Work

Captive in a foreign land, a man and woman are forced to “make love” to each other as a spectacle. When they return home, they try to overwrite the tragic memory with “true love,” the conclusion presents a real twist. The titular story The Transparent Labyrinth takes form in a symbol of Hirano’s fourth period. The six stories in this collection delicately tell the tale of those who don’t fit into society with pathos and humor. In Re: Yoda’s Request, the sense of time after a disaster becomes a fanciful notion, while The Missing Honeybees reveals the surprising secret of a lonely postal worker. This polished work boasts rich narratives and profoundly subtle characters, breaking new ground in Hirano’s storytelling.