Japanese novelist Kenzaburo Oe’s latest novel published in Chinese

Japanese novelist Kenzaburo Oe’s latest book is his most complex work to date. It evolved after he was forced to defend himself in court against accusations of libel. Mei Jia reports.

When Japanese Nobel laureate Kenzaburo Oe’s latest novel, Sui Shi (Death by Water), was released in Chinese in mid-July by Gold Wall Press, the novel caused a buzz among Chinese writers and critics, being an unusually difficult read.

Writer Yan Lianke, one of Oe’s faithful readers, says he spent one day finishing Oe’s award-winning The Silent Cry and two days on The Beautiful Annabel Lee Was Chilled and Killed, whereas in the three days he saved for Sui Shi, he was only able to finish half.