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The Perfect World of Miwako Sumida
From the critically acclaimed author of Rainbirds comes a novel of tragedy and dark histories set in Japan.
University sophomore Miwako Sumida has hanged herself, leaving those closest to her reeling. In the months before her suicide, she was hiding away in a remote mountainside village, but what, or whom, was she running from?
Ryusei, a fellow student at Waseda who harbored unrequited feelings for Miwako, begs her best friend Chie to bring him to the remote village where she spent her final days. While they are away, his older sister, Fumi, who took Miwako on as an apprentice in her art studio, receives an unexpected guest at her apartment in Tokyo, distracting her from her fear that Miwako’s death may ruin what is left of her brother’s life.
Expanding on the beautifully crafted world of Rainbirds, Clarissa Goenawan gradually pierces through a young woman’s careful façade, unmasking her most painful secrets.
University sophomore Miwako Sumida has hanged herself, leaving those closest to her reeling. In the months before her suicide, she was hiding away in a remote mountainside village, but what, or whom, was she running from?
Ryusei, a fellow student at Waseda who harbored unrequited feelings for Miwako, begs her best friend Chie to bring him to the remote village where she spent her final days. While they are away, his older sister, Fumi, who took Miwako on as an apprentice in her art studio, receives an unexpected guest at her apartment in Tokyo, distracting her from her fear that Miwako’s death may ruin what is left of her brother’s life.
Expanding on the beautifully crafted world of Rainbirds, Clarissa Goenawan gradually pierces through a young woman’s careful façade, unmasking her most painful secrets.
9 pages, Audiobook
First published March 10, 2020
131 people are currently reading
11426 people want to read
About the author
Clarissa Goenawan
3 books507 followersClarissa Goenawan is an Indonesian-born Singaporean writer. Her award-winning short fiction has appeared in literary magazines and anthologies in Singapore, Australia, the UK, and the US. Rainbirds is her first novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 870 reviews
March 3, 2021
3.5? Najmocniejsze jest pierwsze i ostatnie 50 stron. No i jedna z niewielu książek, w której nie przeszkadza mi realizm magiczny
August 7, 2024
3,75/5
March 10, 2020
Miwako Sumida is a sophomore in college when she commits suicide. Months before that she is in hiding in a remote village. Why was she in hiding?
Her friends are left behind to put together the pieces, and they travel to village where she hid.
Goenawan has penned a beautifully intricate character study. Miwako’s life is laid bare: her innermost secrets and her most relatable thoughts and feelings. The Tokyo setting was so much fun for me because I’m not sure I’ve read a book set there in modern times. \
There was a deeply psychological mystery here that had me on the edge of my seat analyzing. This book is uniquely its own, and it made me feel deeply. That’s what I look for most in a book, and I’m so grateful I was enveloped in the smooth and clever storytelling of Goenawan.
I received a gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
Her friends are left behind to put together the pieces, and they travel to village where she hid.
Goenawan has penned a beautifully intricate character study. Miwako’s life is laid bare: her innermost secrets and her most relatable thoughts and feelings. The Tokyo setting was so much fun for me because I’m not sure I’ve read a book set there in modern times. \
There was a deeply psychological mystery here that had me on the edge of my seat analyzing. This book is uniquely its own, and it made me feel deeply. That’s what I look for most in a book, and I’m so grateful I was enveloped in the smooth and clever storytelling of Goenawan.
I received a gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
July 13, 2021
Clarissa Goenawan deserves to have a much bigger following than she currently has. In both her first novel, Rainbirds, and her second, The Perfect World of Miwako Sumida, she shows a talent for painting complex portraits of characters who carry a burden of uncertainty—about identity, about their own life stories, about the stories of those they love. This results in a sort of tentativeness in her writing, but it's a tentativeness that engages and opens possibilities, not one that creates distance or disengagement.
The Perfect World of Miwako Sumida follows three different characters trying to understand the suicide of the Miwako of the title. Each of them has parts of the picture, but none of them has the whole. By telling their stories, Goenawan lets readers assemble a portrait of Miwako that's beyond the reach of the book's main characters.
I strongly recommend this book for all readers who enjoy cosmopolitan novels (this one is set mainly in Tokyo), mysteries, and/or psychological portraits. The rewards it offers are immense.
The Perfect World of Miwako Sumida follows three different characters trying to understand the suicide of the Miwako of the title. Each of them has parts of the picture, but none of them has the whole. By telling their stories, Goenawan lets readers assemble a portrait of Miwako that's beyond the reach of the book's main characters.
I strongly recommend this book for all readers who enjoy cosmopolitan novels (this one is set mainly in Tokyo), mysteries, and/or psychological portraits. The rewards it offers are immense.
May 1, 2020
A quiet and soothing novel, despite the tragedy encountered by its title character. At the offset of The Perfect World of Miwako Sumida, we learn that Miwako has died by suicide while staying at a remote mountainside village away from her current university. The novel follows three characters across three sections: Ryusei, a fellow university student who held unrequited romantic feelings for her, Chie, a close friend of Miwako’s who knew more about her past, and Fumi, Ryusei’s older sister, who took on Miwako as an art apprentice at her studio. With thoughtful layering across these three characters’ perspectives, we begin to learn about the tragedy that besmirched Miwako’s life, as well the connections that gave her some reprieve despite her suffering.
I so enjoyed the smooth, flowing quality of Clarissa Goenawan’s prose. Reading this novel felt so calming, like sinking into a slice of life anime. This easy-to-read writing intertwined well with the more mysterious elements surrounding Miwako’s character and what contributed to her death. Goenawan’s writing felt both smart and simple, attuned to her characters’ present lives and emotions. In some ways her writing reminded me of Haruki Murakami’s.
At the same time, I felt a similar distance from Goenawan’s characters as I did when I read Murakami’s characters way back in middle school or early high school. I liked her characters and wanted to know more about them, yet for some reason I found it hard to really connect with them, to really care about them and their experiences. I think I wanted more interiority from her characters, especially surrounding their grief over Miwako’s passing. For example, it felt like a lot of the novel built up toward revealing the tragic event that contributed to Miwako’s eventual death by suicide. Yet the fact that the novel put so much of its weight and suspense on the eventual reveal came across as cheap to me. I would have loved more time to sit with these characters and to understand how they felt interacting with Miwako before her death, as well as a more in-depth look at their processing of grief afterward. The novel poses some interesting, heartbreaking themes related to assault, remembrance, and if we can ever really get over the wounds from our pasts – yet the story did not ascend to the heights of its emotional potential, because it hinged more on revealing the tragedy than it did the characters’ nuanced internal processes.
Overall, a book I’d tentatively recommend for those who wouldn’t mind or might enjoy a quick read with some suspense. I’m curious how this book is received across different culture, especially in regard to its writing style and characterization. I'm also wondering how others perceive its trans representation (Fumi, one of the main characters, is trans), which I reacted positively to for its subtlety.
I so enjoyed the smooth, flowing quality of Clarissa Goenawan’s prose. Reading this novel felt so calming, like sinking into a slice of life anime. This easy-to-read writing intertwined well with the more mysterious elements surrounding Miwako’s character and what contributed to her death. Goenawan’s writing felt both smart and simple, attuned to her characters’ present lives and emotions. In some ways her writing reminded me of Haruki Murakami’s.
At the same time, I felt a similar distance from Goenawan’s characters as I did when I read Murakami’s characters way back in middle school or early high school. I liked her characters and wanted to know more about them, yet for some reason I found it hard to really connect with them, to really care about them and their experiences. I think I wanted more interiority from her characters, especially surrounding their grief over Miwako’s passing. For example, it felt like a lot of the novel built up toward revealing the tragic event that contributed to Miwako’s eventual death by suicide. Yet the fact that the novel put so much of its weight and suspense on the eventual reveal came across as cheap to me. I would have loved more time to sit with these characters and to understand how they felt interacting with Miwako before her death, as well as a more in-depth look at their processing of grief afterward. The novel poses some interesting, heartbreaking themes related to assault, remembrance, and if we can ever really get over the wounds from our pasts – yet the story did not ascend to the heights of its emotional potential, because it hinged more on revealing the tragedy than it did the characters’ nuanced internal processes.
Overall, a book I’d tentatively recommend for those who wouldn’t mind or might enjoy a quick read with some suspense. I’m curious how this book is received across different culture, especially in regard to its writing style and characterization. I'm also wondering how others perceive its trans representation (Fumi, one of the main characters, is trans), which I reacted positively to for its subtlety.
March 27, 2020
4.5/5stars
This was absolutely wonderful and everything I expected from Clarissa’s second book. “Rainbirds” made my fave books of the year it was released, and Miwako Sumida will probably make this year’s!
Goenawan is basically Murakami if Murakami knew how to write women and lgbt characters. Her books really are like getting a new Murakami book - if “Rainbirds” was her WUBC, this book is her Norwegian Wood.
This was absolutely wonderful and everything I expected from Clarissa’s second book. “Rainbirds” made my fave books of the year it was released, and Miwako Sumida will probably make this year’s!
Goenawan is basically Murakami if Murakami knew how to write women and lgbt characters. Her books really are like getting a new Murakami book - if “Rainbirds” was her WUBC, this book is her Norwegian Wood.
August 29, 2020
There was so much that irritated me about this book that I don’t know where to start. Looking at the reviews, I now also feel irritated that so few people found it irritating. Yes I am a bit irritable at the moment how did you guess. Before I start on how irritating it was, just a quick precap. Miwako Sumida has hanged herself (not a spoiler). The why-dunnit, such as it is, is narrated in three sections: through her would-be boyfriend Ryusei, her best friend Chie, and her employer Fumi-nee respectively.
So a young woman dies, her friends need to make sense of her death, and so try to discover her dark secrets. So the story is Twin Peaks really. A rainbow-flagged Murakami-flavoured remix of Twin Peaks in fact, which should therefore have been absolutely amazing. Compared to Laura Palmer’s dark secrets, Miwako Sumida’s are more of a pale beige. So don’t get excited about any big reveals.
The book’s themes and tropes are so Murakami-esque I was embarrassed for the author: disappearance of troubled woman, weird sexual fantasies, odd health institutions in the middle of nowhere, ominous forest, unrequited love, realising you never really knew someone until it’s too late. There’s even a missing cat ffs. OK, no wells, jazz, spaghetti recipes or laundry, but you get the idea.
It would take too long to list all the things that irritated me so here are some of the main ones. None huge in themselves, I admit, but they mounted up to a big cumulative irk.
If you’re going to tell the same story from three different perspectives, a) it needs to be a good story, and b) each retelling needs to present things differently and/or develop the narrative or characters or something. But it wasn't, and it didn't.
If two of the three main characters in those narratives - Ryushi and Chie - are utterly devoid of personality, then the central character, although dead, had better be interesting. Oh wait. She’s deeply dull too, and even her spite and supposedly dark secrets fail to spark any engagement. But somehow we’re meant to believe that she’s fascinatingly complex and a joy to all who knew her. Well show, don’t tell, I say.
If you’re going to include a MTF trans character you don’t have to refer to their gender identity and uber-femininity every single bloody time they’re mentioned. It was pre-signalled loud and clear that There’s Something About Fumi-nee, so hardly a big surprise there. She is the only vaguely interesting character in the book, but her gender is laboured to death. It feels immature and try-hard.
The writing is pedestrian, the dialogue wooden, the pace sluggish, the psychology superficial and incoherent. The weird sex fantasy, um… well all I’ll say is elderly laughing gnome incubus and we’ll just leave it there.
Oh, and after 20-odd chapters of plodding banality you don’t just suddenly chuck in some magic realism at the end. Annoying and silly.
So a young woman dies, her friends need to make sense of her death, and so try to discover her dark secrets. So the story is Twin Peaks really. A rainbow-flagged Murakami-flavoured remix of Twin Peaks in fact, which should therefore have been absolutely amazing. Compared to Laura Palmer’s dark secrets, Miwako Sumida’s are more of a pale beige. So don’t get excited about any big reveals.
The book’s themes and tropes are so Murakami-esque I was embarrassed for the author: disappearance of troubled woman, weird sexual fantasies, odd health institutions in the middle of nowhere, ominous forest, unrequited love, realising you never really knew someone until it’s too late. There’s even a missing cat ffs. OK, no wells, jazz, spaghetti recipes or laundry, but you get the idea.
It would take too long to list all the things that irritated me so here are some of the main ones. None huge in themselves, I admit, but they mounted up to a big cumulative irk.
If you’re going to tell the same story from three different perspectives, a) it needs to be a good story, and b) each retelling needs to present things differently and/or develop the narrative or characters or something. But it wasn't, and it didn't.
If two of the three main characters in those narratives - Ryushi and Chie - are utterly devoid of personality, then the central character, although dead, had better be interesting. Oh wait. She’s deeply dull too, and even her spite and supposedly dark secrets fail to spark any engagement. But somehow we’re meant to believe that she’s fascinatingly complex and a joy to all who knew her. Well show, don’t tell, I say.
If you’re going to include a MTF trans character you don’t have to refer to their gender identity and uber-femininity every single bloody time they’re mentioned. It was pre-signalled loud and clear that There’s Something About Fumi-nee, so hardly a big surprise there. She is the only vaguely interesting character in the book, but her gender is laboured to death. It feels immature and try-hard.
The writing is pedestrian, the dialogue wooden, the pace sluggish, the psychology superficial and incoherent. The weird sex fantasy, um… well all I’ll say is elderly laughing gnome incubus and we’ll just leave it there.
Oh, and after 20-odd chapters of plodding banality you don’t just suddenly chuck in some magic realism at the end. Annoying and silly.
August 28, 2021
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3 ½ stars
With grace and clarity Clarissa Goenawan's The Perfect World of Miwako Sumida tells a tragic yet tender tale, one that begins with an ending: Miwako Sumida, a university student, has committed suicide.
The novel is divided in three sections, each one following a person who cared for Miwako: there is Ryusei Yanagi (the only first-person narrative) who was in love with her, Chie Ohno, her best friend since high school, and Fumi Yanagi, Ryusei's older sister. Miwako's death leaves them reeling, from shock, grief, and guilt, and forces them to question how well they knew her and whether they could have some intervened or prevented Miwako from committing suicide.
Through their different perspectives readers will slowly come to know Miwako. While we may guess what she might have been 'hiding' from her loved ones, Miwako retains an air of unknowability. In each section the characters find themselves revisiting their memories of her, giving many scenes a bittersweet quality. Perhaps the setting too contributes to this sense of nostalgia (most of the story takes place in the mid-to-late 80s).
Through her luminous prose Goenawan sheds light on a painful subject matter. Like her characters, she doesn't romanticise nor condemns Miwako's actions, rendering instead with empathy the pain that drove her to commit suicide. Goenawan demonstrates the same delicacy when touching upon subjects such as sexual abuse and bullying.
I felt lulled by gentle pace of this novel, even as the story explored distressing realities. Friendships, family history, gender, and sexuality play an important role in each narrative, and I found Goenawan's portrayal of these to be extremely compelling.
As much as I loved Goenawan's evocative prose and her well-drawn characters, I was underwhelmed by the overarching storyline. The last section, which followed one of the characters I liked the most, seems far more meandering than the previous ones as it seems to move away from Miwako. And while I do count myself as a fan of magical realism, here it felt a bit sudden.
The ending was rushed and left me wanting more. Still, I would definitely recommend this to those who enjoy literary fiction.
Read more reviews on my blog / / / View all my reviews on Goodreads
3 ½ stars
“When I closed my eyes, I could still hear her sharp, stubborn voice and surprisingly unbridled laugh.”
With grace and clarity Clarissa Goenawan's The Perfect World of Miwako Sumida tells a tragic yet tender tale, one that begins with an ending: Miwako Sumida, a university student, has committed suicide.
“I hadn't thought I would use my mourning suit again anytime soon. Apart from my sister, I had no living family or relatives. My friends were around my age, and we were all approaching the first peaks of our lives. Graduating, finding a job, getting married, having kids. But Miwako Sumida wouldn't be among us.”
The novel is divided in three sections, each one following a person who cared for Miwako: there is Ryusei Yanagi (the only first-person narrative) who was in love with her, Chie Ohno, her best friend since high school, and Fumi Yanagi, Ryusei's older sister. Miwako's death leaves them reeling, from shock, grief, and guilt, and forces them to question how well they knew her and whether they could have some intervened or prevented Miwako from committing suicide.
Through their different perspectives readers will slowly come to know Miwako. While we may guess what she might have been 'hiding' from her loved ones, Miwako retains an air of unknowability. In each section the characters find themselves revisiting their memories of her, giving many scenes a bittersweet quality. Perhaps the setting too contributes to this sense of nostalgia (most of the story takes place in the mid-to-late 80s).
Through her luminous prose Goenawan sheds light on a painful subject matter. Like her characters, she doesn't romanticise nor condemns Miwako's actions, rendering instead with empathy the pain that drove her to commit suicide. Goenawan demonstrates the same delicacy when touching upon subjects such as sexual abuse and bullying.
I felt lulled by gentle pace of this novel, even as the story explored distressing realities. Friendships, family history, gender, and sexuality play an important role in each narrative, and I found Goenawan's portrayal of these to be extremely compelling.
“Her bold strokes gave off a sense of alienation and desperation, but her choice of muted colors conveyed a hidden loneliness. My sister had mastered the application of intricate details to her pieces. At the same time, she took extra care to make sure nothing was overwhelming. I recognized a delicate balance, a sense of equilibrium in all her pieces. What my sister couldn't tell anyone, she whispered into her work.”
As much as I loved Goenawan's evocative prose and her well-drawn characters, I was underwhelmed by the overarching storyline. The last section, which followed one of the characters I liked the most, seems far more meandering than the previous ones as it seems to move away from Miwako. And while I do count myself as a fan of magical realism, here it felt a bit sudden.
The ending was rushed and left me wanting more. Still, I would definitely recommend this to those who enjoy literary fiction.
Read more reviews on my blog / / / View all my reviews on Goodreads
February 26, 2023
first book of 2023 that I didn’t love 💔
2.5 stars
——————
I’ve reversed heteronormativity so successfully for myself that I saw the “lgbtq” Goodreads tag for this book and assumed that the narrator was a girl in love with another girl… only to find out 5% through that it was a guy and he was incredibly straight
2.5 stars
——————
I’ve reversed heteronormativity so successfully for myself that I saw the “lgbtq” Goodreads tag for this book and assumed that the narrator was a girl in love with another girl… only to find out 5% through that it was a guy and he was incredibly straight
March 11, 2020
Wow. Where do I even begin?! I read Clarissa's prior book, Rainbirds, two years ago and knew she was a talented writer then, but this book... THIS BOOK. I just finished it and I'm floored. What a truly beautiful, if somber, story. I had literal chills at one part towards the end. ALL THE FEELS.
This book centers around Miwako Sumida, who we learn from the prologue, has hanged herself. What comes are three parts, through the eyes of those who knew her best as we reflect to their experiences with her and how they deal with the aftermath of her passing.
Part I is Ryusei Yanagi, the young man who fell in love with her despite and because of her blunt manner and her uniqueness amongst the frilly girls of her peers. Here we delve into how he develops his feelings, why he couldn't stop pursuing her and how he decides to cope with this loss and major emptiness in his life. Part II is Chie Ohno, her best friend and keeper of her darkest secret. The girl who while popular, considered herself an outsider and was tired of all the fake. And with Miwako, you never got fake. Her view is peppered with her wondering if she should still hold on to these secrets while those around her continue to wonder about certain affairs. Part III we get Fumi Yanagi's view - Ryu's sister who has a story of her own. How Miwako affected her while alive and then in her death is beyond anything you think you'd feel.
Everyone - please do yourself a favor and pick up this book. I would read the entire journal entries in that magazine we learn about in Chie Ohno's part. I would travel with Ryu in his part and would learn to paint from Fumi while supporting all that she is. There are so many lessons to be learned from this read. So many intricacies between these characters. What we learn most is how differently each person feels and sees in one. No one sees one person exactly the same and all of these relationships are cherished and loved. Love. Just LOVE.
This book centers around Miwako Sumida, who we learn from the prologue, has hanged herself. What comes are three parts, through the eyes of those who knew her best as we reflect to their experiences with her and how they deal with the aftermath of her passing.
Part I is Ryusei Yanagi, the young man who fell in love with her despite and because of her blunt manner and her uniqueness amongst the frilly girls of her peers. Here we delve into how he develops his feelings, why he couldn't stop pursuing her and how he decides to cope with this loss and major emptiness in his life. Part II is Chie Ohno, her best friend and keeper of her darkest secret. The girl who while popular, considered herself an outsider and was tired of all the fake. And with Miwako, you never got fake. Her view is peppered with her wondering if she should still hold on to these secrets while those around her continue to wonder about certain affairs. Part III we get Fumi Yanagi's view - Ryu's sister who has a story of her own. How Miwako affected her while alive and then in her death is beyond anything you think you'd feel.
Everyone - please do yourself a favor and pick up this book. I would read the entire journal entries in that magazine we learn about in Chie Ohno's part. I would travel with Ryu in his part and would learn to paint from Fumi while supporting all that she is. There are so many lessons to be learned from this read. So many intricacies between these characters. What we learn most is how differently each person feels and sees in one. No one sees one person exactly the same and all of these relationships are cherished and loved. Love. Just LOVE.
February 25, 2023
Napisana wyjątkowo wrażliwym językiem, przesiąknięta smutkiem i zawiłościami.
October 25, 2020
The Perfect World Of Miwako Sumida falls in the murky middle of the Venn diagram between literary fiction and conventional mystery. The story is told in three parts, with fluid transitions between past and present to tell Miwako’s story. Normally I resist jumpy timelines, but this one unfolded so naturally I barely noticed.
In the final section, it also evolves into a more magical and mystical understanding of life and death – again, not usually my “thing”, but I was so wrapped up in this story and its characters that I barely raised an eyebrow. This is a deep cut examination of what happens to a life left behind.
My extended review of The Perfect World Of Miwako Sumida is up now on Keeping Up With The Penguins.
In the final section, it also evolves into a more magical and mystical understanding of life and death – again, not usually my “thing”, but I was so wrapped up in this story and its characters that I barely raised an eyebrow. This is a deep cut examination of what happens to a life left behind.
My extended review of The Perfect World Of Miwako Sumida is up now on Keeping Up With The Penguins.
January 2, 2021
3.5
Tego mi było ostatnio trzeba. Książki, przy której nie będę musiała za wiele myśleć, która mnie wciągnie, do której będę chciała wieczorami wracać, która przeniesie mnie w inny świat. "Perfekcyjny świat Miwako Sumidy" nie jest literackim odkryciem, ale była książką, która dała mi sporo radości z czytania.
Mamy trzy perspektywy: trzech bohaterów, których oczami widzimy tytułową bohaterkę i jej (nie)perfekcyjny świat. Czytamy o tym, jak się poznali, jakie łączyły ich relacje, jaka codzienność - no, czysta obyczajówka. Razem z nimi próbujemy poskładać elementy układanki, by dojść do tego, dlaczego Miwako Sumida popełniła samobójstwo, o czym dowiadujemy się na pierwszych stronach. 20-letnia dziewczyna nagle znika, a potem przychodzi wieść o jej samobójstwie. Przy okazji czytamy sporo o tożsamości, o akceptacji siebie, o tym, do czego mogą doprowadzić niedopowiedzenia i o tym, jak trudno jest młodym ludziom się z sobą komunikować. Mamy tematy trudne, acz aktualne - samobójstwo młodej osoby, molestowanie seksualne, mamy postać LGBTQ+ (bez spojlerów!). To wszystko okraszone jest pewną aurą tajemniczości i pewną japońskością (czymkolwiek ona jest), choć autorka pochodzi z Singapuru. W każdym razie, fani Murakamiego powinni być zadowoleni - inspirację japońskim pisarzem widać aż nadto - Goenawan zapożyczyła wiele stałym elementów jego prozy.
Nie myślę o tej książce już jakiś czas po lekturze. To prosta i przeciętna opowieść, która może wiele osób zaskoczyć swoją banalnością, sztampowością i naiwnością, ale może też pomóc na covidowe bolączki (sprawdzone!) i ogólne umysłowe rozproszenie. To bardziej literatura młodzieżowa niż literatura piękna - ale ma sporo do zaoferowania. Szczególnie jeśli przymkniemy oko na pewne naciągnięcia fabularne, realizm magiczny (o ile tak mogę nazwać pewne nadprzyrodzone elementy, jakie się w tej powieści pojawiają) i wyraźną inspirację Murakamim.
Tego mi było ostatnio trzeba. Książki, przy której nie będę musiała za wiele myśleć, która mnie wciągnie, do której będę chciała wieczorami wracać, która przeniesie mnie w inny świat. "Perfekcyjny świat Miwako Sumidy" nie jest literackim odkryciem, ale była książką, która dała mi sporo radości z czytania.
Mamy trzy perspektywy: trzech bohaterów, których oczami widzimy tytułową bohaterkę i jej (nie)perfekcyjny świat. Czytamy o tym, jak się poznali, jakie łączyły ich relacje, jaka codzienność - no, czysta obyczajówka. Razem z nimi próbujemy poskładać elementy układanki, by dojść do tego, dlaczego Miwako Sumida popełniła samobójstwo, o czym dowiadujemy się na pierwszych stronach. 20-letnia dziewczyna nagle znika, a potem przychodzi wieść o jej samobójstwie. Przy okazji czytamy sporo o tożsamości, o akceptacji siebie, o tym, do czego mogą doprowadzić niedopowiedzenia i o tym, jak trudno jest młodym ludziom się z sobą komunikować. Mamy tematy trudne, acz aktualne - samobójstwo młodej osoby, molestowanie seksualne, mamy postać LGBTQ+ (bez spojlerów!). To wszystko okraszone jest pewną aurą tajemniczości i pewną japońskością (czymkolwiek ona jest), choć autorka pochodzi z Singapuru. W każdym razie, fani Murakamiego powinni być zadowoleni - inspirację japońskim pisarzem widać aż nadto - Goenawan zapożyczyła wiele stałym elementów jego prozy.
Nie myślę o tej książce już jakiś czas po lekturze. To prosta i przeciętna opowieść, która może wiele osób zaskoczyć swoją banalnością, sztampowością i naiwnością, ale może też pomóc na covidowe bolączki (sprawdzone!) i ogólne umysłowe rozproszenie. To bardziej literatura młodzieżowa niż literatura piękna - ale ma sporo do zaoferowania. Szczególnie jeśli przymkniemy oko na pewne naciągnięcia fabularne, realizm magiczny (o ile tak mogę nazwać pewne nadprzyrodzone elementy, jakie się w tej powieści pojawiają) i wyraźną inspirację Murakamim.
October 1, 2020
She’d said she wanted to tell me something. Maybe I could find out what, if I traced her path somehow.Miwako Sumida was only 20 when she died. Her story is told by three people who each knew part of it. Ryusei was the man who loved Miwako. Chie, who began her life as a “transparent girl”, was Miwako’s best friend. Fumi, Ryusei’s sister, was Miwako’s employer. I want to tell you all about them but can’t, because spoilers.
I really liked Miwako. She was blunt. She could be stand-offish. If you wanted to know her at all, you had to work for it. But she was worth the effort.
“You know, she just made everything better. More intense. More colorful. When I looked at her, I used to think, ‘Hey, maybe the world isn’t such a bad place.’”Her kindred spirit potential was evident to me early on, right about the time she bailed on karaoke with her friends to go to a bookstore. However, even though I saw her through the eyes of three people who knew her best, I still didn’t truly feel like I knew Miwako and I loved that about her.
Miwako was quite deliberately unknowable and although this would usually frustrate me, it somehow endeared her to me even more. It wasn’t until after her death that the secrets she was carrying were revealed and even then, it wasn’t an easy reveal. There was work involved.
I was sad that Miwako’s secrets weighed so heavily on her and that she never sought the support she deserved. Even though I knew from the blurb that she died by suicide I kept wanting her to reach out to one of the people who loved her, to trust them enough with the parts of herself that filled her with shame.
Miwako was not the only one keeping secrets. Ryusei, Chie and Fumi’s stories each highlighted, through their own stories or their memories of Miwako, the pain we feel when we keep parts of ourselves hidden and how secrets can change the course of our lives.
Given the difficult content that’s explored in this book I was surprised that I felt almost meditative while I was reading it. There’s something that I haven’t identified yet about the way it was written that made it feel like the words were washing over me.
It was really easy for me to get into. I found myself dreading the introduction of a new voice each time a new part began because I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to the one I’d been spending time with. Each time, though, the new voice would suck me in and I’d be wanting to learn more of their story.
I was keen to spend more time with Ryusei in the months between his part of the story ending and the next time I saw him. I need to know how he spent his days and how he managed his grief over time, and his story is unfinished in my mind because I don’t have those details.
I really liked Chie and enjoyed getting to know different aspects of Miwako through their shared experience. Overall, though, it seemed to me that Chie’s main role in this story was to provide information to Ryusei and I don’t think she will stay with me. In contrast, I expect Ryusei and Fumi’s stories to linger with me.
Although I’m still having trouble deciding between Miwako and Fumi, I’m almost positive Fumi is my favourite character. And I can’t tell you why, because spoilers. Again!
The final revelation about Miwako’s life read a bit like an info dump to me and I wasn’t entirely sold on all of the details, but in the end it didn’t matter. I loved this book, so much so that I bought my copy of the author’s debut, Rainbirds, before I’d even read a quarter of this one.
But when it came to Miwako Sumida, nothing was as I expected.Content warnings include .
Thank you so much to Scribe Publications for the opportunity to read this book. I’m rounding up from 4.5 stars.
Blog - https://schizanthusnerd.com
October 23, 2019
From the first page of Clarissa Goenawan’s THE PERFECT WORLD OF MIWAKO SUMIDA, we know that the titular Miwako has taken her own life, but we don’t know why. This same question plagues Miwako’s close friends as they grieve her death and search for answers. In this elegant and haunting novel, Goenawan deftly explores the messiness of grief, the pain of lost chances, and the way a life can collapse under the weight of secrets. Miwako and her friends are under my skin, and I’ll be thinking about them for some time.
August 25, 2020
"Mestinya aku tidak berpura-pura segalanya sempurna."
Aku samar-samar ingat keheningan memilukan yang muncul setelah membaca "Rainbirds". Perasaan tersebut juga muncul setelah menyelesaikan karya terbaru Clarissa ini. Rasa keduanya memang hampir mirip sejak awal membaca buku ini. Clarissa menghadirkan misteri kematian penuh tanya yang juga berlatar Jepang.
Alih-alih membosankan, kesan mirip tersebut malah menumbuhkan nostalgia. Ini mengingat aku begitu menyukai "Rainbirds".
"The Perfect World of Miwako Sumida" bergulir dengan menyoroti gadis bernama Miwako Sumida yang hilang dan dikabarkan bunuh diri. Misteri itu melibatkan kakak-adik Fumi dan Ryusei serta teman sekolahnya Chei. Ketiganya coba mencari tahu alasan kematian Miwako sembari memberesi permasalahan masing-masing.
Narasi yang mengalir dan diksi yang liris menjadi keunggulan Clarissa. Pembaca dibawa mengikuti kisah getir setiap tokohnya dengan bahasa yang lugu seakan-akan tidak terjadi apa-apa atau itu hal biasa. Menyudahinya, pembaca baru akan tersadar bahwa tokoh-tokoh di dalamnya memang melalui hal-hal penuh luka. Ini yang jadi kekhasan Clarissa hingga bisa jadi candu, setidaknya untukku.
Terdiri atas tiga bagian berdasarkan tokoh (Ryusei, Chei, dan Fumi), cerita ini beralur maju-mundur antara kejadian pada masa kini dan pengungkapan rahasia masa lampau yang menjadi biang keladi semuanya. Pembaca diajak menyelami kesedihan, tragedi, dan trauma setiap karakter serta langkah penyelesaiannya sendiri-sendiri.
Sebagian orang memang perlu berpura-pura dan menutupi agar dirinya dan orang-orang di sekelilingnya merasa baik-baik saja. Itu mungkin cara paling mudah yang mereka tahu supaya dunia terlihat sempurna. Namun, siapkah mereka dengan akibatnya?
Bacaan ringan nan menghanyutkan.
November 15, 2019
This novel is perfect in its simplicity and smooth writing style. I read it in under 24hrs and savored every moment. It was beautifully composed and a real pleasure to read. If you liked Goenawan’s first book, you will for sure love this one. The story is very powerful and touching. The characters are unique, but quite relatable. The author is very talented when it comes to setting a mood and vibe. When you read her words, you are transported.
January 3, 2020
Clarissa Goenawan is an author to follow.This is her second novel her first was Rainbird that was so unique so well written and this her second is another gem.
From the first pages I was drawn in by the scene the characters Miwako her suicide her secrets the friends left guessing.
Highly recommend this book this author literary fiction at its best.
From the first pages I was drawn in by the scene the characters Miwako her suicide her secrets the friends left guessing.
Highly recommend this book this author literary fiction at its best.
May 12, 2020
Originally published on The Nerd Daily | Review by Christina Ladd
Clarissa Goenawan’s sophomore novel, The Perfect World of Miwako Sumida, is a quietly powerful meditation on the destructive power of secrets, as well as the power of truth to heal even beyond death. These themes are also strongly present in her first novel, Rainbirds, and because the two novels are tangentially linked by certain characters’ relationships, I decided to read both. You can read The Perfect World of Miwako Sumida without first reading Rainbirds, but both books are so good that you won’t want to miss either of them, regardless of the order in which you read them.
Goenawan’s The Perfect World of Miwako Sumida opens with a death. The death, in fact, of the titular Miwako. After abruptly leaving college to volunteer in a distant, rural medical clinic, Miwako tragically takes her own life. Her friends are devastated and can barely believe she would do such a thing. Yet each knows a portion of her secrets, the pain she kept hidden beneath her smile. They blame themselves for not shouldering those secrets, but in coming together they might be able to find peace for themselves and Miwako at last.
Read the FULL REVIEW on The Nerd Daily
Clarissa Goenawan’s sophomore novel, The Perfect World of Miwako Sumida, is a quietly powerful meditation on the destructive power of secrets, as well as the power of truth to heal even beyond death. These themes are also strongly present in her first novel, Rainbirds, and because the two novels are tangentially linked by certain characters’ relationships, I decided to read both. You can read The Perfect World of Miwako Sumida without first reading Rainbirds, but both books are so good that you won’t want to miss either of them, regardless of the order in which you read them.
Goenawan’s The Perfect World of Miwako Sumida opens with a death. The death, in fact, of the titular Miwako. After abruptly leaving college to volunteer in a distant, rural medical clinic, Miwako tragically takes her own life. Her friends are devastated and can barely believe she would do such a thing. Yet each knows a portion of her secrets, the pain she kept hidden beneath her smile. They blame themselves for not shouldering those secrets, but in coming together they might be able to find peace for themselves and Miwako at last.
Read the FULL REVIEW on The Nerd Daily
November 24, 2020
4.5 stars
Absolutely stunning look into the complexities of identity, grief and friendship. Goenawan writes so naturally that everything flows so seamlessly and I couldn't put it down.
The Perfect World of Miwako Sumida is written in three parts from three different perspectives. I appreciated the subtleties of Geonawan's writing style as each character felt real and grounded as their part in the story unfolds and the overall image of Miwako is defined. During each act or part the timeline does jump but it was never jarring which really speaks to Goenawan's talent.
I only take away from the five stars because of a certain element in part three that felt a little unnatural in the form but was still handled very well.
Absolutely stunning look into the complexities of identity, grief and friendship. Goenawan writes so naturally that everything flows so seamlessly and I couldn't put it down.
The Perfect World of Miwako Sumida is written in three parts from three different perspectives. I appreciated the subtleties of Geonawan's writing style as each character felt real and grounded as their part in the story unfolds and the overall image of Miwako is defined. During each act or part the timeline does jump but it was never jarring which really speaks to Goenawan's talent.
I only take away from the five stars because of a certain element in part three that felt a little unnatural in the form but was still handled very well.
July 1, 2021
Miwako is such an interesting character- blunt and yet compassionate, funny without trying to. She's someone I would sincerely want to know. It's no surprise these three characters (Ryu-the love interest, Fumi-Ryu's older sister and Miwako's part-time employer, and Chie-the best friend) are so eager to tell her story, her supposedly perfect world or what little they know of it. It's just so sad that they're telling it in the past tense.
The alternating POVs as well as the mysterious and paranormal elements make the plot rich and intriguing. The writing is easy and engaging to read. The revelation of the mystery in the end was a complete shock and even though the story is tragic, it doesn't crush your heart (so much).
The alternating POVs as well as the mysterious and paranormal elements make the plot rich and intriguing. The writing is easy and engaging to read. The revelation of the mystery in the end was a complete shock and even though the story is tragic, it doesn't crush your heart (so much).
October 1, 2020
2.5 stars.
I enjoyed the first part best, the second part was pretty good too, but the third part felt flat to me. The writing is very readable and flows well, and it’s very atmospheric—that’s the thing I liked best about this book. Goenawan creates a very unique atmosphere that’s at once soothing and foreboding, like there’s always a sense of darkness and mystery lurking. But although it never gets very dramatic and suspenseful, the book’s too much focused on creating this sense of mystery, on making Miwako Sumida feel mysterious. Because of her dark past that likely drove her to commit suicide. A lot of the book builds up the tragic and dark lives of Miwako’s friends, and their grief towards Miwako’s death, but i feel like we’re mostly told through narration about what they have gone through. The writing doesn’t go very deep when showing us how they process and deal with their alienation and grief, so the characters largely feel very distant. The three parts also felt very different from one another in an abrupt way, making it even tougher to engage in the story consistently.
Thanks to Pansing Singapore for the review copy!
I enjoyed the first part best, the second part was pretty good too, but the third part felt flat to me. The writing is very readable and flows well, and it’s very atmospheric—that’s the thing I liked best about this book. Goenawan creates a very unique atmosphere that’s at once soothing and foreboding, like there’s always a sense of darkness and mystery lurking. But although it never gets very dramatic and suspenseful, the book’s too much focused on creating this sense of mystery, on making Miwako Sumida feel mysterious. Because of her dark past that likely drove her to commit suicide. A lot of the book builds up the tragic and dark lives of Miwako’s friends, and their grief towards Miwako’s death, but i feel like we’re mostly told through narration about what they have gone through. The writing doesn’t go very deep when showing us how they process and deal with their alienation and grief, so the characters largely feel very distant. The three parts also felt very different from one another in an abrupt way, making it even tougher to engage in the story consistently.
Thanks to Pansing Singapore for the review copy!
June 5, 2021
Setelah membaca Rainbirds, kurang afdal kalau tidak baca buku lanjutannya—yang sebenarnya bebas mau baca yang mana dulu karena cerita dan tokohnya berbeda, tetapi aku menyarankan untuk baca Rainbirds dulu. Mungkin tulisanku ini bisa dijadikan alasan. The Perfect World of Miwako Sumida mengusung genre misteri—meskipun begitu, unsur drama keluarga tetap lebih kental, baik di buku pertama maupun buku kedua. Persamaan lainnya yang paling nyata adalah penulis masih menonjolkan hubungan kedekatan antara kakak perempuan dengan adik laki-lakinya juga perjalanan sang tokoh untuk menguak misteri di balik kematian orang terdekatnya. Untuk pembeda, jika di Rainbirds penulis lebih memilih untuk menyelipkan unsur-unsur magical realism, di buku ini penulis menawarkan hal baru, yaitu supranatural. Tema yang diangkat juga lebih kaya dan dekat, seperti persahabatan, kekeluargaan, perundungan, insecurity, percintaan, dan lain-lain.
Plot:
Novel dengan tebal 366 halaman ini dibagi menjadi tiga bagian—plus prolog dan epilog—yang membuat buku ini rasanya lebih rapi dan enak diikuti—sangat berbeda dari buku debut-nya yang ceritanya ngalor-ngidul sampai bikin mengumpat. Setiap adegan atau subbab dalam cerita ini menyenangkan untuk dibaca, menarik, dan yang paling penting berperan dalam keutuhan cerita. Tidak ada lagi adegan-adegan yang percuma, tidak ada lagi tokoh tempelan yang latar belakangnya digali berlebihan, semua ditakar dengan pas!
Pada bagian pertama yang diberi judul Ryusei Yanagi, penulis menggunakan sudut pandang orang pertama melalui tokoh Ryusei. Ryusei tengah terguncang setelah mendengar kabar gadis yang begitu ia cintai telah meninggal gantung diri. Baginya, semua yang terjadi sulit untuk dipercaya dan menimbulkan tanda tanya besar di kepalanya. Alasan apa yang melatarbelakangi gadis pujaannya untuk bunuh diri? Apa saja yang tidak ia ketahui tentangnya selama ini? Lalu, penulis membawaku kembali pada masa-masa awal pertemuan Ryusei dengan Miwako hingga perpisahan mereka. Mereka tak sengaja bertemu di sebuah acara ‘kencan’ dan sejak saat itu mereka jadi sering pergi bersama ke toko buku maupun ke perpustakaan. Hubungan mereka makin dekat, bahkan Miwako direkrut menjadi anak buah kakak Ryusei untuk sebuah proyek. Perasaan suka pun muncul dalam diri Ryusei, tetapi tanpa bimbang Miwako selalu menolaknya.
Pada bagian dua, cerita terfokus pada tokoh Chie. Di bagian ini hingga akhir, penulis menggunakan sudut pandang orang ketiga. Chie adalah sahabat perempuan Miwako. Mereka lulusan dari SMA yang sama dan kuliah di universitas yang sama. Latar belakang Chie dijelaskan dengan baik, sejak ia masih menjadi anak ‘transparan’ hingga menjadi gadis yang cukup popular. Akan tetapi, tetap saja ia belum punya teman dekat. Miwako adalah satu-satunya yang ia anggap sebagai teman. Ada sesuatu dalam diri Miwako yang tidak diketahui orang lain tetapi Chie mengetahuinya. Singkatnya, mereka menjalin hubungan pertemanan dengan menyimpan rahasia masing-masing. Sebenarnya, di sini aku bisa menebak masalah-masalah Miwako karena cukup jelas penulis mengungkapnya. Ah, pasti Miwako mengalami ini, nih! Setelah kematian Miwako, Chie bersama Ryusei pergi ke sebuah desa terpencil di mana Miwako menjalani hari-hari terakhirnya. Latar tempatnya digambarkan dengan rinci, jauh berbeda dengan suasana Tokyo, dan menjelang akhir bab, ada satu kejadian yang cukup membuatku merinding—tidak memunculkan hantu-hantu, melainkan suasana yang dengan bagusnya dibangun penulis.
Di bagian terakhir, penulis mengulik tokoh Fumi Yanagi—kakak Ryusei. Sampai di sini, aku antusias sekali karena Fumi adalah karakter yang membuatku penasaran dengan latar belakangnya. Penulis membawaku kembali ke masa-masa SMA ketika Fumi mengalami perundungan yang disebabkan oleh masalah remeh. Selain itu, dikisahkan pula keseharian Fumi selepas ditinggal pergi Ryusei untuk beberapa bulan. Dari sinilah aku tahu kemampuan—atau kutukan—yang dimiliki Fumi yang diwariskan turun-temurun. Berbeda dari Rainbirds yang bertabur mimpi-mimpi, di sini penulis menghadirkan mereka yang tak kasat mata. Menarik! Semua misteri, masalah, rahasia yang disimpan penulis ditumpahkan. Cukup mudah ditebak tetapi penyampaiannya oke.
Penokohan:
Tokoh penting di buku ini adalah Miwako Sumida. Sejak bagian awal, penulis memberi porsi yang sesuai untuknya sebagai pusat cerita—tidak seperti Keiko Ishida yang tenggelam karena penulis terlalu banyak menyoroti keseharian Ren Ishida di Rainbirds. Di sini, penulis mengajakku mengenal Miwako lebih dalam. Miwako memiliki karakter yang kuat: blak-blakan, pekerja keras, jujur, berpikiran terbuka, penuh kasih sayang, tak acuh, keras kepala, sedikit pendiam, dan cukup berbeda dari kebanyakan gadis. Celotehan-celotehannya membuatku senyum-senyum. Meskipun dari luar ia tampak kuat dan hidupnya cukup sempurna--disayangi keluarga dan ayah tirinya, dicintai dengan tulus oleh Ryusei, dikelilingi teman-teman yang suportif—ia menyimpan rahasia yang menuntunnya untuk mengakhiri hidupnya sendiri.
Ryusei Yanagi adalah cowok yang menyukai Miwako. Dia menyatakan perasaannya hingga tiga kali tetapi selalu nihil. Ia hidup hanya bersama Fumi, sang kakak, sebab kedua orangtuanya meninggal karena kecelakaan. Ia begitu bergantung dan menyayangi Fumi. Karakter yang juga kusukai, dewasa. Selain itu, Fumi Yanagi, orang yang memperkerjakan Miwako. Ia pekerja keras. Ia memiliki masa lalu yang pahit, karenanya ia sangat berusaha berdamai dengan dirinya sendiri. Ia memiliki kemampuan—kutukan—untuk melihat makhluk halus. Terakhir, Chie dan Sachiko, sahabat perempuan Miwako. Mereka pernah bekerja di kafe yang sama. Penulis tidak lagi menciptakan tokoh-tokoh pendukung yang tidak membawa kemajuan untuk ceritanya, tidak lagi menjabarkan latar belakang tokoh-tokoh tersebut dengan berlebihan. Hal ini sangat kuapresiasi.
Gaya bahasa, penyampaian, dan terjemahan:
Aku tidak pernah meragukan kemampuan Clarissa Goenawan dalam menulis. Gaya penulisannya luar biasa bagus. Kosakata yang dipilihnya bukanlah kata tingkat dewa tetapi tetap membentuk kalimat-kalimat yang indah. Aku sama sekali tidak menemui kesulitan dalam memahami kisah ini. Ia menuturkan dengan begitu jelas dan mendetail dalam segala hal. Ditambah lagi, terjemahannya pantas diacungi dua jempol. Yang lebih menyenangkan adalah minimnya salah tik di buku ini, rasa risih dan jengkel tidak akan ditemui. Satu kata: nyaman.
Ide cerita:
Formula kisah ini masih sama seperti Rainbirds—dibuka dengan kematian ganjil tokoh perempuan lalu perjalanan tokoh-tokoh lain demi memahami apa motifnya dengan cara terjun langsung dan ikut menyelami kehidupannya dan mengenang kebersamaan mereka di masa lalu. Idenya yang mungkin sudah banyak dipakai ini dikemas dengan menawan dan rapi. Bukan sekadar misteri yang dibumbui kisah cinta, lebih dari itu, kisah antara sahabat, pencarian jati diri, masalah pergaulan remaja, konflik internal keluarga, hal-hal di luar nalar, semua itu tersaji di dalam buku ini. Seperti yang kubilang sebelumnya, lebih kaya dari Rainbirds.
Rangkuman:
1. Gaya penulisan, terjemahan, sampul buku, jenis dan ukuran font benar-benar kece. Sangat nyaman membaca versi digitalnya.
2. Isu yang diangkat lebih kaya dari Rainbirds.
3. Tokoh-tokohnya pas, semua mempunyai peran yang jelas.
4. Fokus pada kasus utama, tidak melenceng.
5. Tidak kutemui salah tik.
6. Alurnya rapi sehingga membuat betah merampungkannya.
Meskipun beitu, aku harus mengakui, aku puas dengan buku keduanya Clarissa Goenawan. Alih-alih kecewa, aku yakin dia punya potensi yang bagus dan berharap di buku keduanya ini, dia bisa menunjukkan itu semua dan terbukti!buku ini sukses menyeretku masuk ke dalam ceritanya, diaduk-aduk hingga larut. Aku merasa penulis banyak belajar dari buku pertamanya, The Perfect World of Miwako Sumida ini jauuuh lebih baik. Tokoh-tokohnya dibentuk dengan matang. Penyelesaiannya bagus. Rasanya aku ingin memeluk Ryusei, Fumi, dan Miwako setelah menuntaskan buku ini. Kerja bagus, Clarissa Goenawan! Aku menanti-nantikan buku ketigamu!—semoga ilustrasi sampul untuk Watersong masih dipegang Sukutangan.
October 16, 2020
Never thought I would love this novel that much but it was really engrossing and beautiful. The idea, setting, characters, theme and exposition were beautifully crafted and written, greatly narrated that I honestly love everything about it.
The Perfect World of Miwako Sumida tells an exquisite tale of Miwako Sumida in the eyes of her three closest friends. A love story and the unraveling vignettes of friendship and family-- each memories danced well to the plot rhythm, of past and current, the regret and life of the one that being left behind.
"Before I knew it had happened, I’d fallen in love with Miwako Sumida. Whenever I was on campus, my eyes unconsciously sought her out. She always looked like she was daydreaming."
"...for the second time, I had confessed my feelings to the girl I loved, and she’d turned me down without a moment of hesitation."
It started with a triggering prologue, no twisty narrative, very straightforward and wallowing chronologically to each characters telling their part of stories. Hauntingly tragic and emotionally crisp but mysteriously intriguing. Chie's story kind of hit me hard cause at a point I could relate to her past. I love her monologue and her story with Miwako.
"She just made everything better. More intense. More colorful. When I looked at her, I used to think-- hey, maybe the world isn’t such a bad place."
My guessing was right until nearly the last part of Miwako's confession (was a bit perplexed though but honestly love the mystical curse of Fumi or perhaps Ryusei too), totally a fan of the author's succinct prose and nuances-- lyrical and lucid.
Would really want to read the author's debut novel, I need to find it.
The Perfect World of Miwako Sumida tells an exquisite tale of Miwako Sumida in the eyes of her three closest friends. A love story and the unraveling vignettes of friendship and family-- each memories danced well to the plot rhythm, of past and current, the regret and life of the one that being left behind.
"Before I knew it had happened, I’d fallen in love with Miwako Sumida. Whenever I was on campus, my eyes unconsciously sought her out. She always looked like she was daydreaming."
"...for the second time, I had confessed my feelings to the girl I loved, and she’d turned me down without a moment of hesitation."
It started with a triggering prologue, no twisty narrative, very straightforward and wallowing chronologically to each characters telling their part of stories. Hauntingly tragic and emotionally crisp but mysteriously intriguing. Chie's story kind of hit me hard cause at a point I could relate to her past. I love her monologue and her story with Miwako.
"She just made everything better. More intense. More colorful. When I looked at her, I used to think-- hey, maybe the world isn’t such a bad place."
My guessing was right until nearly the last part of Miwako's confession (was a bit perplexed though but honestly love the mystical curse of Fumi or perhaps Ryusei too), totally a fan of the author's succinct prose and nuances-- lyrical and lucid.
Would really want to read the author's debut novel, I need to find it.
October 17, 2020
Miwako Sumida is dead. And now those closest to her including Ryusei, a boy who’s in love with her, and Chie, her best friend, are trying to piece it all together. Told from 3 different perspectives, this book is ultimately a murder mystery that’s set in contemporary Japan. Intriguing, right?!
I didn’t expect this book to be such a suspenseful page-turner so i was pleasantly surprised when i realised how easily readable it is from the first page. It quietly explores grief, trauma, and other weighty subject matters in a way that holds your attention and keeps you guessing til the end.
Goenawan’s writing is very reminiscent of Murakami’s - Norwegian Wood is the book that comes to mind specifically (although i read it years ago and the details are pretty hazy now). Though i found it addictive, i also found the writing a bit difficult to connect with - perhaps because it also comes across as quite detached and distant.
The whole time reading, i was also hyper-aware of the fact that the author is an Indonesian-born Singaporean, rather than Japanese. I don’t personally find that she approaches the book in an insensitive way whatsoever, or that it takes away from the story, but i just can’t help but be very conscious of this considering all the conversation around #OwnVoices works that’s been taking place lately.
I found this to be an enjoyable read overall, but something about it just misses the mark for me. I’d still recommend it if you’re a fan of novels based in Japan, or if you’re looking for a quick, suspenseful read.
I didn’t expect this book to be such a suspenseful page-turner so i was pleasantly surprised when i realised how easily readable it is from the first page. It quietly explores grief, trauma, and other weighty subject matters in a way that holds your attention and keeps you guessing til the end.
Goenawan’s writing is very reminiscent of Murakami’s - Norwegian Wood is the book that comes to mind specifically (although i read it years ago and the details are pretty hazy now). Though i found it addictive, i also found the writing a bit difficult to connect with - perhaps because it also comes across as quite detached and distant.
The whole time reading, i was also hyper-aware of the fact that the author is an Indonesian-born Singaporean, rather than Japanese. I don’t personally find that she approaches the book in an insensitive way whatsoever, or that it takes away from the story, but i just can’t help but be very conscious of this considering all the conversation around #OwnVoices works that’s been taking place lately.
I found this to be an enjoyable read overall, but something about it just misses the mark for me. I’d still recommend it if you’re a fan of novels based in Japan, or if you’re looking for a quick, suspenseful read.
September 24, 2025
Clarissa Goenawan’s The Perfect World of Miwako Sumida tries to be a deep dive into grief, but it makes me feel so lost…
The story borrows a lot from Haruki Murakami’s style. You know, the whole "moody characters, weird conversations, Tokyo feels like a dream" vibe. As a Murakami fan, it seems a bit like a copycat. For new readers, it might just feel confusing.
The whole thing about Miwako's suicide is interesting at first, but the way the story jumps around gets frustrating. It's hard to keep track, and some of the "aha!" moments feel unearned or just plain weird.
The characters, especially Ryusei, the love interest, just don't feel real enough. They keep looking inward, but their thoughts all sound the same. It's hard to care about them because they don't seem to care much about anything.
The ending tries to wrap things up, but it leaves me feeling empty. Some stuff isn't explained, and the big reveal about Miwako feels kind of random.
I think this novel has a cool atmosphere and an interesting idea, but mehh.. the story itself feels clunky and the characters forgettable. It leaves me wishing for something a bit more...real.
2.6 / 5 stars
The story borrows a lot from Haruki Murakami’s style. You know, the whole "moody characters, weird conversations, Tokyo feels like a dream" vibe. As a Murakami fan, it seems a bit like a copycat. For new readers, it might just feel confusing.
The whole thing about Miwako's suicide is interesting at first, but the way the story jumps around gets frustrating. It's hard to keep track, and some of the "aha!" moments feel unearned or just plain weird.
The characters, especially Ryusei, the love interest, just don't feel real enough. They keep looking inward, but their thoughts all sound the same. It's hard to care about them because they don't seem to care much about anything.
The ending tries to wrap things up, but it leaves me feeling empty. Some stuff isn't explained, and the big reveal about Miwako feels kind of random.
I think this novel has a cool atmosphere and an interesting idea, but mehh.. the story itself feels clunky and the characters forgettable. It leaves me wishing for something a bit more...real.
2.6 / 5 stars
January 13, 2020
What a wonderful story. Clarissa did it again. Both her books are amazing, but I have to say, I love her second book more.
The writing is quiet, but beautiful and deep. I adore every character, but I am drawn towards Miwako and Fumi-nee, deeper and deeper into their secrets and unexpected past. One layer peeled, and there was another, and another... I cannot put it down.
The writing is quiet, but beautiful and deep. I adore every character, but I am drawn towards Miwako and Fumi-nee, deeper and deeper into their secrets and unexpected past. One layer peeled, and there was another, and another... I cannot put it down.
December 26, 2021
Full 5
Cause this is
Sheer BRILLIANCE!
Beautiful writing.
Amazing character development.
Its just amazing.
Please read it.
Cause this is
Sheer BRILLIANCE!
Beautiful writing.
Amazing character development.
Its just amazing.
Please read it.
March 14, 2020
Clarissa Goenawan’s second novel, The Perfect World of Miwako Sumida expands upon the world of Rainbirds, her debut novel. There is simplicity yet depth and elegance when it comes to her prose that is refreshing and something that I appreciate about her writing style. So it was no surprise when I read the entirety of this novel within 5 hours while sick in bed. I would like to thank Clarissa Goenawan and Soho Press for sending me an advanced copy.
It follows three friends of Miwako, a Tokyo university student, who seek to understand why she disappeared to a remote village and committed suicide. Before going further into the review just yet, I want to put a disclaimer that the book does obviously involved suicide and death, which is clear in the synopsis, but also sexual assault. It is not detailed, but it is mentioned so I just want to state that for those who would like to know prior to reading.
The story is told through three parts and character perspectives—Ryusei, Chie, and Fumi, who are all trying to understand what lead Miwako to make the decision she did and what was going on in her life prior to that day. Each part offers a different perspective, but also allows the reader to see the facade Miwako altered depending on who she was around to hide what she was going through. It alternates between past and present, so we also get a glimpse into the others’ lives and how Miwako impacted them. Miwako is a compelling and quite frankly cryptic protagonist, but all of the characters are fleshed out and relatable with their own emotions and personal challenges that they are facing. The story deals with not just death and grief, but sexuality and gender, coming-of-age struggles, sexual assault, and the inner turmoil of secrets and our decisions. There is this lingering sense of hopelessness throughout the book, but by the end of it, there is hope again for the characters, even though you know there are still challenges ahead.
Goenawan’s storytelling takes a tragic or dark history of a character that needs to be unraveled and shows the vulnerability and challenges that people face when they desperately want to uncover the truth but also reveals the strength that they have too. Sometimes, in a way, it had me questioning whether or not what was taking place was actually reality. I find her stories tend to have this otherworldly atmosphere with some mystical elements scattered throughout despite it seeming like contemporary, so part three of this story was not surprising and I enjoyed the way it concluded.
It follows three friends of Miwako, a Tokyo university student, who seek to understand why she disappeared to a remote village and committed suicide. Before going further into the review just yet, I want to put a disclaimer that the book does obviously involved suicide and death, which is clear in the synopsis, but also sexual assault. It is not detailed, but it is mentioned so I just want to state that for those who would like to know prior to reading.
The story is told through three parts and character perspectives—Ryusei, Chie, and Fumi, who are all trying to understand what lead Miwako to make the decision she did and what was going on in her life prior to that day. Each part offers a different perspective, but also allows the reader to see the facade Miwako altered depending on who she was around to hide what she was going through. It alternates between past and present, so we also get a glimpse into the others’ lives and how Miwako impacted them. Miwako is a compelling and quite frankly cryptic protagonist, but all of the characters are fleshed out and relatable with their own emotions and personal challenges that they are facing. The story deals with not just death and grief, but sexuality and gender, coming-of-age struggles, sexual assault, and the inner turmoil of secrets and our decisions. There is this lingering sense of hopelessness throughout the book, but by the end of it, there is hope again for the characters, even though you know there are still challenges ahead.
Goenawan’s storytelling takes a tragic or dark history of a character that needs to be unraveled and shows the vulnerability and challenges that people face when they desperately want to uncover the truth but also reveals the strength that they have too. Sometimes, in a way, it had me questioning whether or not what was taking place was actually reality. I find her stories tend to have this otherworldly atmosphere with some mystical elements scattered throughout despite it seeming like contemporary, so part three of this story was not surprising and I enjoyed the way it concluded.
January 6, 2025
Well written, but easily forgettable. I didn’t particularly care for any of the characters and honestly found many of the scenes unnecessary. A lot of repetitive dialogue and it was baffling as to why so many people were obsessed with Miwako. I felt like the author was trying way too hard to make it seem like she was so different when she was just annoying and not as interesting as we’re supposed to believe. The subplot at the end involving her stepfather and stepbrother took me aback, not to mention the odd supernatural element during the third act that is completely random. At least the past/present scenes flowed seamlessly and did not take me out of the story. But I guess I just didn’t really care what made Miwako take her own life and by the end of the book, I was grateful to be done.
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