I typically don’t gravitate toward novels that err on the side of mystery as patience has never been a virtue of mine. Goenawan’s balance of mystery and creative discretion with poignant and timely disclosures in her latest novel, Watersong, left me aching to know more but not in a manner that felt tiresome or tedious, a distinction that felt particularly salient to me and my personal taste as a reader. In short, she is a master of literary suspense.

Shouji, our protagonist, begins work at a mysterious company that offers ‘listening’ services to its prestigious clients. Following a complication with one of his company’s most powerful clients, Shouji must leave Akakawa. But his girlfriend, Youko, is nowhere to be found. Haunted by dreams of drowning and the words of a fortune-teller who warned him of three women with water in their names, Shouji travels to Tokyo to track the ever-elusive Youko down. The narrative that follows is equal parts mystical, mesmerising, and mysterious whilst also offering poignant insights into the intersection between one’s past and future, love lost and love found, and the broader human condition.

I devoured this novel in a single setting. A delectable, easy read and in my humble opinion, ideal company during these long, cold winter nights we’ve been experiencing as of late.

- Carolina