THE SUMMER HOUSE

Kaipo Schwab brings quiet elegance and nuance to this character-driven meditation on creativity, beauty, and ambition in a Japanese architectural firm. His narration captures the calm precision of young Toru Sakanishi as he navigates his first professional position during a bidding war for a high-stakes government project. Schwab's gentle pacing and warm tone mirror Toru's inner monologue. Schwab also uses emotional shifts to reflect the tension between tradition and innovation, desire and restraint. Schwab excels at conveying the humor of Toru's awkward handling of several crushes. Moments in the lush countryside are vividly described. Taking advantage of the rich translation, Schwab creates an atmospheric narration that invites listeners to linger in this carefully built world of artistic rivalry and natural splendor. M.R. © AudioFile 2025, Portland, Maine [Published: AUGUST 2025]