developing material for both film and streaming, has taught screenwriting at UCLA, and is an advocate of women and diversity in the entertainment industry. She has also been a judge and mentor for various film and writing programs, and lives in California.
Yamashita applied the Page 69 Test to her new novel, Village in the Dark, and reported the following:
On page 69, we start on Chapter Nine.Visit Iris Yamashita's website.Cara’s rental was a townhouse in a quiet neighborhood. There was nothing particularly remarkable about it other than that it had an open plan and high, lofty ceilings. After burying Aaron and Dylan, she had sold the house and placed most of their things in storage. She hadn’t yet been able to let go of their belongings but also didn’t want to be constantly reminded of what she had lost. As a result, her unit was sparsely furnished with only the necessities—a microfiber sofa, a wooden coffee table, a dining set, an end table with a generic lamp. It looked more like a characterless Airbnb rental than someone’s actual home.The story is quick-paced as a whole, so I don’t think this half of a page is a good indicator of the rest of the book. However, it does give some insight into Cara’s character.
Outside, the atmosphere was dark and bitter. A cold wind had blown in, and snow had begun to gust past the window in speckled sheets. It added to the feeling of emptiness in the apartment.
The book begins with the protagonist, Cara Kennedy, exhuming the bodies of her husband and son after receiving clues that their deaths may have involved foul play instead of being the result of a hiking accident as she had been told. This is her driving motivation through the book. I also have two other voices weaved in, including a surly innkeeper named Ellie Wright, in her 60’s with a southern drawl and a Bonnie and Clyde past. The third voice is Mia Upash—a young woman who is half Ainu (Japanese indegenous) who grew up in an off-the-grid village run by women. It isn’t clear initially how their stories are connected. They weave in and out until they eventually come together.
On this page, I describe Cara Kennedy’s home, which reflects her character and state of mind. For one thing, she is claustrophobic, so it was important for her to have high ceilings. We also get the explanation that her husband and son have been buried and all their things were put in storage. We also see that her apartment is currently characterless and rather empty, reflecting how she feels since her loss. The weather outside reflects the chill of Alaska where the story is set.
Q&A with Iris Yamashita.
The Page 69 Test: City Under One Roof.
--Marshal Zeringue
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