"After Dark," is a haunting reflection on the ephemeral fleeting nature of who we are in relation to others. We follow characters Mari -- a University student fluent in Chinese aspiring to be a translator, and Takahashi -- a law student stealing away at night to practice Jazz trombone. We meet Mari and Takahashi in a Denny's, and Mari is soon needed to translate for a Chinese prostitute in a love hotel. After the incident, Mari shares that her sister Eri has grown distant over the years and they have grown apart due to Eri's modeling career. Eri has recently entered a deep unending sleep, and Mari realizes how much she misses her sister.

This book is dark, covers some challenging topics, and is mysterious. The prose is excellent and immersive. I enjoyed it immensely save for certain sexist passages.