What’s Left of Me is Yours by Stephanie Scott
{Thank you to @doubleday #partner for my advanced review copy}
“We erase events from our lives, experiences that do not fit in with the stories we tell ourselves. Still, there are some memories that hover on the periphery. They reach out to you from another time and transform a moment of joy into one of shame. From then on these recollections stay with you. They linger on the edge of your vision and say, ‘Look at what you are.’”
When Sumiko Sarashima was seven years old, her mother, Rina, was murdered. Now, as an adult and newly licensed attorney, Sumiko begins to sift through case files, video recordings, photographs, and evidence of the past to uncover the truth behind her mother’s murder. What Sumiko finds is the romantic love story between her mother and a man named Kaitaro Nakamura, a man who formerly worked as a “wakaresaseya,” a seducer hired by men to frame their wives and gain the advantage in the divorce. The further Sumiko digs, the closer she comes to learning the truth.
This book BLEW ME AWAY! The story, itself, is told in alternating viewpoints and locations— from the present of Sumiko’s research to the past of Rina’s affair with Kaitaro. As those two timelines begin to converge, Sumiko begins to fill in the gaps of her childhood memories with the truth of what was hidden from her.
In the timeline of the past, we learn that Japanese laws regarding divorce are strict, and the severing of ties leaves no room for pleasantries. When Rina’s husband hires Kaitaro to seduce her, he opens a can of worms when he really just wants the upper hand in their divorce. Though he finds Rina undesirable, he neglects to consider that the man he hires might love her for who she really is.
Not only is Stephanie Scott’s writing exquisite, but she also offers a glimpse into a cultural aspect that I was formerly unfamiliar with. To an extent, I think Sumiko, though a Japanese attorney, had also been unfamiliar with the intricacies of such legal proceedings until she began to investigate her mother’s death. I am such a sucker for a dynamic character, and Stephanie Scott delivered in more ways than one. The secrets that unfold reveal deep layers regarding the most complex emotions— those of love, betrayal, and vengeance.
It’s a slow burn to the action but incredibly well-paced in terms of the backstory and investigation. What’s Left of Me is Yours is filled with beautiful language and will surely leave you with a book hangover. Now which famous book club will make this one a monthly pick? Hmmm... 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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