[Self-Appointed Book Review Club] Step: Kiyoshi Shigematsu

[Book Introduction]

His wife, Tomoko, passed away when their daughter, Miki, was a year and a half old. Since then,
Kenichi has raised his only daughter with great care as a single father.

Sometimes, he was told terrible things because there was no mother.
Sometimes, he was helped by the kindness of those around him.
Sometimes, he had to be careful around his in-laws.
And he shed tears over his daughter's growth...

This is a story depicting ten years in the life of a family that moves forward while carrying sadness in their hearts and living alongside that loneliness.

[Review]

*The following contains some spoilers, so please be careful if you haven't read it yet.

Never forgetting Tomoko, who left this world at a young age, continuing to love her, and sharing memories. It was deeply moving to see how the connections
Tomoko left behind helped the relationship between the in-laws and Kenichi grow into a bond even stronger than that of true parents and child. It wasn't something gained overnight, but something built over many years. Literally, by taking 'steps'...

The words spoken by his father-in-law in the passage about how people who aren't blood-related parents are called 'stepfathers' and 'stepmothers' in English were impressive. You can't become a family just by standing still. You have to take a step forward and walk the steps. Taking time to bridge the distance... In terms of non-blood-related parents and children becoming a family over time, it had something in common with 'Last Night's Curry, Tomorrow's Bread' and the 'Tsubaki Stationery Store' series that I read before.

Nana-san and Miki were struggling with their relationship, and the scene where his father-in-law scolded Kenichi was truly passionate!

Kenichi and Miki, Nana-san, the in-laws and Yoshihiko-san and his wife, the nursery teacher Kero-sensei, the photographer Reika-san, the cafe clerk Naruse-san, and Tomoko's classmates... the kindness of all the characters touched my heart. Although
Kenichi did the main child-rearing as a single father, Miki grew up to be a truly kind child because she received kindness from so many people around her.

Everyone encounters moments in life where they feel sadness or loneliness. Without looking away from the sadness, facing those lonely feelings, and still moving forward. It's probably impossible to live without regrets. It was a gentle and warm work that seemed to affirm everyone who lives while carrying something, getting lost, and having regrets, and it felt like it was standing by my side. I'm really glad I read it.