Lonelyhearts

This is an interesting and funny story with a surprising ending. The writer is a Brazilian. Because I haven’t read any Brazilian writers’ books, I was curious about what the story would be.

I thoroughly enjoyed the story. The protagonist works for a newspaper company, Women, as an advisor for those who have problems in their lives. In fact, the protagonist himself writes a letter asking for a solution, and he himself gives advice.

He is a well-read person and create exciting stories borrowing from ancient mythologies.

But finally, the letters to him were written by the editor.

I have read a lot of American and British novels and short stories, but this was the first time to read a Brazilian story.

However, after I read the story, I realized human beings, whether American, British, Japanese, or Brazilian, have the same problems common to all people, present and past.

猫と庄造と二人のをんな 谷崎潤一郎

 猫一匹を題材にしてこんなに長い小説を書くことができるのか。猫を可愛がる庄造と、庄造の先妻と後妻と、庄造の母親を巻き込んでの罵り合い、嫉妬、憎しみ、悔悟のドラマが延々と続く。庄造がいかに猫を可愛がっているかが、事細かに描かれている。くどいくらい。庄造が後妻を恐れながらも、猫に会いたさで、先妻の家に行く。彼の心情が手に取るように描かれている。小説家はこれぐらい細かく心理を描くべきなのか。しかし、当の本人（本猫）は庄造の気持ちは全然わかっていなくて、悠然としている点が面白い。

The Egg by Sanae Lemoine published 2024

The story begins: “The school gave us the eggs at the end of autumn. … One for each student.”

The beginning of the story is good for it hooks the reader to want to read more, curious to know what will happen to the eggs.

However, the story does not develop. It has no plot, but is just a collection of the protagonist’s diary day after day.

In the end, her mother, ill in bed and weak, eats the yolk of the egg which is accidentally broken.

The students allow their imaginations about the eggs run wild, but finally her egg was eaten. Big imagination and too simple an end.

The story is a combination of imagination and practicality.