KŌSATEN

An American college student plays a key role in righting a historical wrong in this novel set in multiple eras.

Conor Fallon is a young, would-be playwright staying at Amherst House as part of a work-study program in Kyoto while soaking up Japanese culture. While on a trip to Mount Fuji with a Swedish acquaintance and her coworkers, he thinks that he catches a glimpse of a samurai running down a mountain slope, who quickly disappears. When he tells the expedition leader, Tak Hirano, what he saw, Tak notes that where they are is “the most spiritually charged location in the entire country,” and explains the concept of kami, or spirits of nature. After returning to Kyoto, Conor continues to experience what he calls “the Shimmering,” or peeks back in time, and eventually enlists Tak and his own friend, Ray James, to help him understand what’s happening. These modern-day events alternate with chapters set in ancient Japan, during which a devious clan leader usurps a rival clan’s power and land, giving context to Conor’s experiences; also, a samurai from that era receives his own glimpses of Conor’s world. The more that Conor, Tak, and Ray attempt to unravel this historical mystery, the more they find themselves in danger, as the powerful want history to stay buried. This is a complicated novel, but its historical detail makes it worth readers’ time. Barry draws on personal knowledge—like Conor, he’s an Amherst College alum who traveled to Japan during his college years—as well as thorough research to create a vivid setting for his protagonist to navigate. It’s a bit convenient, however, that Barry gifted Conor with such skilled and helpful friends, such as Ray, who speaks Japanese fluently, and Tak, who has a string of connections. Kubota-san, an Amherst House caretaker with secrets, also proves to be an invaluable ally as Conor gets up to speed. The book’s main stumbling block, though, is its length of more than 600 pages, and it might have been a smoother experience with substantial tightening.

An ambitious, sometimes-captivating work with supernatural elements.