Reviewed on March 29, 2023
Use the table of contents below to choose specific topics of your choice, or simply read through the whole article! (Pro Tip: use “Alt + Left” to return to the table of contents!)
Review
In line with her first novel, The Tunnel to Summer, The Exit of Goodbyes, Mei Hachimoku’s next work is a different approach to the intimate blend of romance and science fiction. Wait For Me Yesterday in Spring is a more focused experience than her first novel—at the cost of a less riskier, less ambitious plot.
In this story, Kanae Funami returns to his hometown to find that his childhood friend’s brother had died. Strange circumstances bring him forward four days, moving in reverse to uncover what had happened—and whether he can change the future.
With her previous work in mind, Wait For Me Yesterday in Spring embodies similar concepts: family tension, intimacy between two main characters, and an enigmatic and fantastical predicament. What this work improves upon is abundantly clear:
- The presence of science-fiction is much more involved, versus the Urashima Tunnel in the previous work, which felt inactive until the latter half. Not only does this create an engaging reading experience—imagine the viewing experience of Christopher Nolan’s Memento paired with a protagonist who is more aware of his circumstances—but the science fiction is closely integrated with the romance aspects. That said, the concept of “Rollback” does end up being very convoluted (as the characters say themselves) and doesn’t have the same kind of spiritual folklore that characterized the Urashima Tunnel.
- Point-of-view shifts seem more intentional and structured: as we read Kanae moving back in time, we simultaneously read his childhood friend, Akari Hoshina, recall her life in a linear manner. What this creates is a lot of dramatic irony—we know a lot more than Kanae, and yet, not enough to dispel the entire mystery of the aforementioned death. These “interludes” between chapters is what really grounds the relationship between Kanae and Akari and was a very smart choice by Hachimoku. It maintains a familiar slice-of-life vibe amidst the plot-heavy science fiction narrative.
- On that note, the chemistry between Kanae and Akari feels much realized than the main relationship in The Tunnel to Summer, The Exit of Goodbyes. Though I miss the assertiveness of Anzu and Kaoru, the interactions between the main leads are a little cozier and more comfortable to read.
Of course, there are a few aspects that the second novel seems to retain or even regress on what Hachimoku’s first novel established. Wait For Me Yesterday in Spring really throws you into its world with no ease-in; and once the “Rollback” premise begins, you can expect some level of predictability with its progression and where the most important details will be revealed. That isn’t necessarily bad, but it makes the novel a slow burner, a waiting game of sorts.
In fact, the whole premise is an interesting challenge to essentially “reverse-develop” characters and the plot—it’s not unlike a mystery or detective novel. As a result, even though the allure of this narrative is being equally lost as Kanae, everything hinges on the final pages and what could possibly be revealed. Unfortunately, I was not left incredibly shocked or surprised, but still intrigued with how the final events engage with time paradoxes, fate, and the characters’ motivations. And the novel does not skirt around the more dark, tougher subject matter.
All and all, The Tunnel to Summer, The Exit of Goodbyes is a crazier, ambitious work, but I’d still recommend this novel for being a more cohesive experience despite playing it “safe.”
Even though I appreciate how intimate Hachimoku’s premises are, I don’t think any of her works so far have really grabbed me. This novel doesn’t push extremely far in either direction—romance or science fiction—which results in intriguing relationships and predicaments ultimately landing in familiar narrative territory. I hope Hachimoku’s future works can push past these boundaries and finally wow me. For now though, Wait For Me Yesterday in Spring is a fair read for a free weekend.
Verdict
EYE KINDA LIKE
CRITICAL RATING: 7/10
FOR ME, I’M WAITING FOR SOMETHING BETTER:
Maintaining an intimate blend of romance and science fiction, Wait For Me Yesterday in Spring is a more focused, coherent experience than Hachimoku’s previous outing—at the expense of a less ambitious plot. Though never pushing past the boundaries of familiarity, it’s a fine read if you have a weekend (and money) to spare.
CRITICAL EYE 