Tokyo Fiancée
| File:NiDÈveNiDAdam.jpg First edition | |
| Author | Amélie Nothomb |
|---|---|
| Original title | Ni d'Ève ni d'Adam |
| Translator | Alison Anderson |
| Country | Belgium |
| Language | French |
| Genre | Novel |
| Publisher | Albin Michel |
Publication date | 2007 |
| Pages | 238 |
| ISBN | 978-2-226-17964-7 |
Tokyo Fiancée (French: Ni d'Ève ni d'Adam "Neither Eve nor Adam") is an autobiographical novel by the Belgian writer Amélie Nothomb. It appeared on 20 August 2007 published by Éditions Albin Michel. A film adaptation was released in 2014.
The novel is partially concurrent with Nothomb's earlier novel, Fear and Trembling.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8]
Plot
Emilie, a Belgian girl born in Japan, returns to her childhood home of Tokyo and dreams of living there. Emilie believes that the most effective way to learn Japanese is to teach French, so she meets Rinori, a sophomore studying French. The two become friends and lovers as they go from teacher to student.[citation needed]
The couple experience cultural differences. Emily likes to taste Japanese food, while Rinori likes Western food. He prepares Japanese food for Emily, but does not eat it himself. The Japanese things that Emily admires are of no interest to Rinori. Rinori takes Emily back to her memories of Japan. Emily's Japanese improves rapidly thanks to Rinori, and so does Rinori's French.[citation needed]
Awards
The novel was nominated for the Prix Goncourt in 2007 and the Prix Renaudot 2007. It won Prix de Flore in 2007.
Press
- May 30 2009 Lotus Reads: "a contemporary love story, where the woman's love of independence trumps her desire to be loved and needed."
- May 5 2009 Raintaxi: "Nothomb offers no false resolution of the novel’s conflict between personal freedom and emotional intimacy, and this unresolved tension makes Tokyo Fiancée convincing and compelling."
- Apr 4 2009 Amélie Nothomb Live on the Leonard Lopate Show
- Feb 19 2009 The Asian Review of Books: "Tokyo Fiancee is sparse, sardonic, intelligent, cross-culturally aware, simultaneously detached and engage"
- Feb 19 2009 The Temple News: "Tokyo Fiancée is either a love story about language or a language story about love."
- Feb 15 2009 Metropolis (Japan): "Nothomb skillfully uses the pair’s language exchange and intercultural relationship to offer deep insights into, and make sharp comments on, Japanese traditional culture and Bubble Era society."
Adaptations
Tokyo Fiancé was adapted to the cinema in 2015 by Stefan Liberski. Amélie is played by the Belgian actress Pauline Étienne.
References
- ^ Quarterly conversation. com, Review by Matthew Jakubowski
- ^ Fay, Sarah (January 2, 2009). "East Meets West, East Loses West". The New York Times Book Review. Retrieved January 19, 2010.
- ^ Complete-Review
- ^ Seattle Time old, Michael Upchurch, "Tokyo Fiancée" is a wacky cultural romp", 2009
- ^ Asian review of books
- ^ Boston Globe
- ^ Seeing the World through books
- ^ The Japan times
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