春は馬車に乗って

乙女の本棚 #5

by Riichi Yokomitsu, 横光 利一, Atsuki Ito (Illustrator)

人気シリーズ「乙女の本棚」第19弾は横光利一×イラストレーター・いとうあつきのコラボレーション!
小説としても画集としても楽しめる、魅惑の1冊。全イラスト描き下ろし。

もうあたし、これでいつ死んだっていいわ。

海のそばにある家。そこで彼は、日に日に弱っていく妻を一人看病し続けていた。

横光利一の『春は馬車に乗って』が、『26文字のラブレター』などで知られる人気イラストレーター・いとうあつきによって描かれる。
名作文学と現代の美麗なイラストが融合した、珠玉のコラボレーション・シリーズ。
自分の本棚に飾っておきたい。大切なあの人にプレゼントしたい。そんな気持ちになる「乙女の本棚」シリーズの1冊。

Genres: Short Stories, Classics, Graphic Novels

64 pages, Hardcover

First published April 16, 2021

Reviews

[LG (A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm slowly working my way through all the Maiden's Bookshelf stuff that has been translated into English. This particular story was originally published in 1926 and is focused on a married couple. Their marriage started rough, with the husband having to fight against his wife's parents' objections in order for them to get married in the first place. Then the husband had to deal with issues with his mother-in-law. Now the couple is finally left to themselves, but they still can't fully be happy - the wife is dying (tuberculosis?). Her husband acts as her caretaker, simultaneously resenting the way he feels tethered to her and dreading the day she finally leaves him. She rages at him, accusing him of wanting to be elsewhere, with someone else, only letting up as she becomes more prepared to die.

Well, this was tragic. There's no real plot - it's just a close, painful study of the relationship between a caregiver spouse and an invalid, dying spouse. Grief is hidden by - or mixed with? - anger and resentment. They do love each other, but it's a heavily frayed love.

The illustrations are soft and lovely, with metaphorical elements that seem to indicate that the husband and wife are slowly dying together.

This is definitely something to read only when you're in the proper mood for it, and I imagine it would hit even harder for those who are or have ever been in the same position as either the husband or wife. I think this is probably the strongest of the Maiden's Bookshelf volumes I've read so far, in terms of both the story and the way the illustrations support and add to it, although I wouldn't call it pleasant reading.

(Original review posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.)

[Zakdj · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best of the 5 Maidens Bookshelf short stories, it was the most emotional I’ve felt reading something in awhile, genuinely moving me to tears by the end.

The writing is impeccable, making the bitter sadness and the tender warmth palpable just by text alone, aided by wonderful art that perfectly captures the emotion of each line. Genuinely wonderful, I absolutely loved it.

[Jack · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spring Comes Riding in a Carriage: Maiden's Bookshelf by Riichi Yokomitsu, art by Atsuki Ito, translated by Yui Kajita, published Dec 12, 2023. This book is rated 16+ by the publisher.

The short story by Riichi Yokomitsu is beautifully illustrated by Atsuki Ito. Ito's website is: https://atsukiillust.com/ It is well worth time spent looking at Ito's other art works.
The short story first appeared in the magazine Josei in August of 1926.

I give Spring Comes Riding in a Carriage: Maiden's Bookshelf 5 stars for both the art and the story as translated.
I originally read Yokomitsu's story in Love and other stories of Yokomitsu Riichi. The translations and introduction are by Donald Keene (translator).
I was moved by the story as translated by Donald Keene and similarly in the Maiden's Shelf version. The art work complemented and enhanced the storyline to achieve a greater experience.

I agree with the English publisher's rating of 16+.

I read this in e-book format and appreciated having a larger view of the artwork and the ability to examine it more closely.

[Aria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review of Books 1 to 5 in the Maiden's Bookshelf series here.

When one’s beloved is dying, it’s normal for them to become their caretaker. However, the brutal reality of this is that it can become a cage for both as is the case with this short story. For the wife, the cage is her sickbed. For the husband, the cage is his dying wife. And, in this cage that they share, there are emotional trials that switch between antagonism, fear, suspicion, pain and love.

Overall, this is a beautiful, bittersweet piece between a caretaker husband and a dying wife.

[Anita · Rating 4 out of 5]

A brutally realistic and beautifully bittersweet depiction of the emotional trials endured both by those awaiting death and the ones by their side. Despite its shortness, this was a strongly moving work that had me gripped within the first few pages. The accompaniment of gorgeous illustrations by Ito Atsuki only further enhances the reading experience.

[Anaika · Rating 3 out of 5]

"'What is death?' To become hidden from view, he thought. Nothing more."

[John Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely gorgeous, made me cry.

[Stella B.]

"A wife in a cage, hungry for organ meat. There's always a whiff of brutality about you, somehow, no matter the situation."

[Literarykittens · Rating 5 out of 5]

An honest and raw look at the mixed emotions that come with being a caregiver for a loved one. Beautiful water color illustrations sit opposite of the brutality of thoughts and emotions.

[ThymeOperator · Rating 5 out of 5]

So, so beautiful, both story and artwork