#CreativeAwardReview Isehara no Motoni / Konishi Kinoko
Is this an autobiographical novel...?
That was the feeling I had while reading it.
If you know Konishi Kinoko to some extent, you will inevitably read it by mapping Yokki to that person and Seisei to that other person...
The beginning starts at a book club at "Motoni," a coffee shop with delicious thick omelets where writers are born. Naomi-chan, a regular at the book club, is a grandmother who loves Isehara and loves literature. But Yokki doesn't call her grandmother. That's because they are "friends" through literature.
It is nonsense to categorize people by age. If you have common topics, like the same things, and can enjoy spending time together, that person is already a "like-minded friend."
Knowing that Naomi-chan, who loves her hometown so much, is leaving, Yokki decides to give her the best memory as a gift. Various colorful characters join in, and everyone runs around with all their might to make "(their friend) Naomi-chan" happy. And each one of them has their own "strength," everyone is a protagonist, and there are no supporting roles. A project that carries everyone's feelings begins, where everyone is a member of the project, and it wouldn't work if anyone were missing.
Although it was a project started for Naomi-chan, everyone is doing it because they want to. They are finding it fun.
And everyone knows.
That "making others happy" also becomes "one's own joy."
Reading this story makes you want to cherish and value the "people you have a connection with" whom you happened to meet in the same era and were able to exist in the same place.
Since we met, let's enjoy our time together to the fullest until the day "parting" comes.
This work is "Konishi Kinoko" himself.
He loves women, tries to look cool but can't, isn't popular?, a little bitM. Even though he tries quite hard, his friends always take the best parts. But he is needed by everyone, loved by everyone, and everyone helps him. And I feel like he likes himself that way (thinks he's a catch, lol), and is proud of it. I don't know, though.
Cherishing "limited time," enjoying encounters, and finding fun in everything, whether good or bad. It is a truly simple way of living.
He has many things he likes, but he has no attachment to them, and accepts things "as they are" as if to say "both meeting and parting are inevitable."
(No, maybe he finds both meeting and parting equally fun)
Fun, sadness, pain, anger,
he tastes "that moment" with all his might
and "lets it go" in the next moment.
It might feel indifferent, but he never forgets the warmth, human kindness, gratitude, and loyalty that certainly exist there.
Konishi Kinoko might be a person who has various kinds and forms of "love." He is a person who has a "vessel" that can affirm and accept everything.
The only condition to become a friend to enjoy things with is "Motoni."
In reality, the friends I still have are also "Motoni."
Isn't that interesting (lol)
A work that expresses hometown love, friendship, literary love, and the process of embodying "dreams" and "fun." A piece packed with kindness, craftiness, fun, and poignancy.
What are you talking about?
It was a wonderful story.
If you haven't read it yet, please do♪
[Notice and Request]
*I am not good at reading or writing reviews. I fear that my interpretations might be wrong or that I might include spoilers, causing trouble for the author or the work. If there are any issues, please let me know. I will take it down.
*Also, since I have my own creative work, unfortunately, I cannot read many works within my limited time. I prioritize reading works by those who have written reviews of my own work in their articles. I am sorry that I cannot easily go and read everyone's work🙇
Furthermore, I am a slow reader and it takes me a long time, so I cannot read long-form works (´；ω；`)ｳｯ…. Please understand🙇
[Introduction to Ishimoto Mori's work]
Creative Award 2025 #HorrorNovelCategory
"Distorted Thirst for Love"
Currently published on Tales♪ Thank you for your support♪
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