Review: A man

A Man by Keiichirō Hirano
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is an excellent book. The title is so simple, but it raises an interesting question that is explored in this novel on several levels. "A man" - no adjective! What kind of man are we thinking about here? The title is a little like presenting a blank sheet of paper. I soon realised that this book was about how people deal with identity and self. This is about a Japanese man, a third-generation Korean immigrant, a husband, a father, a lawyer, a friend, a support, an adversary and, above all, a reflective man who thinks things through, very deeply. I really enjoyed those passages that explored what it means to be man. Unlike many authors, this one seems equally adept at developing female as well as male characters. The book is underpinned by a wonderful tradition of Japanese storytelling, sometimes reminding me of the Tale of Genji, sometimes of Manga. The easy moving between crowded cities and bloss0m-laden parks ot mountainous forests was a delight. The structure of the story was wonderfully multi-layered, offering insights into many aspects of the human condition in an entertaining and exploratory way.

The locations are described in wonderful detail. The atmosphere of the bars, houses and other locations are strongly portrayed. Most of all, the characters are really very distinct and alive. There was a very strong sense of getting to know them, with their individual foibles and manners. The storyline is amazing, focusing on a curious idea of people swapping their identities. This is a serious contravention of the law and seems rather unusual. The lawyer who gets interested in this strange and complex web of mystery is a very interesting character indeed. Like many good lawyers, his strong internal moral code is mixed with a lot of empathy for the people he meets and those who he represents or has to cross. The thoughtfully articulated interactions between self and others seem, from my experience, to be a distinctive feature of people in this part of the world. It is such a refreshing change from so much of the modern narrative that defends strident narcissism and entitlement. It was mentally cleansing to be focused on the rights of others, and the duties of the self, rather than the other way around.

I want to read more by this author, but there is very little that has been translated into English. I am so sad to have finished this because I enjoyed being in the moment at every point.

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