"Fluctuat nec mergitur" and the Van Gogh Museum.

Although my reading history is very short, after getting a new Kindle in Japan last year, I signed up for Kindle Unlimited, and since then, I've been devouring all sorts of books as if I've had an awakening.

The first work by Maha Harada I read was "Saihate no Kanojo" (The Girl at the End of the World).
It was so interesting that I read it all in one sitting.

This exhilarating feeling became addictive, and I also read "Tsubasa o Kudasai" (Give Me Wings) in one sitting.

When I looked her up again, I found that Maha Harada has a very interesting background.

I learned that she has written several novels based on Vincent van Gogh, the painter who represents the Netherlands, where I live.

That's when I became interested in "Tayutaedomo Shizumazu" (Fluctuat nec mergitur).
This was also truly interesting; I couldn't stop turning the pages and read it all in one sitting.

I went to the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam for the first time last year. At the time, I wasn't particularly fond of Van Gogh or anything like that; I visited with a casual mindset as just another tourist spot. There, I saw works that looked like Japanese ukiyo-e. Listening to the audio guide, I thought, 'Oh, I wonder if Van Gogh was interested in Japanese paintings.'

A year has passed since then, and after reading this novel, my imagination grew, and I wanted to see Van Gogh's works up close again, so I immediately booked the Van Gogh Museum! (Since COVID, you cannot enter the Van Gogh Museum without a reservation.)

I went last Friday, and I found myself feeling strangely close to Van Gogh.
It was as if his thoughts were being conveyed through each of his works.
While recalling scenes from the novel, I found myself listening not just with my ears but with my heart, even though it was the same audio guide as last year.
I want to see even more of Van Gogh's works! I want to know what he was thinking and what message he was trying to deliver when he painted them!
I left the museum with those feelings.


For those planning to visit the Van Gogh Museum, especially those who don't have much knowledge like me, I think reading "Tayutaedomo Shizumazu" or other works by Maha Harada will make your museum visit even more enjoyable.

We Japanese and the Dutch brothers, Vincent and Theo van Gogh, connected through art. I feel a mysterious connection.
I have one more reason to love the Netherlands.