Jun 30, 2020
Stephanie Scott is a Singaporean-British writer who was born and
raised in South East Asia. She joins Carol to discuss her debut
novel, What's Left of Me is Yours.
Set in modern-day Tokyo, the novel follows the story of an agent
who is hired to seduce Sato's wife and give him advantage in his
divorce; this tradition is called “wakaresaseya” (literally
“breaker-upper”). Sato's wife, Rina, and this agent, Kaitaro, end
up in a relationship that is much deeper than the one he was hired
for. Kaitaro makes choices that will destroy Rina's family and
which sow seeds of uncertainty that will impact Rina's daughter,
Sumiko. As a young woman, Sumiko, is left to unravel the mysteries
that ruined her mother’s life. Stephanie Scott portrays this family
dilemma with brilliance and grace, opening up questions of
possession, divorce, love, and lawmaking that causes ripples over
generations.
Carol and Stephanie discuss Stephanie’s intense research into the
cultural nuances and legal system of Japan, and Stephanie opens up
about how her education in literature evolved into her desire to
tell this story, which had its roots in a real-life crime. With an
exploration of a culture many Americans may be unfamiliar with and
a deeper look at her character's lives, this is an interview -- and
a book -- that you don't want to miss.
Books discussed in this episode:
What's Left of Me is Yours by Stephanie Scott
Sign up for the weekly Bookreporter.com newsletter here
FOLLOW US
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bookreporter
Website: https://www.bookreporter.com