A Tale for the Time Being

About “A Tale for the Time Being”

In Tokyo, sixteen-year-old Nao feels isolated and bullied, leading her to consider ending her life. Before doing so, she begins documenting the life of her great-grandmother, a Buddhist nun who has lived more than a century. A diary becomes her only comfort. Across the Pacific, a novelist living on a remote island finds a Hello Kitty lunchbox containing artifacts, which draw him into Nao's story and her mysterious fate. The novel explores themes of loneliness, connection, and the power of storytelling.