{"product_id":"9781616203269","title":"The Rental Sister : A Novel","description":"\u003cstrong\u003eThe Rental Sister\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor(s): Jeff Backhaus\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ehikikomori, n. h?kik?'mo?ri; \u003ci\u003eliterally pulling inward; refers to those who withdraw from society.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInspired by the real-life Japanese social phenomenon called \u003ci\u003ehikikomori\u003c\/i\u003e and the professional “rental sisters” hired to help, \u003ci\u003eHikikomori and the Rental Sister\u003c\/i\u003e is about an erotic relationship between Thomas, an American \u003ci\u003ehikikomori,\u003c\/i\u003e and Megumi, a young Japanese immigrant hiding from her own past. The strange, insular world they create together in a New York City bedroom and with the tacit acknowledgment of Thomas’s wife reveals three human hearts in crisis, but leaves us with a profound faith in the human capacity to find beauty and meaning in life, even after great sorrow. Mirroring both East and West in its search for healing, \u003ci\u003eHikikomori and the Rental Sister\u003c\/i\u003e pierces the emotional walls of grief and delves into the power of human connection to break through to the world waiting outside. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNamed an Indie Next pick, an Amazon Best Book of the Month, one of Book Riot’s 5 to Watch, and an iBooks Store Editor’s Choice in hardcover.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eReview(s):\u003cbr\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cp\u003e“A mesmerizing debut at once sorrowful, intimate, and optimistic . . . Told in crisp and lyrical prose and a nontraditional narrative that shifts between first- and third-person, Backhaus’s novel is courageous and spare, an enthralling success.” —\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eBooklist, \u003c\/em\u003estarred review\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“[A] strange and tender debut novel . . . His writing, which is as clear and direct as flowing water, convincingly portrays the deepening connection between Thomas and Megumi.” —\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Wall Street Journal\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“This is one remarkable debut.” —\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Toronto Star\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e“Tender and deftly rendered.”\u003cem\u003e \u003c\/em\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003e—Arkansas Democrat Gazette\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e“The book is . . . written deeply, cleanly, sparely and gently, like fingers playing over the strings of a harp. Jeff Backhaus has apparently worked at many jobs, but it seems that he has now found his vocation.”\u003cem\u003e \u003c\/em\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003e—St. Louis Post Dispatch\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e“Listen to the music of this novel closely. It is the sound of genius. To miss it would be to miss a story that will change the way you feel about your own life.”\u003cem\u003e \u003c\/em\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003e—\u003c\/em\u003eRobert Goolrick, author of \u003cem\u003eA Reliable Wife\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e“Required reading.” \u003cem\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003e—The New York Post\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eISBN:  9781616203269\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e ","brand":"Algonquin Books","offers":[{"title":"Paperback \/ softback","offer_id":40873480323278,"sku":"9781616203269","price":14.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0600\/7029\/7806\/products\/O_daf799c0-28b1-4f12-ba42-8ce976d68f71.jpg?v=1644312576","url":"https:\/\/pickwickbookshop.com\/products\/9781616203269","provider":"Pickwick Bookshop","version":"1.0","type":"link"}