時生：To live in the moment

I got completely absorbed in *Tokio*. When I started reading it, I wrote on X, "If my time ever comes, I’d love to go back to the past and meet my family." And honestly, I still feel that way. But when I mentioned it to my husband, he said, "You don’t need to come visit me." He finds the idea scary. That’s a shame. So I joked, "Then I’ll just make a wish on the camphor tree," but then I remembered—you need to have a blood connection for that.

It’s such a brilliant novel. At the same time, though, I found myself annoyed by Takumi’s short temper and carelessness. His life did change thanks to Tokio, though. Still, I was hoping for a slightly different ending. Mystery writers must go through countless ideas during their brainstorming process, but in the end, they have to narrow it down and focus on a single direction. Maybe they save alternative endings for other stories.

It’s an incredible talent, but I imagine it comes with struggles beyond anything I could imagine.

*Tokio* is definitely a book I recommend!

「時生」夢中で読んでしまった。　「私もその時が来たら、過去に戻って家族と会いたい」と、時生を読み始めた時にXに書いたけど、ほんとにそう思う。夫に言ったら、会いにこなくていいという。　怖いらしい。　残念だなぁ。では、「クスノキに祈念するわ」と言ったら、血のつながりがないとダメだったと思い出す。

「時生」素晴らしい小説だと思う反面、拓実の気の短さ、いい加減さに腹がたつ。時生のおかげで生き方変わったよね。だけど、ラストは、もう少し違う展開を期待しちゃった。　推理作家っていうのは、物語のブレインストーミング中にあらゆる展開が浮かんでも、最終的には、ポイントを絞らなくてはいけない。他のエンディングは、他の物語に使うという具合になるのかなぁ。素晴らしい才能だ。その分私などには考えられないほどの苦労もあるだろうけれど。

お薦めの一冊です。