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Four Seasons in Japan

Four Seasons in Japan

Summary

A completely heartwarming novel about the power of books and connection between generations, perfect for fans of The Lost Bookshop.

FROM THE AUTHOR OF THE CAT AND THE CITY, A BBC RADIO 2 BOOK CLUB PICK

'Vibrant and accomplished' David Mitchell, on The Cat and the City
‘Every book worm would love this’ Glamour
‘A love letter to Japanese culture’ Country & Town House

Flo is sick of Tokyo.

Suffering from a crisis in confidence, she is stuck in a rut, her translation work has dried up and she's in a relationship that's run its course.

That's until she stumbles upon a mysterious book left by a fellow passenger on the Tokyo Subway.

From the very first page, Flo is transformed and immediately feels compelled to translate this forgotten novel, a decision which sets her on a path that will change her life.

As Flo follows the characters across a year in rural Japan, through the ups and downs of the pair's burgeoning relationship, she quickly realises that she needs to venture outside the pages of the book to track down its elusive author.

And, as the two protagonists reveal themselves to have more in common with her life than first meets the eye, the lines between text and translator converge, and it soon becomes clear that Flo’s journey is just beginning…


Readers have fallen in love with Four Seasons in Japan:

My favourite novel, a delight for lovers of Japan… Ingenious’ David Abulafia, author of The Boundless Sea

‘A gentle, tender and thoughtful book …crafted in such a way that you want to savour every chapter’ Culturefly

What a thrill to be transported to Japan… Warm, wise, and exquisitely written’ Violet Kupersmith, author of Build Your House Around My Body

A book about a book!! So clever… so believable’ Reader review, five stars

I savoured every line… a world and characters that are completely engrossing’ Bea Setton, author of Berlin

Quirky, complex and compelling… two stories for the price of one’ Reader review, five stars

What an incredibly beautiful and moving book full of warmth and wisdom!!!’ Reader review, five stars

Reviews

  • Surprisingly moving ... This is a novel that occupies multiple worlds in multiple ways ... a postmodern riddle while also making for an emotionally engaging story ... there's something here for everyone.
    The Times

About the author

Nick Bradley

Nick Bradley holds a PhD from UEA focussing on the figure of the cat in Japanese literature. He lived in Japan for many years where he worked as a translator, and currently teaches on the Creative Writing master's programme at the University of Cambridge. His debut novel, The Cat and The City, was published in 2020.
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