Late 'wild girl' writer's dark look at 1970s Tokyo underground

When Verso Books first translated the late Izumi Suzuki's short stories in 2021, English-language critics hailed her as a groundbreaking voice in science fiction. Her stories were called "innovative" and "pioneering," particularly on account of her reworking of the science-fiction genre. But the latest contribution from her estate and her first novel translated into English, "Set My Heart on Fire," represents a deviation from the alien-populated worlds of her sci-fi collections since it relies heavily on realism that casts an illuminating, and often disturbing, light on the author herself.

Izumi Suzuki (1949-86) achieved cult status in her lifetime as a science-fiction writer in Japan. But until recently, her work was relatively unknown overseas. It was not until an editor at London-based Verso Books spotted her name in an academic thesis and wanted to know more, that Suzuki's work was translated into English. "Terminal Boredom," a "punky" collection of short stories exploring gender, humanity and quite literally "alienation," was released in 2022 to critical acclaim. This was followed in 2023 by "Hit Parade of Tears," another collection of short stories similar in theme and tone, which was also well-received.