The Waiting Years
Author
Enchi, Fumiko
Timeline
Enchi, Fumiko was a prominent Japanese woman writer. She was born on 2nd October 1905 in Asakusa, Tokyo, Japan and died on 12th November 1986 in Tokyo, Japan.
Synopsis
Emotional turmoil of a wife after her love is abandoned by her husband for concubines is described in this powerful story set in Japan, The Waiting Years. The milieu that the novel is set in is a Japanese family from the upper class in the last years of the 19th century. The novel is set near the Sumida River in Asakusa district. An immature, beautiful Tomo took home a maid as mistress for her husband. Gradually his lust for more and more young women grew. An introspective and innocent girl Suga belonging to an impoverished family, a seductive and flirtatious Miya, a boyish Yumi and more were the women he lusted after then dominated and rejected. All this continued with Tomo his tender, passionate wife being a tragic witness; she couldn’t do much as she followed the old fashioned codes of behaviour. Human interplay is brilliantly presented in the scenes within the ill fated Shirakawa family.
