Creative Award Review: Deep Ink and Scarlet Flowers

A reading experience that feels like being guided

I have had the pleasure of reading "Deep Ink and Scarlet Flowers" by Toko Sakurai.

The first thing I felt when I started reading was a strange sensation, as if I were being told an old folktale or legend.

While it opens with a scene from history, it has an atmosphere that cannot be simply categorized as a period novel or horror, and before I knew it, I was naturally drawn into the story.

What left a particularly strong impression on me was the "long flow of time" that permeates the entire work.
I felt as though thoughts and emotions too heavy for a single human life to bear were being passed down through generations.

Of course, I will not touch upon the specific details, but watching the characters face something that has continued from the past makes one wonder if human feelings ever truly disappear.

Furthermore, even in scenes depicting terror, I did not feel that the sole purpose was to frighten. Rather, it seems that the sadness and poignancy hidden beneath are conveyed more quietly.

Because of this, as I read on, my curiosity about "what will happen next" was accompanied by a growing feeling of "where is this story heading?"

Another story told by the subtitles

Personally, I found the existence of the subtitles for each chapter to be very interesting.

While one would normally take them as headings to concisely indicate the content, in this work, the subtitles themselves felt like small stories. Even words I passed over casually while reading sometimes changed in impression when I looked back at them after finishing a chapter.

Perhaps they serve not as foreshadowing, but as signposts that gently guide the reader's emotions. Some hinted at what was to come, while others only revealed their meaning to my heart after I had finished reading.

While reading, I sometimes looked at just the list of subtitles.
When I did, although each was an independent phrase, they also appeared to be connected by a single thread.

I imagined that the author might have paid a great deal of attention not only to the main text but also to the placement and resonance of the subtitles.

Readers enjoy the story while following the main text, but it feels as though the subtitles are quietly speaking from just outside that experience.

Being able to enjoy even that "way of reading headings" while reading this work was a somewhat fresh experience for me.

Thinking about what it means to "protect"

After finishing the book, what remained with me was not the fear, but the word "protect."

Although the characters are in different positions, they each seem to be trying to protect what is important to them in their own way. Whether it be family, promises, or beliefs. The form varies from person to person, and I do not think there is necessarily a single correct answer.

That is precisely why there was a sense of frustration in not being able to easily judge someone's choices as good or bad. While reading, I often wondered, "What would I do in their position?" but I could not find a clear answer.

Also, this work depicts many family conversations and scenes of daily life.
I believe it is because of those casual interactions that the characters' wishes and conflicts felt more relatable. Even though special powers and mysterious events are depicted, what flows at the foundation may be very human emotions.

Even now that I have finished reading it, the striking title of deep ink wash and scarlet flowers remains in my heart. What those colors symbolize will likely be interpreted differently by each person, and I have not yet fully sorted out my own thoughts on it. However, one thing is certain: the lingering impression remains quietly even after closing the story.

While enjoying the fear and mystery, I think it was a work that made me reflect on the human emotions and family bonds hidden beneath the surface. Above all, I felt it was a story with the power to make me want to keep reading.

<Introduction to the note article>

It seems like it was a rather last-minute entry... 😅
I had seen it mentioned in things like the 'Challenge Project,' so I had assumed it was an early entry...

Sakurai-san, you also provided feedback on my work 'Beyond the Scent, Once More' (thank you for that at the time!), but judging by the various articles I've seen, I have a feeling that our tastes are incredibly compatible...

You are a fellow creator I would love to have a proper conversation with someday!
How about we start with a Space, perhaps? 🤣