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hikikomori, n. h?kik?'mo?ri; *literally pulling inward; refers to those who withdraw from society.* Inspired by the real-life Japanese social phenomenon called *hikikomori* and the professional “rental sisters” hired to help, *Hikikomori and the Rental Sister* is about an erotic relationship between Thomas, an American *hikikomori,* and Megumi, a young Japanese immigrant hiding from her own past. The strange, insular world they create together in a New York City bedroom and with the tacit acknowledgment of Thomas’s wife reveals three human hearts in crisis, but leaves us with a profound faith in the human capacity to find beauty and meaning in life, even after great sorrow. Mirroring both East and West in its search for healing, *Hikikomori and the Rental Sister* pierces the emotional walls of grief and delves into the power of human connection to break through to the world waiting outside.  Named an Indie Next pick, an Amazon Best Book of the Month, one of Book Riot’s 5 to Watch, and an iBookstore Editor’s Choice in hardcover. ** ### Amazon.com Review **Amazon Best Books of the Month, January 2013****:** The Japanese term *hikikomori* is hard to track down in American dictionaries: It means a complete withdrawal from society, often following an acute trauma. You wouldn’t think a novel about this alienating concept would inspire empathy, but Jeff Backhaus’s intimate and moving portrait of a man hiding away from the world will wholly suck you in. After the death of his young son in a careless accident, Thomas disappears into his bedroom for three years. Desperate to bring him back, his wife hires Megumi, a young Japanese woman, to serve as a "rental sister," hoping that her personal experience with Thomas's affliction will help them establish a bond. The relationship that unfolds between Thomas and Megumi is extraordinary, rendered with quiet beauty, anger, and a deep sensuality. It’s nearly impossible to believe that this heartbreaking novel is a debut--we should all keep a selfish eye on Jeff Backhaus, lest he retreat too far into his own head and stop sharing his talent with the rest of us. --*Mia Lipman* ### From Booklist *Starred Review* In a mesmerizing debut at once sorrowful, intimate, and optimistic, Backhaus forges an unlikely friendship between two people battling loss. For the three years since a mysterious tragedy ended his son’s life, embittered Thomas Tessler has lived in isolation inside his Manhattan apartment bedroom. Shades drawn, door bolted, photographs turned down, Thomas hardly speaks to his wife, Silke, and only sees her when peeking into her room before slipping out in the middle of the night to buy canned or frozen dinners and magazines. Silke patiently pleads with Thomas to come out, preparing him meals before leaving for work, but she’s finally had enough. In a desperate attempt to lure her husband from his gloomy silence, she hires a so-called rental sister named Megumi to coax him. A Japanese immigrant fleeing her past, Megumi tries connecting with Thomas through closed doors, sharing seductive stories of her past and the years her brother also shut himself in his room. What ensues is the passionate relationship of two loners grappling with the circumstances that unite people or tear them apart. Told in crisp and lyrical prose and a nontraditional narrative that shifts between first- and third-person, Backhaus’ novel is courageous and spare, an enthralling success. --Jonathan Fullmer