‘
‘Memorial’ by Bryan Washington is a quiet yet powerful novel set in Houston and Osaka, exploring love, family, and the complexities of human connection. The story follows Ben and Mike, a couple whose relationship is already strained when unexpected circumstances push them further apart.
Ben and Mike fight a lot. Then, Mike’s mother, Mitsuko, arrives from Japan to stay in their cramped one-bedroom apartment—meeting Ben for the first time. Just days later, Mike abruptly leaves for Osaka to care for his dying father, leaving Ben and Mitsuko alone to navigate their unfamiliar and uneasy coexistence.
In Houston, Ben and Mitsuko slowly learn to understand each other through shared meals and quiet conversations, while in Osaka, Mike is forced to confront his complicated past. As the novel unfolds, it becomes a tender and deeply nuanced meditation on family—both the one we’re born into and the one we choose.
CW: domestic abuse, racism, homophobia, alcoholism
Comentarios