Izumi Suzuki's Posthumous Novel 'Set My Heart On Fire' Explores 1970s Tokyo's Alternative Scene

Izumi Suzuki's first novel translated into English, 'Set My Heart On Fire,' delves into Tokyo's 1970s alternative club and music culture. The book, originally published in Japanese in 1996 after Suzuki's 1986 suicide at age 36, follows a twentysomething protagonist named Izumi navigating youth, desire, and identity. Known primarily as a science fiction writer and pop-cultural icon, Suzuki previously worked as a model and actress, appearing in photographs by Nobuyoshi Araki. Her life has inspired novels and films, though her literary work remained largely untranslated until recently. The narrative is structured into thirteen chapters, each titled after a 1960s song like The Moody Blues's 'Nights in White Satin' and Brenton Wood's 'Gimme Little Sign.' Characters include rebels and oddballs fascinated by Western music, with men portrayed as sensual and occasionally sexually freakish, subverting gender stereotypes of the era. The protagonist grapples with relationships, casual sex, drunkenness, apathy, and ennui while seeking love and agency without self-surrender. Translated by Helen O'Horan and published by Verso in softcover for £11.99, the novel examines the tension between deep love and superficial attractions in a vibrant, subcultural setting.