful. It's like surfacing old emotions, like dredging up something heavy from beneath the surface, making you feel the weight of it with each page. The brief moments of respite, like the occasional mention of flowers or the cold light of the sun, only seem to melt under the heaviness of the atmosphere, making the beautiful images seem painful.

It’s a book that doesn’t hurry to its point, choosing instead to stay in that moment of loneliness, letting the feeling stretch and suffocate. If you’re in the right headspace for it, The Electrical Field can be a deeply emotional experience, perhaps not always pleasant, but undeniably impactful. The way it lingers in discomfort, pulling you into its quiet pain, is part of what makes it such a memorable read.

[Sophia Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A heartbreaking study of shame and regret

Warning: bit of a long (detailed) review

It feels so odd to rate this book so highly, considering how much I hated it at the beginning. As the narrative progressed my disdain for the main character turned into pity, making the book much more readable.

This book is genius in the sense that it made me feel consuming emotions, more often than not negative, though that doesn’t negate the quality of the writing. The main character is what threw me off at first; she is a classic unreliable narrator, and her style of recollection made the text overly cryptic at times to the point of being frustrating. Additionally she is neurotic, tense, and unable to process her emotions to the point of being physically repulsive. There was also a lot of odd and uncomfortable eroticism in the way she described people which didn’t help her case at all. However, (in my subjective opinion) the book is worth putting up with this.

The author dissects the mind of a person who is traumatized and cannot socialize properly so well, sometimes I found myself cringing as if the discomfort of her life was my own, and the feeling would remain for a while after. In fact, upon finishing the book, the feeling of tragedy, mild disgust, and secondhand embarrassment stuck around for an incredibly long time. While this was unpleasant, it also means that the author was talented enough to cause this reaction, which is no minor achievement.

Kerri Sakamoto has created a heartbreaking study of shame and regret which is mercilessly honest in its pursuit to unveil the darkest and most selfish of human desires. The main character, who comes off antagonistic and strange at first, reveals herself to be a deeply broken and lonely individual plagued by pain and anxiety, and escaping from them deeper and deeper into her delusional mind. Layer by layer is removed, showing her overwhelming desperation to be loved and fear of abandonment which in turn become the reason for her downfall.

In short, I would recommend this book to lovers of slow burn narratives, as well as fans of detailed psychological studies. If you’re hoping for a murder mystery, this book doesn’t deliver much in that regard.

[to’ar · Rating 3 out of 5]

3/4 of the book was eerie and cold and made me feel the melancholy to my bones. The last 1/4 brought a less gloomy and more delightful tone, but somehow became boring as hell. Plot never picked up the pace at all. But it’s just me disliking slow-burners. Read this for a class, so it’s actually a good book for literary analysis but not for entertainment lmao.

[Naomi Williams · Rating 2 out of 5]

So here’s the deal: any book that takes me 7 months to read is obviously not one I’m drawn to.
Why wasn’t I, personally, drawn to it?
The narrator is frustrating and unlike-able - but brimming with humanity.
So are ALL the other characters in this book. The story is horrific, the side plots, all told from the eyes of this middle aged and sad female narrator, disturbing and depressing. But, again, brimming with humanity.
The links to the horror of what happened to Canadians who emigrated from Japan during World War II, unmistakable.
So…my suggestion is…well, I’m not sure what to say.
This darkness, the underlying current of unease, of everything covered in some kind of dust and grime, and the only real light and beauty is held in the occasional appearance and description of flowers…it’s tough to want to step into. Especially during this unending pandemic.
Did I enjoy this book? No.
Was it well-written? Yes.
Is it good to be reminded of aspects of life, living, and being human that are unpleasant? I’ll leave that question open-ended.
Thank god it’s over. Moving on.

[Lilac · Rating 2 out of 5]

An odd book. It wasn’t a mystery, as the circumstances of Eiji’s and Chisako’s death both become obvious very early on. It wasn’t a psychological thriller, because it wasn’t thrilling. It wasn’t particularly historical fiction, as although the author wrote about the heavy psychological imprint that living in the internment camp had on Asako, there were no details or flashbacks whatsoever to what life was like in the camps.

It was well written and had an amazing portrayal of the constant dissociation that Asako experienced, but I could not bring myself to like it. Asako was far too attached to Sachi for my liking, and given all the weird descriptions of the 13 year olds breasts, I genuinely thought that the reveal was going to be that Asako was a pedophile. I generally like disturbing books, but this was too disturbing for me.

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

"I would have done anything to make things the way they were before and to never be alone again." This line captures the aching loneliness that's evident through the entire novel


The Electrical field is a very brilliant and unique book. The protagonist who is also the narrator is such a distinctive character brought to life in a way I've not seen in any other book. The book is unique in the way it generates a certain tension that increase the intensity of the heartbreak and hypnotic in a way that angers to make you want to put it away but you can't. The authors way of writing and the narrator's voice made reading it such a thrilling experience. Although slow paced and depressing it's such an amazing thought provoking read.

The emotional whiplash I felt reading this reminded me of Carson Mccullers the heart is a lonely hunter which I read in January, I couldn't help but draw parallels between the two.They have similar themes loneliness, identity and human connection and protagonists who struggle to find their place in the world. They both highlight how individuals navigate isolation, self-identity, and the difficulty of human connection in a world that often seems indifferent or hostile.


One thing I did not like were the extremely long chapters, they went on and on.

[Robert Hudder · Rating 2 out of 5]

This reads like a serious Canadian novel. It has many of the hallmarks of being rooted in location, history and speaks of alienation. I guess these are timeless themes. I do wonder why many CanLit folks fall into this and why they read a lot in the same ways.

It wasn't a dislike of this book that gave it two stars but rather the lack of engagement for me. Granted, I am reading this somewhat out of date. That could be the reason that it feels a little dated and stale. The writing is good. The story is okay but the revelations and what it seems to be saying seems well worn.

[Siobhan Ward · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5*

This one was a challenge for me. I liked the idea of it, but I struggled with the execution. Sakamoto moved through time without any real break or indication when times shifted, to the point I had a lot of trouble figuring out what was happening in the current timeline and what was happening in the past. I definitely found myself flipping back and forth constantly trying to figure out where the timeline had shifted.

I wish this had been a better book - it had great potential but it just wound up falling short.

[Theodoros · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this in Grade 12 Literature. An interesting exploration of the issues surrounding the internment and relocation of the Japanese population in Canada during the war.

Much like Joy Kogawa's Obasan, the narrator explores the feelings brought up by a difficult period in history. It is of particular importance that the Japanese population did not in fact pose a security risk, as was thought by the government.

It is a touching story combining drama and historical reflection.

[Sharon Smythe · Rating 2 out of 5]

I picked this up in a charity book sale. It wasn’t to my taste. Like others I was expecting more of a backstory of life in the camps. Instead it focused on dysfunctional characters and relationships across the board. Flaws can make characters interesting, but I didn’t feel there was any balance here.

[Victoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a huge fan of this book -- curious why the reviews are mediocre. Very thought-provoking, creative twists, some education as to the internment camps and their damage psychologically, and some surprises as well.

[Kate McDougall Sackler · Rating 2 out of 5]

A murder triggers PTSD of an older Japanese woman who survived the internment camps after the war but hasn’t lived much since. I had trouble following whether things were actually happening or were memories. Slow moving.
2022 reading challenge-a book by an Asian or pacific islander author

[Nick Dorman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Probably my favorite book of 2024. A very well written but terribly sad story. The conceal/reveal aspect of the book is the best I’ve read of the genre. Sad to see this book doesn’t have more recognition/reviews on this platform.

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it.

[Queen of the North · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book and found the story to be quite compelling. Was a bit bothered by the writing style (found it hard to follow at moments) but would overall give it a 3.5

[Rob Withers · Rating 4 out of 5]

As many of the reviews note, it's bleak, but I found it to be a compelling page turner; some others did, others weren't as captivated.

[Gail Kennon · Rating 2 out of 5]

i have mixed feelings about this as often if was unpleasant to read but did leave me with some sympathy for the main character.

[A · Rating 2 out of 5]

Made it about 100 pages in and DNF. I really wanted to like it, some of the characters really spoke to me but I simply could not get my self through it.

[Lena · Rating 2 out of 5]

*2.5/5

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked it. Thought provoking

[Liz Padrnos · Rating 5 out of 5]

so coooollllll. This is one of the best books I’ve ever read for school. Haunting, beautifully written, psychological. I’ll be thinking about it for some time to come.

[Amber]

DNF on page 10 because the writing style isn't working with my brain.

[rikapaprika · Rating 1 out of 5]

the context and the backstory of this story had so much potential as it was generally really interesting - but the narration and the pace of the story just didn’t do it for me and let my expectations down

[Aberdeen Stuart · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book examines the lives of Japanese-Canadians post WWII. Not really about the war but how it might have changed people. I think if there was more context of wartime or before It could've been compelling. As it is, a story of a woman who is so in her head you can't trust her story that much. In that way it's very realistic. The way she sees her family and her neighbors is depressing.
It's neither encouraging nor exciting but I wanted to finish it. Just to see what happened in the case and the neighbor girl.
The book is a story of someone on the fringe of a murder investigation. There is a reason most crime books and shows focus on the witnesses, investigation, or victims. Most people will end up like the narrator in these cases. Neither a part of the investigation nor a complete stranger.
Overall it's an interesting book but not one I'd read again or recommend. It did make me cry at the end but thats not due to the storyline. Just my own life getting stressful and the book piling on top of that.

[Marie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book may well be impossible for me to review.

Really, I'm sitting here stuck.

It's not a bad book, though I didn't really like it (as though my preferences are indicative of objective quality—and what would even be objective quality in art or literature? But that's a whole 'nother topic.)

Anyway

The Electrical Field is the story of Asako Saito, a second-generation Japanese woman apparently living in Canada, according to the catalogue data, who lived in one of the internment camps during WWII.

I actually grew up near one of those camps. Tule Lake, CA. It was, I think, the largest, and also had the highest security. George Takei lived there for a time. And for some reason, it never seemed to be all that well-known, or at least not referenced with the same frequency of Manzanar. Factoid: apparently my hometown has several of the Tule Lake houses still standing. None are at the site anymore, but a few survived and are still scattered around town.

I don't know where the Saitos spent the war, I couldn't tell from the text, and I haven't looked at other reviews or even the book's page to get the information. Because the uncertainty was a huge part of my reading experience.

Asako is the template of an unreliable narrator, and from the reader's perspective (at least this reader) it's a disorienting experience, trying to follow the actual plot outside the character. Her perspective is just so...skewed.

And there is something of a mystery to the novel, but it's only a mystery because the narrator is hiding all the information from the reader, which is another reason why Asako's point of view is so distracting. She can't focus, and neither can the reader. In terms of payoff, as reading this as a mystery, the answer isn't worth it. But then again, it's also an important aspect of the character.

Not really a pleasant character, or someone you particularly want to root for—although worthy of pity—but a well-drawn one, as constructed by the author. She's internally consistent, as disturbed as she is.

I don't know if Asako could be diagnosed with a specific mental illness from the text, that's not the point. Before reading however, I think it's important to note that she has twisted just by life. This isn't something like a tragic fault of the character, I think, just illustrative of how impossible it is for a human being cut off so thoroughly from others to exist in a healthy mental space. Like Lord of the Flies.

I would have liked a glossary of the Japanese words used in the text (yes, I'm that handicapped). Generally I'm no fan of hand-holding from authors, but while the terms used weren't completely opaque in-text, Japanese does have contextual terms that don't seem to translate as one-to-one ratio as many of the romance languages can approximate in English.

So yeah. Not sure where that ended up. A lot to say for not having any idea still what, exactly, I think of this novel.

I do recommend anyone interested in displaced characters, or culture clashes, or unreliable narrators check out this book. And if you've already found it somewhere, it's worth the read.