In a meandering, speculative futuristic tale, questions about voice and connectivity pervade the novel with linguistic playfulness. Written with a measured, steady beat, the shambolic exploits of the quirky, screwball characters are truly bizarre which makes reading a fun if bewildering experience. The identity issues in a warming world are inventively multifaceted leading to imaginative conundrums and a future world imbued with possibilities.
I’ve heard that in the country where Susanoo spent his childhood, they had very advanced writing tools, including a special pen you could use to write letters in the air. It was used by people who were so afraid their words might hurt someone that they couldn’t say anything at all. Sometimes there were so many words scrawled in the air that the inhabitants had trouble breathing. From an early age, children were expected to read this air writing at a glance, and then walk by, pretending they hadn’t noticed. Those who couldn’t perfect this skill choose to be outcasts, apparently, and stay shut up in their houses or go on to successful careers as politicians.
