"Cafuné"—The story of a sister and her brother's ex-lover, beginning with a housekeeping service, touched my heart | Yoimachi Appreciation Record
I read Akiko Abe's "Cafuné," which won the 2025 Japan Booksellers' Award. Knowing it was available on Audible, I played it in the background during my long writing sessions.
The title, "Cafuné," is a Portuguese word that, according to the explanation, refers to the gesture of gently running one's fingers through the hair of a loved one. I read on while keeping in mind how that word would be brought back within the book.
A rough summary
The protagonist is Kaoruko Nomiya, a sister who has just lost her beloved younger brother to a sudden death. Following her brother's final wishes, she ends up meeting his ex-lover, Setsuna Onodera, whom she has never met before. However, Setsuna is unsociable, and Kaoruko collapses on the spot from anger and exhaustion. Kaoruko herself had been living a rough life following her divorce.
A single home-cooked meal prepared by Setsuna and the housekeeping service job called "Cafuné." From there, the time the two spend together begins to move little by little.
Points that struck a chord
Writing about pain without rushing was what stayed with me the most. It doesn't rush Kaoruko's emotions after losing her brother toward "healing" or "moving forward." The way it closes the distance—both for the reader and for Setsuna—is careful, and it felt as if I were being told, "It's okay to stay there for a while longer."
The depiction of "eating" is concrete was also impressive. Even though the cooking process, the aroma, and the contents of the refrigerator are written in detail, it doesn't feel like a recipe novel. Eating is placed with the same weight as living. That was comforting.
The lines of the relationship are fine. Conversations of various emotional intensities layer between the two, who are at a distance where they could either get close or drift apart—the relationship of a sister and an ex-lover. I liked the feeling that the story progressed not as one person's story, but as a story of two.
Reading experience
The tempo is quiet, and it's not the type to build excitement with flashy climaxes. Even so, the reason I didn't stop halfway through is that the details of the housework and the rhythm of the conversations are pleasant to read. The movement of emotions is slow and deep. After finishing it, I wanted to tidy up my own room a little.
What caught my attention as a writer
"Writing about pain quietly, yet not letting the reader go" is a type of writing that is difficult for me. Instead of pulling the reader in with excitement, it makes them read through the tactile feel of the details. Every paragraph is written without cutting corners, and I wanted to try imitating that.
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For those who are easily moved by stories about slowly rebuilding life after a loss, this might strike a chord. It might also be a good match for those who like novels that carefully write about scenes of eating.
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