A raw exploration of emotional turmoil forms the basis of Hanako Footman’s debut novel Mongrel. Firstly, there’s Mei, who loses her mother at a young age and attempts to fit into her British-based life. Yuki, a talented violinist, leaves her Japanese home, moving to London to follow her dreams. Haruka, living in Tokyo, is working as a hostess and – again – grieving the death of her mother.

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Weaving together the lives of three women, Mongrel deals with a multitude of themes affecting them all, including isolation, grief and longing, and connects their lives in subtle ways. The characters’ distinctive personalities are amplified with the precise narrative voices detailing the innermost thoughts of each of them, highlighting the way they were all failed by the men in their lives.

Despite addressing difficult subject matter, Mongrel’s plot manages to convey each concern sensitively and with such care, empowering the voices of each character and providing strength to their story. A sublime and lyrical debut which leads me to wait for the next work of fiction from Footman.