This novella captures the atmospheric claustrophobia of quarantine life and slowly peels back the histories and transformations of two characters unknowable to themselves. An interesting concept and quick read.

Someone to Watch Over You is a perfect snapshot of the prosaic terror enveloping people's lives during the COVID pandemic and how fear over something we don't truly understand can morph into something cruel. For something so recent and tragic, you would think there would be more drive to remember this time of terror. To remember the global panic, remember the fear of our mortality, and to remember how to be a human. But alas, it is a time that the vast majority would actually rather forget.

This short novella is a breath of fresh air as it punches through this somewhat collective memory loss people often cling to when it comes to COVID. More than the exploration of survival, fear, and isolation, this little book explores how people find their place in the world in such a time.

How do we ensure that our sense of self is intact when our lives are dictated by fear? How do we survive in isolation, without the presence of family or community to keep us warm in a dreary time? How is it that we can be so apathetic in the face of compassion just because we're unfamiliar with it?

Questions like these are what makes this novella feel like a gut-punch. Because at some point in our lives, we forget how to be a proper human as we let our fears inform our judgment. Someone to Watch Over You is in itself a revelation of how fear can morph into mental illness. I'm not really familiar if the author has a history of mental illness, but to me, they have perfectly captured the ugly and isolating picture of what OCD and anxiety can morph into.

It's incredibly accurate but thoughtful in its portrayal. In a way, the true message of this novella for me is how mental illness cannot thrive in a space where love and community exists. Sometimes, what people really need is for someone to watch over them as they navigate this life.

This is a curious read - set at the start of the Covid period -bringing together two people find themselves isolated by the virus but also by people in their community. A short novella with brooding feeling

Both believe they are being accused of the death of two people in their respective pasts : Tae , a former teacher, is accused of turning a blind eye leading to the suicide of one of her students whilst Shinobu has accusations pointed towards him of pushing a woman during a demonstration and who subsequently died.

The two paths cross when Tae needs a plumber and Shinobu responds to her request. Initially they do not meet as Tae keeps them isolated because of the virus. But as the accusation against Tae continues, she finds she needs support in her isolation and so begins the story of this unique connection. Lonely souls brought together during a time of personal and international fear.

The prose is “to the point “ - in some senses minimal but this replicates the communication between the two- had written notes and short conversations between closed doors and walls.

Like many Japanese novels there is a sense of melancholy and surrealism - but ultimately this is a story about friendship; the need for connection and safety with another human.

(Pushkin Press on NG!?!? Is it my bday or something?)

Anyway, I finished this in one sitting. As always w Pushkin, the translation was smooth and nearly unnoticeable—only the words where English fell short skipped me up at first. Asa Yoneda is now on my radar, for sure.

Kumi Kimura accomplished so much in just over 100 pages. The length is prime for re-reads, as well—always a bonus when purchasing shorter books.

{Thank you bunches to Kumi Kimura, Asa Yoneda, Pushkin Press and NetGalley for the DRC in exchange for my honest review!}

A short, sharp novella set at the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. It centres on two characters: a middle-aged former teacher living alone after returning to her hometown from Tokyo, and a former security guard who, down on his luck, is living in a room without amenities in his brother's garden. Both are isolated on the fringes of society and grappling with incidents from their past that are coming back to haunt them. They form an unusual bond in the uncertain circumstances of the pandemic and come to depend on each other for a sense of connection in a disconnected world.

I found it fascinating to see the pandemic from the point of view of a different nation, and felt the characters were very well realised and fleshed out. I did feel the same dissatisfaction I feel with a lot of novellas translated from the Japanese in that it ended so abruptly and I didn't get closure or a happy ending!

#NetGalley

3.5/5

buckle. the. f. up.

the story is set in the the early days of 2020, as the world shuts down in fear, this novel follows two strangers trying to outrun their pasts. a former security guard, infamous for knocking down a protester who later died, and a disgraced teacher, accused of driving a student to suicide, end up sharing a home. but instead of companionship, they settle into a tense, wordless existence—communicating only through notes, never truly acknowledging each other’s presence.

this is a novel that thrives on silence. the characters keep their distance, physically and emotionally, creating an atmosphere thick with unease. there's no trust, no real connection, just two people hiding in the same space, hoping the outside world forgets them. but as the days stretch on, the question lingers: can you really escape the past, or does it seep into the walls, into your own mind, until there’s nowhere left to run? i also love that it captures the eerie unreality of those first pandemic months—the isolation, the paranoia, the way time seemed to slow down. more than that, it’s a sharp, unsettling look at guilt and what it means to live under the weight of your worst mistake. there is no neat resolution here, no redemption arc—just a creeping tension that stays with you long after you turn the last page.

it really was a heavy, heartbreaking read, but one that feels painfully real. a story about disconnection, fear, and the thin line between survival and self-destruction. HAUNTING, but in the best way.

4.5 stars ⭐️

Incredibly haunting, and eerie. I was instantly captivated. The book was a slow burn that kept burning, and the fire wasn't extinguished due to its ambiguous ending. I'm longing to discuss this book with others and explore alternative theories. The gradual dependency that developed on Tae's side, along with her desperate need for company, was masterfully subtle. This is the kind of book that plays with your mind, contorting your reality of the narrative just as the character likely experienced in her isolation. Shinobu and Tae are both extremely complex characters living confined lives, and we see how this inevitably takes its toll on their mental states.

Tae and Shinobu form a fascinating codependency, bonded by their shared burdens: the haunting possibility that they may have caused deaths and their mutual isolation. The themes of self-harm are sensitively explored and quite painful to read and hear about. Shinobu's relationship with his niece Runa remains both disturbing and intriguing—her paradoxical interest in him despite apparent contempt raises compelling questions. The community they inhabit proves just as constraining as the home Tae creates for herself and Shinobu, both environments poisoned by fear and judgment

I do wish this had been a longer read—the story felt unfinished and left me yearning to know their fates. I wanted to delve deeper into Tae's deteriorating mental state, which became increasingly disturbing as the narrative progressed. Similarly, Shinobu's decline remained enigmatic: why did he stop eating? Was this his attempt to finally gain control in his uncontrolled life?

Overall, this was a gripping read with a compelling story, beautifully descriptive writing, and authentic characters. I couldn't put it down, finishing it within two hours. However I would love to see a sequel that explores the unresolved elements of the story.

Thank You NetGalley for the ARC

Set in Japan, during the initial COVID outbreak, we follow a woman who hires a handyman to unblock her drains. They are both haunted by incidents that happened earlier in their lives, and through a series of events, he ends up residing in her house and essentially acting as her security guard.
There is a feeling of unease and claustrophobia that escalates the longer they live together which I found effective. I think if I were to have an issue with the book it was that I felt fairly disconnected from the characters, but nevertheless I enjoyed it.