Idol, burning (Canongate Books Ltd)

THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLERWINNER OF THE 2020 AKUTAGAWA PRIZEMy oshi was on fire. Word was he'd punched a fan'High-school student Akari has only one passion in her life: her oshi, her idol. His name is Masaki Ueno, best known as one-fifth of Japanese pop group Maza Maza.Akari's dedication to her oshi consumes her days completely.

She keeps a blog entirely devoted to him, religiously chronicling and analysing all his events. He is the spine of her life; she cannot survive without him.When Masaki is rumoured to have assaulted a female fan, facing waves of social media backlash, Akari's world falls apart.

Offering a vivid insight into otaku culture and adolescence, Idol, Burning is a brilliantly gripping story of obsession, coming of age and the addictive, relentless nature of fandom culture.