Purple Forbidden Enclosure by @wiegenlied

Reviewed and recommended by I.

"Rain bringer.

An umbrella was
his only
companion."

Youth is unforgettable. The memories from this time are powerful, volatile. The pain and pleasures are not black and white quite yet. Wiegenlied's cell phone novel Purple Forbidden Enclosure captures the essence of youth in a way that is, well, unforgettable. It tells the story of Sato, a girl lost in despair. She is lonely, looking for a way to escape before it permanently paints her soul. She finds herself sitting out in the rain feeling the world one, cold drop at a time. That is until she meets him. Ameotoko.

PFE (Purple Forbidden Enclosure) is simply put, beautiful. As a cell phone novel, it strikes true to every aspects of the medium. Updates are frequent and wholesome in content. Each chapter is unique dedicated to members of the CPN community.  In terms of structure, it is laid out in a multi chapter format akin to the original cell phone novels of Japan. Lines are short and succinct. Each and every chapter have the feel of authenticity that is sorely missed in the genre, the feeling of spontaneity as if we're reading directly into Wiegenlied's thoughts. The primary first person narrative is intimate, personal. When Sato faces difficulties in her life (which I assure you she will!), every tinge of sadness, every moment of happiness can be felt in every sentence. This is a true cell phone novel through and through.

I thoroughly enjoyed PFE. Themes of ambivalence, love and self-discovery are staple in cell phone novels. However it is something exceptional when an author can spin commonly used themes into an interesting story. PFE is able to convey all of this with a sincerity that is both heartbreaking and heartwarming. What impresses me the most is the main character Sato. Everything about her, from her disdain vision of the world, to her childish disposition dealing with never before tackled issues in her life, my relationship to Sato as a reader felt very real. A person I sat down with for a heart to heart. Not only was her personality well developed over time (versus an info dump on a character), her actions and rationalizations were relatable. The story as a whole was well paced, a good balance of self-contemplation and real interaction. It is an exciting, complete work.

Minimalist, interesting and full of emotions, Purple Forbidden Enclosure delivers a powerful narrative that remains completely faithful to the cell phone novel structure. The main character shines as an exceptional character as you witness her strive to feel better, become better. Wiegenlied struck it out of the park with this work. A must read.