Autumn Brocade

Book excerpt: A masterpiece of simplicity and beauty,Kinshuis an epistolary novel by one of Japan's most popular literary authors. Life, death, karma-these interwoven themes form the heart of Teru Miyamoto's lyrical novel in letters,Kinshu: Autumn Brocade, the first work to be published in the U.S. by this internationally acclaimed author. The word kinshu has many connotations-brocade, poetic writing, the brilliance of autumn leaves-and here resonates as a vibrant metaphor for the complex, intimate relationship between Aki and Yasuaki, a divorced and long-estranged couple. Ten years after their divorce, they meet by chance at a mountain resort. In a flood of emotions and memories, Aki initiates a new correspondence, and letter by letter through the seasons, the secrets of their past unfold as they reflect on their present struggles. From a lover's suicide to a father's controlling demands, the story moves seamlessly through their deeply introspective exchanges. What begins as a series of accusations and apologies, questions and excuses, turns into a source of mutual support and healing.