Genevieve Alexander ‘28, Sidwell Friends School
Tomihiko Morimi’s The Tatami Time Machine Blues, translated by Emily Balistrieri, is a sequel to Morimi's Tatami Galaxy, and I enjoyed reading it just as much as the first installment. With the book exploring the genre of magical realism and psychological fiction, it drew me right in.
The book follows an unnamed protagonist, who is a college student living in Kyoto. Unfortunately, on a scorching summer day, his “worst” friend, Ozu, spills Coca-Cola on the remote controlling the only air conditioning in the building, leaving him and his friends melting in the heat. While discussing what to do, a boy named Tamura appears, claiming he is from 25 years in the future. He shows off his time machine, and the protagonist has a brilliant idea. He can go back in time and get the remote before Ozu spills Coca-Cola on it. It’s a foolproof plan until many wrenches are thrown in his way, including the space time continuum breaking.
I particularly liked the sarcastic nature of the protagonist and how he immaturely views the world. He is not a perfect person; he’s a slacker and puts himself before others, but he is a fun character to watch and see how he figures out time travel and what the past and future holds. The cast of characters are exciting and animated, and are all flawed in their own way.
One aspect that irritated me was how Morimi would choose to omit specifics about the protagonist’s future. It does leave extra room for interpolation, but I enjoy reading a book with all points covered and explored. Overall, The Tatami Time Machine Blues is a hectic time traveling novel that I would highly recommend for lovers of magical realism.
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