Though Yen Press are of course greatest identified for publishing manga and lightweight novels, often additionally they publish extra conventional Japanese novels. Right now, I’m right here to overview one such instance, The God of Nishi-Yuigahama Station by creator Takeshi Murase.

This guide opens at the start of spring, when a significant incident has occurred in Kamakura. A practice derailed shortly after leaving Nishi-Yuigahama Station, ensuing within the demise of sixty-eight of the 100 and twenty-seven passengers who had been onboard on the time. Two months later, a hearsay begins to unfold that there’s a ghost on the station with the ability to ship individuals again to the day of the incident. This affords these left behind the possibility to say their final goodbyes, however they have to observe 4 guidelines if they need this chance:

• Chances are you’ll board the practice solely from the station the place the doomed rider first boarded.
• You mustn’t inform the doomed rider that they’re quickly to die.
• You should get off the practice at or earlier than passing Nishi-Yuigahama Station. In any other case, you, too, shall die within the accident.
• Assembly the doomed rider won’t change their destiny. It doesn’t matter what you do, those that died within the accident won’t come again to life. In case you try to get individuals off the practice earlier than it derails, you can be returned to the current day.

From there, The God of Nishi-Yuigahama Station is split into 4 brief tales, all following a personality who misplaced somebody vital to them within the incident, be it a long-term accomplice, a dad or mum or their past love. Every story begins with a background displaying the connection between our principal character and their beloved one, earlier than reaching the day of the incident after which displaying us the alternatives they make after assembly the ghost on the station.

Whereas every of the tales is disconnected from the others, creator Takeshi Murase does do a very good job of threading them collectively. Because the guide goes on, we see the characters we met within the earlier tales pop up in stunning locations. And the fourth and remaining story is in regards to the practice conductor who was onboard the service that day, which felt like a great way to spherical off the story.

The first of the 4 tales is the very best because it’s given essentially the most time to develop the lead, a lady who misplaced her fiancé, who was her childhood sweetheart. All of the chapters are comparatively brief, however they definitely get shorter as they go, which doesn’t go away rather a lot of wiggle room when that is solely a 170-page guide as it’s. Nonetheless, they’re all properly written, even when it feels just like the later ones could not have the identical emotional depth as the primary.

After all, the frequent theme right here is grief. How we individually cope with the loss of a beloved one, and the way we transfer ahead from that. Regardless of the slightly miserable premise, this can be a guide that’s pretty optimistic about humanity and their capability to bounce again from even essentially the most painful of issues. And whereas the ghost practice is a whimsical approach of getting individuals to cope with these bottled-up feelings, I did take pleasure in its utilization right here and the way it helped every of the 4 characters come to phrases with the passing of their beloved one.

An opportunity to say goodbye is one thing we’d all want for in a state of affairs like that, so to see that chance come up is sort of a cheerful factor in its personal approach. This gained’t be a novel for everybody as a result of material, however in case you are okay studying about such a tragic accident and the aftermath, then I feel there may be each consolation and pleasure to be present in studying it.

As talked about, The God of Nishi-Yuigahama Station has been dropped at the West due to Yen Press below their Yen ON imprint. The novel has been translated by Giuseppe di Martino, and it reads properly on the entire with nothing in the best way of points.

That is Murase’s solely novel to be translated into English to this point, however researching the creator, I found that they’ve a number of different works below their belt, one of which has an analogous theme the place there’s a god who helps individuals with their issues. I hope Yen Press will even deliver that over to the West, in addition to their award-winning debut a couple of Rakugo storyteller, sooner or later.

General, The God of Nishi-Yuigahama Station is an fascinating novel tackling a troublesome topic with rather a lot of respect. It leaves the reader with a way of optimism for the long run and the idea that there’s all the time a approach ahead. It gained’t be for everybody, however for many who do join with it, there’s rather a lot to love right here.

Our overview copy from Yen Press was equipped by Diamond E-book Distributors UK.