‘Heart-shatteringly visceral and precise’ WIZ WHARTON
An exquisite debut novel asking questions of identity, connection and belonging
Mei loses her Japanese mother at age six. Growing up in suburban Surrey, she yearns to fit in, suppressing both her heritage and her growing love for her best friend Fran.
Yuki leaves the Japanese countryside to pursue her dream of becoming a concert violinist in London. Lonely and far from home, she finds herself caught up in the charms of her older teacher.
Haruka attempts to navigate Tokyo’s nightlife and all of its many vices, working as a hostess in seedy bars. She grieves a mother who hid so many secrets from her, until finally one of those secrets comes to light . . .
Shifting between three intertwining narratives, Mongrel reveals a tangled web of isolation, desire, love, and ultimately, hope.
‘Heart-shatteringly visceral and precise, Mongrel gives voice to generations of women living on the margins. An urgent story of sexual politics, identity and knowledge but ultimately a triumphant tribute to the self‘ – Wiz Wharton, author of Ghost Girl, Banana
Hanako Footman is a British-Japanese actor and author living in London.
Mongrel is her debut novel.
