''Tokyo Fiancée'' (french: Ni d'Ève ni d'Adam "Neither Eve nor Adam") is an
autobiographical novel
An autobiographical novel is a form of novel using autofiction techniques, or the merging of autobiographical and fictive elements. The literary technique is distinguished from an autobiography or memoir by the stipulation of being fiction. ...
by the Belgian writer
Amélie Nothomb
Baroness Fabienne Claire Nothomb (), better known by her pen name Amélie Nothomb (; born 13 August 1967),''État présent de la noblesse belge'', éditions of 1979, 1995 and 2010. Her birth is announced in n° 87, aout 1967, p. 340 of the ''Bull ...
. It appeared on 20 August 2007 published by
Éditions Albin Michel
Éditions Albin Michel is a French publisher. In January 2022, the new director is Anna Pavlowitch, the daughter of Paul Pavlowitch, Romain Gary and Jean Seberg's nephew.
History
It was founded in 1900 by Albin Michel. They published, first, Ro ...
. A film adaptation was released in 2014.
The novel is partially concurrent with Nothomb's earlier novel, ''
Fear and Trembling
''Fear and Trembling'' (original Danish title: ''Frygt og Bæven'') is a philosophical work by Søren Kierkegaard, published in 1843 under the pseudonym ''Johannes de silentio'' (Latin for ''John of the Silence''). The title is a reference to a ...
''.
Plot
Amélie, a Belgian woman born in Japan, returns to her childhood home of Tokyo and dreams of living there. Amélie believes that the most effective way to learn Japanese is to teach French, so she meets Rinri, a sophomore studying French. The two become friends and lovers as they go from teacher to student.
The couple experience cultural differences. Amélie likes to taste Japanese food, while Rinri likes Western food. He prepares Japanese food for Amélie, but does not eat it himself. The Japanese things that Amélie admires are of no interest to Rinri. Rinri takes Amélie back to her memories of Japan. Amélie's Japanese improves rapidly thanks to Rinri, and so does Rinri's French.
When Rinri proposes to Amélie, she accepts but feels uncertain about how she feels about him. Instead of going through with the marriage, Amélie returns to Europe when her
employment contract with Yumimoto ends and does not contact Rinri. Many years later, she returns to Japan on to promote her latest book. She is reunited with Rinri at a book signing, where she warmly greets him as a long-lost brother.
Awards
The novel was nominated for the
Prix Goncourt
The Prix Goncourt (french: Le prix Goncourt, , ''The Goncourt Prize'') is a prize in French literature, given by the académie Goncourt to the author of "the best and most imaginative prose work of the year". The prize carries a symbolic reward o ...
in 2007 and the
Prix Renaudot
The Prix Théophraste-Renaudot or Prix Renaudot () is a French literary award.
History
The prize was created in 1926 by ten art critics awaiting the results of deliberation of the jury of the Prix Goncourt. While not officially related to the ...
2007. It won
Prix de Flore
The Prix de Flore is a French literary prize founded in 1994 by Frédéric Beigbeder. The aim of the prize is to reward youthful authors and is judged by a panel of journalists. It is awarded yearly in November, at the Café de Flore in Paris. The ...
in 2007.
Press
* May 30 2009 Lotus Reads: "a contemporary love story, where the woman's love of independence trumps her desire to be loved and needed."
* May 5 2009 Raintaxi: "Nothomb offers no false resolution of the novel’s conflict between personal freedom and emotional intimacy, and this unresolved tension makes Tokyo Fiancée convincing and compelling."
* Apr 4 2009 Amélie Nothomb Live on the Leonard Lopate Show
* Feb 19 2009 The Asian Review of Books: "Tokyo Fiancee is sparse, sardonic, intelligent, cross-culturally aware, simultaneously detached and engage"
* Feb 19 2009 The Temple News: "Tokyo Fiancée is either a love story about language or a language story about love."
* Feb 15 2009 Metropolis (Japan): "Nothomb skillfully uses the pair’s language exchange and intercultural relationship to offer deep insights into, and make sharp comments on, Japanese traditional culture and Bubble Era society."
Adaptations
''
Tokyo Fiancée
''Tokyo Fiancée'' (french: Ni d'Ève ni d'Adam "Neither Eve nor Adam") is an autobiographical novel by the Belgian writer Amélie Nothomb. It appeared on 20 August 2007 published by Éditions Albin Michel. A film adaptation was released in 201 ...
'' was adapted to the cinema in
2015
File:2015 Events Collage new.png, From top left, clockwise: Civil service in remembrance of November 2015 Paris attacks; Germanwings Flight 9525 was purposely crashed into the French Alps; the rubble of residences in Kathmandu following the Apri ...
by
Stefan Liberski
Stefan may refer to:
* Stefan (given name)
* Stefan (surname)
* Ștefan, a Romanian given name and a surname
* Å tefan, a Slavic given name and surname
* Stefan (footballer) (born 1988), Brazilian footballer
* Stefan Heym, pseudonym of German writ ...
. Amélie is played by the Belgian actress
Pauline Étienne
Pauline Étienne (born 26 June 1989) is a Belgian actress who has received numerous awards for her acting. Her notable films include ''Le Bel Âge'' and ''Silent Voice (2009 film), Silent Voice'', for which she won the Lumières Award for Most P ...
.
References
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