Pathway to Japanese Literature
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Son-in-LawAuthor: Sasaki Kuni
| Original Title | 女婿 |
|---|---|
| Author | 佐々木 邦 |
| Genre | Popular Fiction |
| Author Type | Male Author |
| Summary | In the shadow of the 1918 Spanish Influenza sweeping Tokyo, a young man’s marriage to his company director’s daughter becomes a precarious dance of societal expectations and personal pride. Kiyonosuke, a diligent employee, navigates the whispers of colleagues who mock his rapid ascent as mere nepotism, while his bride Taeko—a spirited woman of privilege—asserts her willfulness from their first days as newlyweds. Their wedding, marred by Taeko’s ominous sneezing fits and the pandemic’s looming threat, sets the stage for a union fraught with tension. As Kiyonosuke grapples with his role as a “son-in-law” in a rigidly hierarchical society, Taeko’s whims clash with his attempts to preserve dignity, from trivial spats over chestnuts to bitter disputes about friendships and privacy. Beneath their domestic battles simmers an unspoken question: Can love thrive when pride and pandemics conspire to isolate? With wit and cultural nuance, this tale probes the fragility of identity in a world where tradition and crisis collide—leaving readers to wonder whether harmony or hubris will prevail. |
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