心淋し川

by Naka Saijō, 西條 奈加

【第164回 直木賞受賞作】「誰の心にも淀みはある。でも、それが人ってもんでね」江戸、千駄木町の一角は心町(うらまち)と呼ばれ、そこには「心淋し川(うらさびしがわ)」と呼ばれる小さく淀んだ川が流れていた。川のどん詰まりには古びた長屋が建ち並び、そこに暮らす人々もまた、人生という川の流れに行き詰まり、もがいていた。青物卸の大隅屋六兵衛は、一つの長屋に不美人な妾を四人も囲っている。その一人、一番年嵩で先行きに不安を覚えていたおりきは、六兵衛が持ち込んだ張方をながめているうち、悪戯心から小刀で仏像を彫りだして……(「閨仏」)。ほか全六話。生きる喜びと生きる哀しみが織りなす、著者渾身の時代小説。

Genres: Japanese Literature

231 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 10, 2020

Reviews

[Miwako Adachi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This Naoki Award book has 6 short stories (makes it easier to read), all of them set at the same place ("Nagaya": see below) during the Edo Period. The main characters of each story are different, but they appear in the other stories, too. Each of them has their own troubles and worries, but they find a way out with the support of others in the "Nagaya". It's something missed in modern days, neighbors working together and helping each other. No matter what kind/level of troubles the character faces, it ends with a hope and leaves your heart warmed up. Perfect book during this time when some people feel isolated from others. I also loved how she precisely depicts the locations of the town during the Edo period, most of the places and names of the bridges still exist.)

"Nagaya" is:
In the Edo period, merchants of the middle class or higher had their stores facing main streets, but most of the other merchants and craftsmen rented dwellings in nagaya located along the back streets.T

[Emi · Rating 4 out of 5]

どの話の人物も恵まれた境遇とは言えないけれど、心にのしかかるような重たさはなく、むしろ人情の機微に触れてじんわり温かみを感じた。
「閨仏」「はじめましょ」「灰の男」が好きだった。