A subtle but thought-provoking novella about alienation, belonging and the weight of the past.

This is the story of Tae, a former school teacher who has moved back home after a death and Shinobu, an out-of-work security guard whose past looms over him, and their unexpected connection throughout COVID-dominated 2020. There’s very little plot, though - while I found this engaging and eerie some readers will definitely find it dull.

For me the strength of the book is were the themes - it covered the value of connection, exclusion in small town Japan and the way people’s pasts linger with them really effectively: very much by showing rather than lecturing. The setting was another strength - the anxieties of lockdown were clear in an understated way.

This is the kind of book where you’re left to ponder what really happened and how much of what you’re shown is true. While I found that worked really well for the character’s pasts, I liked it a bit less when it came to the time the characters spent together as it all felt quite vague as things progressed.

All in all an enjoyable novella that was both thought-provoking and easy to read. Great for those who like books with themes and enjoy being allowed to reach your own views, less so for those who want plenty of plotting.

Thank you to Kumi Kimura, Pushkin Press and NetGalley providing an ARC of Someone to Watch Over You in return for an honest review.

Someone to Watch Over You by Kumi Kimura (translated by Asa Yoneda)

Tae is a former teacher in her 40s and lives alone during the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in Japan. She is frugal, lonely, and scared when the people in the town she moved to starts to assault and intimidate her. She moved to escape her past, which she will not speak of to anyone.

Shinobu is in his 30s, a recently homeless handyman & former security guard who gets dealt with the bad cards in life again & again. He and Tae are strangers until one day he gets a call from her looking for a handyman to clear her bathroom drain.

In a brooding, somewhat eerie and sombre town where a recent mysterious murder at the cleaners happened, the two find an unlikely platonic, safe, symbiotic housemate in each other for a while, but Tae’s past catches up with her. Someone is lurking around her house, someone is watching. And slowly, Shinobu strangely seems to need less and less from her.

The ending is abit of a cliffhanger and… HAD MY BLOOD RUN COLD. I don’t entirely sure I know what it means, but if it’s what I think… 😱😱😱

This novella is about 112 pages long, a fast read, but one I had to go through slowly because of the details. It embodies the Japanese strict attitude towards hygiene, order, peace and quiet, and the loneliness we never know what to do with, of living in a society yet being an outcast. As humans, we can be really, really unkind to one another, and this is a story of the connections we put up with when community is scarce. The writing is more atmospheric than plot-driven, but it still does tell the characters’ story with abit of back & forth between time and different focuses in the chapters.

Sometimes, we just need someone to watch over us.

Content advisory: self-harm, death, assault, references to pornography, infectious diseases.

I’d give this a 3.5/5

Thank you @pushkinpress and @netgalley for an advanced copy of this.

Someone to Watch Over You publishes on 3rd June 2025!

#bbbreviews #SomeoneToWatchOverYou #KumiKimura #netgalley #pushkinpress #ARCreader #ARCreviews #japaneseliteraryfiction #storiesOnCovid #translatedfictions

I adore Japanese fiction for its simplicity, whilst capturing the food culture and a special eerieness. The MCs are unconventional, real humans facing isolation, loneliness, and deteriorating mental and physical states. I read it in one sitting, feeling unease, an elegant claustrophobic atmosphere, inviting to reflections and speculations.

I can see this on the shelf next to Nanae Aoyama's 'A Perfect Day to Be Alone' and Atsuhiro Yoshida's 'Goodnight Tokyo'.

I have always been drawn to Japanese fiction for its simplicity and its ability to evoke visceral human emotions in unexpected ways.

This novella is a deep dive into the beauty of solitude that tells the story of two lonely individuals who have been unjustly abandoned by society due to certain circumstances. They are dealing with their own problems and trying to navigate their existence in this world during the pandemic. Unbeknownst to them, they are drawn to each other because of their similarities, and they gradually begin to care for one another, finding hope in isolation. The way this story represents the development of genuine human emotions and connections through a journey of isolation and love felt incredibly realistic and believable.

I found myself longing for more of their moments together. This is a story that will leave you wanting to know more about their journey, and I truly adore it.

I got this book from NetGalley via Pushkin Press. I am grateful to them for providing me with an advanced reader copy prior to its release.

A very curious little novella. Two lonely people, both accused of murder, find meaning in helping to keep the other person alive. "Someone to Watch Over You" is a perfect title for this; it highlights how having a connection with another person, no matter how slight, can change your life. The writing and atmosphere are both strong.

Ultimately, though, I felt like there was so much description of things I didn't care about, like meals and sleeping arrangements, and so little about what I actually cared about, which were Tae and Shinobu's inner lives and their growing relationship with each other. Tae also felt like a less developed character than Shinobu; I wish we had really delved more into her feelings from her own perspective.

Still, I think the voice and exploration of themes of loneliness, regret, and human connection are strong.

Thank you to Pushkin Press and NetGalley for the advanced copy.

AGH.
Bummer.
This one just wasn't for me.
I am still really thankful to Pushkin Press, Kumi Kimura, and Netgalley for granting me an advanced digital copy to this book before it hits shelves on June 3, 2025.

This is quite a strange book, one that starts well, and is gripping, but then loses its way somewhat, I feel.

We meet a character, Tae, who is living in her parents' house (they have died) after moving back to her small town from Tokyo. She is, clearly, damaged - and it turns out that she has been accused of causing the death of one of her students in her class. He drowned - and she, allegedly, didn't do anything about the bullying he experienced, therefore the family blame her for what happened to him. Seemingly, Tae is lonely - her town is deserted - this is taking place in 2020, in the pandemic. I do find it hard to believe, though, that the town would be quite so empty - it seems somewhat unrealistic. Tae calls a handyman to help her with some jobs, ostensibly for house maintenance but it's more a case of reaching out to someone to ease her loneliness. Shinobu comes into her life living a miserable existence, too - one that is tantamount to abuse, getting by by living in his brother's shed. He is, oddly, bullied by his niece who sends him the most awful text messages, black-mailing him and requesting that he gives her money to help pay for a friend's sick dog. It is all quite odd in that she accuses him of acting in gay porn and doing other things that she hopes will make him cough up.

Tae and Shinobu spend longer together - she allows him to 'live' in her house but not see her. Essentially, she wants him to keep guard as she gets death threats and do other things, such as clean obscene graffiti off her house and car. It is all quite bizarre, and all the while, a strange, neglected landscape continues to feel quite alien as they 'exist' in their odd worlds.

This feels very Japenese in its outlook and construction - and as it is a translation, there are a few bits which, I feel, don't quite work. It leaves me feeling somewhat indifferent about this read but pleased that I read it - it is short which I think goes in its favour.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC.

i really enjoyed this book. i definitely recommend it. thank you so much pushkin press for giving me a galley!

A short novel about two strangers who meet during the pandemic in a Japanese neighborhood. I had high hopes but it left me unsatisfied and disconnected. It may be a hard read for anyone not familiar with the Japanese language, several words are not explained or translated (I'm Japanese so it was okay for me). Thanks to #netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is a short and fast read. I however did not care much for the characters much or the plot in this book. I just didn’t connect with it and the characters as much as i was hoping but that’s no fault of the anyone. I did feel empathy for some situations in the book but I just didn’t connect to the writing style I feel. I would probably read something else from the author in future I just did not connect to this story.

'Someone to Watch Over You' is a novella that offers a tense and paranoid atmosphere to its readers while telling a story about two individuals who are forced to connect during a period of crisis, both internal and external. It will resonate with the readers of our time due to our shared experience of lockdown during the recent times of pandemic and also due to its exploration of a society that's turning progressively intrusive, forcing its participants more and more into isolation.

This was an interesting read for me. This was my first time reading a Japanese (translated) novella. While the story was intriguing and wonderfully written, I had a hard time with it. It could be the style in which these novellas are written. That is in no way a reflection of the author as they wrote superbly.

Having said that, with the story taking place during the pandemic, the reader will surely connect with certain feelings throughout. I certainly did . Connection is needed even when we don’t think it necessary. Having someone along for a ride is needed, especially someone who can relate even the slightest. I will say I did appreciate getting a sense of the pandemic from another point of view, another culture/country.

Overall this was a decent read but an unfamiliar style to me. I am definitely going to go back and give it a reread. It is beautifully written. I am thankful to NetGalley, Pushkin Press, & Kumi Kimura for providing me with an ARC of Someone to Watch Over You for my honest feedback.

What a weird and wonderful story. I was approved to read this as an ARC from NetGalley and Pushkin Press, which I'm very grateful for as I love Japanese stories.

Set during a pandemic (the description says COVID but that isn't mentioned in the story), two people end up crossing paths. Both are lonely, accused of doing something horrible and struggling with their current situations having moved back from Tokyo. The community are suspicious of any outsiders, making things even more difficult for the pair of them.

I warmed to Tae, in a weird way. She lives life according to her own rules and no one else's, whereas Shinobu has no choice but to rely on others. The two of them develop an odd dependency on each other, despite mostly communicating through notes or bell-rings. I'd love to know what happens next, but I also think this novella is perfect as it is.

The translation was wonderful as well.

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