I got to know Clarissa Goenawan in last year's Pitch Wars, and as we exchanged swoon messages about some shared submissions, I knew we had similar taste in literary fiction. Then when I saw what her debut novel was about, I was sold -- literally. I pre-ordered right away. I'm so excited to celebrate the publication of Rainbirds. Intertwining elements of suspense and magical realism, this award-winning literary debut opens with a murder and shines a spotlight on life in fictional small-town Japan.
Rainbirds takes place in Japan, which makes the premise even more exciting, since it's the setting for a number of books beloved to me -- 1Q84, The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet, A Silence Once Begun, An Artist of the Floating World, The Master of Go, and others. This novel is a story of a young man who is trying to come to terms with his older sister’s death by finding out the truth behind her murder, but in doing so, he ends up confronting his own dark secret.
Let's let Rainbirds speak for itself:
When the car had stopped at the traffic junction, a soft light had fallen onto her pale skin, highlighting her delicate features. My hand was on hers, but she didn’t say a word, nor did she look at me. She didn’t even flinch. Her body was there, but her mind wasn’t.
That night, the two of us were lonely, isolated under Tokyo’s dazzling lights.
And here's another cool thing -- it is part of a series of interrelated novels. So keep an eye on the side characters, because they might be the main characters for the next book.
As for Rainbirds, Clarissa was kind enough to share some extra details on her novel.
What inspired Rainbirds?
CG: One afternoon, I was just wondering, “What if someone I cared about suddenly passed away, and then, I realized too late that I never actually got to know them?” At first, I wanted to write a short story about a young man who had just lost his older brother, which later on, morphed to an older sister. And then, I realized there were so many things I wanted to explore in their relationship, and that this story has to be a novel.
Who's your favorite character?
CG: Rio Nakajima, also known as ‘Seven Stars.’ She’s a seventeen-year-old girl who is bright and bold, unafraid to voice her opinion and relentlessly goes after what she wants. She doesn’t care about conforming to public’s expectation, and I really admire her for that.
Clarissa, you live in Singapore, but Rainbirds is set in Japan. What kind of research did you do?
CG: I grew up reading copious amounts of manga (Japanese comic books), and I learnt Japanese language since high school, so that gave me a good starting point. I also consulted a huge number of books, essays, and articles, and asked some friends who’re familiar with Japan to be my beta readers.
Brag a little. Tell us some of the best praise you've received for Rainbirds so far.
"Luminous, sinister, and page-turning all at once. I loved it."
—Kate Hamer, internationally bestselling author of The Girl in the Red Coat and The Doll Funeral
"A beautiful mystery setup with a complex, magical love story."
—Eka Kurniawan, award-winning author of Beauty Is a Wound and Vengeance Is Mine, All Others Pay Cash
So, if you're looking to check out Rainbirds more closely, here you go!
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1616958553
Barnes & Nobles: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/rainbirds-clarissa-goenawan/1126551443?ean=9781616958558
BookDepository: https://www.bookdepository.com/Rainbirds-Clariss-Goenawan/9781616958558
Indiebound: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781616958558