The Agreement
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Summary
A young man who has lost a leg pulls himself out of despondency and rediscovers himself while learning to dive.
A student drifting toward self-neglect overcomes his aversion to study and finds the drive to strive.
Life's miracles often hide within sudden, unlooked-for pain; those who dare to face hardship can always let miracles happen...
Editor's review
As an editor, I see three reasons to read this book: first, its literary deconstruction of the everyday concept of the 'promise,' revealing the complex emotional weight and social-contract nature behind it; second, Ishida's signature 'light suspense' narrative technique, with each story planting a subtle dramatic turn within an ordinary opening; third, its timely response to the sense of interpersonal distance in the pandemic era—the characters all try to confirm their connection with others through some kind of 'promise.' I especially recommend 'Rainy Night Bus Stop' and 'Dinner Ten Years Later': the former achieves an exquisite emotional reversal in fifteen pages, while the latter shows the author's skill at handling narratives that span time.
Note that this is not a novel that pursues intense plot conflict; it is better suited to immersive reading in quiet moments. What Ishida offers here is a kind of 'subtractive writing,' using seemingly simple dialogue and scenes to sketch the unspoken expectations and disappointments of modern people's inner lives. The Qingdao Publishing House translation preserves the original's concise, cool tone fairly well, though a few culture-specific expressions are handled somewhat stiffly. Overall, this is a 'slow-burn' work that requires the reader's patience.
Who it's for
A good fit for
- Readers who like observing the details of daily life and finding glimmers of humanity in them
- Longtime readers of Ira Ishida who want to see his recent stylistic shift
- Readers interested in the theme of interpersonal relationships in the modern city
- Urban readers who prefer short story structures and need to read in fragmented time
Not a good fit for
- Readers seeking high-intensity plot twists and fast-paced narration
- Readers expecting the youthful, hot-blooded style of Ikebukuro West Gate Park
Reading tips
- Reading in order is recommended; the first three stories set the emotional tone for the whole book
- Pause briefly after each story to think about the reciprocity of the 'promise' in it
- Pay attention to the subtext in dialogue; this is key to understanding Ishida's work
About the publisher
Founded in 1987, Qingdao Publishing House has long focused on education, science and technology, children's books, and lifestyle titles, while steadily publishing classical and foreign literature. Its 827 titles in the catalog reflect a balance between making classics widely accessible and serving young readers. They include the four great classics of Chinese literature—Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Water Margin, Dream of the Red Chamber, and Journey to the West—as well as foreign literary translations such as Sei Shōnagon's The Pillow Book, works associated with Zhou Zuoren, and Victor Hugo's Les Misérables. The press also offers a color-illustrated series of recommended classics for primary and secondary school Chinese curriculum reading, using pictures and text to support student readers. Its common categories cover classical literature, essays and miscellaneous writings, folk literature, and foreign literature, with authors including Luo Guanzhong, Shi Nai'an, Cao Xueqin, Gao E, Wu Cheng'en, Sei Shōnagon, Zhou Zuoren, and Victor Hugo. Public information is limited, so this profile emphasizes the publishing directions shown by the catalog.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 约定
- 蓝色的出口
- 来自天堂的铃声
- 冬日骑手
- 余晖之路
- 樱缘
- 心石
- 后记
FAQ
Is this book very different in style from Ishida's earlier works?
Are the seven stories connected?
How is the translation quality?
Comments
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About the author
Ishida Ira is a contemporary Japanese novelist whose works are often categorized as foreign literature in the Chinese book market, with seven titles held in this collection. Based on the available materials, public information about his life, education, and awards is limited, so no speculation is made here. Judging from the works included, his subject matter is quite broad: there are series creations represented by the "Five Novels" collection, full-length works such as Promise, Rebirth, and Job Hunting Diary that revolve around human emotions and real-life circumstances, and titles like Mioka, The Sleepless Pearl, and Thumb Lover that focus on the emotional and coming-of-age struggles of urban youth. Overall, he excels at portraying ordinary people's loneliness, confusion, and mutual support in a plain style that is delicate yet warm, which has earned him considerable attention and affection from readers.
Guo Shuguang: publicly available information is limited, and no confirmed details about this person's life or identity can be provided at present. According to the library's holdings, the author has six works, mainly falling into the categories of foreign literature and mystery and detective fiction. Representative titles include the five-volume Shida Irei novel series (5 books in total), Windy Cape, The Promise, Farewell Through Makeup, Shimada Soji's "Heartwarming" Mysteries (a two-book set comprising The Last Supper and The Drowned Mermaid), and The White Feast. These titles indicate that Guo Shuguang's work is closely connected with the translation, editing, and publication of contemporary Japanese fiction, involving authors such as Shida Irei and Shimada Soji and covering both youth-oriented urban narrative and detective fiction. Although the number of works under this name is modest, they hold some relevance for the introduction and organization of genre literature and may be of interest to readers following Japanese mystery and popular fiction.
