Genre-defying novel ‘Catfish Rolling’ navigates grief in a fractured land

A catfish whose movements cause an earthquake so powerful it cracked time itself. A mother missing in the aftermath. An entire nation upended. A father and daughter, each grieving in their own ways, both searching for something lost to them.

“Catfish Rolling” is an impressive young adult debut by Irish Japanese author Clara Kumagai. The story follows Sora, a teenager who lost her mother during a major earthquake that resulted in areas across Japan fracturing into “time zones.” No part of her life is left unscathed after that fateful day: Her friendships, family life and prospects are all upended. Years later and living in rural Japan, she continues to struggle with grief and loss.

Catfish Rolling, by Clara Kumagai. 432 pages, AMULET BOOKS, Fiction.