風の中のマリア

by Naoki Hyakuta, 百田 尚樹

命はわずか三十日。ここはオオスズメバチの帝国だ。晩夏、隆盛を極めた帝国に生まれた戦士、マリア。幼い妹たちと「偉大なる母」のため、恋もせず、子も産まず、命を燃やして戦い続ける。ある日出逢ったオスバチから告げられた自らの宿命。永遠に続くと思われた帝国に影が射し始める。著者の新たな代表作。

Genres: Fiction, Japanese Literature

320 pages, Paperback

First published July 15, 2011

About the author

Associated Names:
* Naoki Hyakuta
* 百田 尚樹 (Japanese)
* 百田尚樹 (Chinese)

Naoki Hyakuta is a Japanese novelist and television producer. He is known for his right-wing political views and denying Japanese war crimes prior to and during World War II. He is particularly known for his 2006 novel The Eternal Zero, which became a popular 2013 film, his controversial period as a governor of government broadcaster NHK, as well as his support of Nanjing Massacre denial. Hyakuta has written a number of other books, several of which have been turned into films, such as Bokkusu and Monsuta.

Reviews

[Hirona]

個々によって生きる理由が異なる人間と違って、生きる理由が一つに定まった働き蜂に生まれてみたい。
本能的に備わった何かで、今までしたことのない何かを成し遂げてみたい。誰にも教えてもらったことのない戦い方、餌のもらい方、危険生物を察知、本能でってどういう感覚？

[Zao · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oddly enough, this book seems to achieve two completely different things: it makes you reflect on the purpose of life; it teaches you about the zoology (?) of various insects...very interesting read indeed.

[Yoshinobu Yamakawa · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is a unique novel that depicts the world of bees through the life of Maria, a worker bee that personifies the giant wasp. It deeply explores the harshness and beauty of the natural world and the sociality of creatures.

The story unfolds from the perspective of Maria, a worker bee, describing her daily life and relationships with her friends.

In the story, Maria faces various challenges. In particular, she emphasizes her interactions with other insects and her role in the swarm. Her growth and struggles are portrayed with so much emotion that it's hard to believe it's just a story about an insect, sometimes bringing tears to your eyes. It teaches us how hard it is to live in nature and how important it is to bond with friends.

On the other hand, the conversations between the anthropomorphic bees are a bit descriptive. Especially with the use of academic terms and numbers, the dialogue sometimes feels hard. It's a matter of taste, but seeing the world from the insects ’ point of view is refreshing and captivating. In particular, the book contains a wealth of knowledge about the biology of bees. "Wow, bees do that!" It was a series of surprises.

Above all, the charm of this work is Maria's courage and bonds. Her willingness to overcome her innocence gives hope. The portrayal of family bonds in the world of creatures sometimes makes me feel the importance of bonds in human society. It made me think about how much courage I have to protect my loved ones.

[Percy Yue · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very well researched book on vespa mandarinia. Mother nature is full of wonder and surprise that we human beings still do not understand. This is the reason why we human should be humble and keep on learning and exploring.

[Kaz · Rating 5 out of 5]

たまたま買った本で、後から内容を知ったわけですが、読み応えがありました。昆虫の話ということで、『永遠の0』（現在私は未読）と随分と違う印象を与えますが、実際の話のテーマとしては似たところとあるのでは。客観的にいうなら、日本人にアピールする作品だと思います。昆虫が感情を持っていたら・・・運命を受け止める事が非常に難しいと思う。スズメバチ＝悪者というイメージはあるが、ニホンミツバチやセイヨウミツバチとの関係を読むと、それぞれに役割がある、与えられた運命があるのだなぁ、としみじみします。