Colorful, Eto Mori
Colorful, Eto Mori
List: $14.95 | Sale: $10.47
Club: $7.47

Colorful
A Novel

Author: Eto Mori, Jocelyne Allen

Narrator: Brian Nishii

Unabridged: 5 hr 8 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 07/20/2021


Synopsis

A beloved and bestselling classic in Japan, this groundbreaking tale of a dead soul who gets a second chance is perfect for readers of The Midnight Library.“Congratulations, you’ve won the lottery!” shouts the angel Prapura to a formless soul. The soul hasn’t been kicked out of the cycle of rebirth just yet—he’s been given a second chance. He must recall the biggest mistake of his past life while on ’homestay’ in the body of fourteen-year-old Makoto Kobayashi, who has just committed suicide. It looks like Makoto doesn’t have a single friend, and his family don’t seem to care about him at all. But as the soul begins to live Makoto’s life on his own terms, he grows closer to the family and the people around him, and sees their true colors more clearly, shedding light on Makoto’s misunderstandings.Since its initial release over twenty years ago, Colorful has become a part of the literary canon, not only in Japan—where it has sold over a million copies—but around the world, having been translated into several different languages. Now, Eto Mori’s beloved classic is finally available in English.

About Eto Mori

Eto Mori has been a literary star in Japan for over thirty years. She has won numerous major awards in Japan including the Naoki Prize, one of Japan’s most prestigious awards for popular fiction. Colorful has been translated into seven different languages, and adapted into three films. Colorful is her first novel to be translated into English. She lives in Tokyo, Japan.

About Jocelyne Allen

Jocelyne Allen has translated hundreds of short stories, novels, and manga, including the Eisner Award–winning titles Frankenstein by Junji Ito and Onward Towards Our Noble Deaths by Shigeru Mizuki.


Reviews

"If only the ocean were under this bed, I wished naively. If only I could keep sinking down like this, down and down and down forever." Well where do I even start? Ohh I know for the people who have already read the book and what to see a more beautiful version of it. There is an anime movie and......more

Goodreads review by Emily

A hard-hitting novel on hope, second chances, and seeing the world through new eyes. Told in the snarky and confined voice of a reanimated lost soul, we see how, on the surface, an average life is routine, predictable, boring even, but when looking closely, it is filled with everyday joys, sorrows,......more

| | blog | tumblr | ko-fi | | First published in 1998 Colorful is narrated by an unknown soul who is given a second chance at life. He will occupy the body of fourteen-year-old Makoto Kobayashi who has attempted suicide and during this 'homestay' our narrator has to remember the big mistake he made......more


Quotes

“An intimate coming-of-age story that will undoubtedly resonate with readers.” Ms. Magazine

“A powerful case study in capturing very real social issues through a fantastical slant.” Japan Society (UK)

“Brian Nishii delivers a flawless narration…Nishii displays a masterful ability to imbue each scene with heartfelt emotions...A memorable listen. Winner of the AudioFile Earphones Award.” AudioFile

“Deceptively simple, yet unspeakably moving, Eto Mori devastates in Colorful.” Paperback Paris

“Mori maintains balance between her serious subject matter and her light tone well: such problems seem real and urgent, though the overall mood is hopeful.” Foreword Reviews

“A coming-of-age narrative that’s bighearted and emotional, tender and hilarious, thoughtful and bursting with light.” Vulture

“Will inspire and engage teens to look at their life from a new perspective.” School Library Journal

“The novel has spawned films, anime, manga, and more. It’s also saved lives—undoubtedly storytelling’s superpower.” Booklist

“Mori’s tale…is both life-affirming and, in Allen’s translation, quietly funny, offering readers a timeless perspective on human connections.” Publishers Weekly

“Mori tackles a fraught topic with empathy, humor, and grace…[and] beautifully illustrates the impact that perspective can have on one’s mental health.” Kirkus Reviews


Awards

  • AudioFile Earphones Award