Crawling at Night

A lonely Japanese sushi chef in New York City spends his time fantasizing about Marianne, the alcoholic waitress who works with him at a Chelsea sushi bar. 50,000 first printing.

The two protagonists of debut novelist Powers's compelling tale of urban despair are by turns hopeless, deluded and self-destructive, but their misguided stumblings are transformed by the charged prose and headlong pace of Power's skillful narrative. Ito is a Japanese sushi chef, recently arrived in New York City, haunted by his past. Mariane, an alcoholic waitress in her 30s who longs for the baby daughter she left behind in Virginia, exudes a frail, broken beauty that captivates Ito. There is something in her that reminds him of Xiu-Xiu, the prostitute he frequented in Japan while his wife, Tomoko, slowly wasted away from cancer, a loss soon compounded by another, violent death. These two virtual strangers scramble for salvation over the course of two nights in downtown, down-and-out Manhattan. When Mariane is fired, Ito leaps at the opportunity to be her savior: he vows he will help her reclaim her baby, her sobriety and her dignity. Their stunted blossom of intimacy is all awkward fits and starts, revelation and self-preservation the delicate yet harsh experience of the emotionally wounded and fiercely, desperately lonely. Borrowing tricks from Virginia Woolf, Powers weaves her narrative through raw present and bittersweet flashbacks, making forays into the minds of supporting characters and walk-ons; she manages to blend literary, experimental and straightforward writing to brilliant, heartbreaking effect. Her starkly realistic characters and terse, lyrical prose herald her as an exciting new voice and she should captivate a wide range of readers. (Apr.)Forecast: The publisher is putting a good deal of enthusiasm into this release, with a first printing of 50,000 and a 16-city author tour. Some good reviews and word-of-mouth and the author's own varied background, including a stint as a sushi chef could go a long way toward building sales. The cover photo of a near-naked young woman won't hurt the book one bit.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Ito, a sushi chef in New York City and a widower who lives alone, has developed a crush on Marianne, a waitress who also lives alone. When he notices her sneaking a sip of saki, he decides that she needs help and invites her to dinner. As their relationship develops, we learn about their histories, Ito's life in Japan, his wife's death, and his mistress, and Marianne's life in North Carolina, her daughter, and her string of one night stands. Along the way, we meet a cast of other characters who are also living isolated, lonely lives, including a Vietnamese refugee, the owner of the sushi bar, and an erotic dancer. Each chapter is introduced with menu of foods that affect the story. In her debut, former sushi chef Power focuses on the dark picture of urban life, poignantly exploring the failure of people to build meaningful relationships. Recommended for larger collections.
- Joshua Cohen, Mid-Hudson Lib. Syst., Poughkeepsie, NY
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

In the late-night sphere of restaurant workers and after-hours clubs, we find a world inhabited by individuals with battered lives, broken dreams, and feeble hopes. People make alliances that may cross cultures, but the linkage between individuals comes from shared needs and longings. Ito, a sushi chef who recently came to New York from Japan, is haunted by the memories of what he has left behind. Mariane, alcoholic, a waitress in the restaurant where he works, also carries the imprint of her own lost past. Menus and store lists are a device used to define and characterize the pair's days and the strange events that they share. In the haze created by too much alcohol and not enough sleep, they travel in hopes of finding answers or at least solace. The lives and settings depicted in this first novel are grim and the prospects bleak. Though skillfully written, this is not an easy book to read. Danise Hoover
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