Reviews

Rashomon and Other Stories by Ryūnosuke Akutagawa

elitza's review against another edition

adventurous funny lighthearted mysterious reflective medium-paced

5.0

andredias's review

adventurous challenging dark inspiring mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

"Rashomon and Other Stories" by Akutagawa presents a captivating exploration of human nature through a collection of tales set in feudal Japan. Akutagawa's masterful storytelling delves into themes of morality, perception, and the complexity of truth. Each narrative is intricately woven with rich cultural details, offering profound insights into the human psyche.

The titular story, "Rashomon," is a haunting examination of the subjectivity of truth, famously adapted into film by Akira Kurosawa. Other stories such as "In a Grove" and "The Nose" further showcase Akutagawa's ability to dissect the darkest corners of the human soul with precision and depth.

Akutagawa challenges readers to confront their perceptions of reality and morality through his timeless prose, leaving a lasting impression long after the stories have been read. "Rashomon and Other Stories" stands as a timeless masterpiece, cementing Akutagawa's legacy as one of Japan's greatest literary figures. 

keld1602's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

ybbmel's review against another edition

akutagawa is such an amazing story teller, the translator really helped bring these stories to life. :)

mirrorofneptune's review against another edition

mysterious reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

I found each of the short stories interesting and I enjoyed reading them as a collection– there were definitive themes of rumination on human nature. A couple stories I think I’ll understand better after reading more about the time period, but that’s true for a lot of classic literature. 

My version had:

1. Rashōmon
2. Tobacco and the Devil
3. The Nose
4. The Handkerchief
5. Lice
6. The Pipe
7. The Spider’s Thread
8. The Wine Worm

noranie's review against another edition

dark tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.0

prettygoose's review against another edition

challenging reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

ifyouhappentoremember's review against another edition

4.0

The copy I picked up from the library is from 1952 and contains these stories: In a Grove, Rashomon, Yam Gruel, The Martyr, Kesa and Morito, and The Dragon. It’s an old edition and it contains a (rather hilarious) footnote clarifying to the reader what a Japanese dish known as ‘sushi’ is.

In a Grove will be the most well-known work in the collection as it was adapted into the 1950 Kurosawa film ‘Rashomon’ (it is slightly confusing as the short story Rashomon does not share any similarities with the film; only the framing and title).

What I enjoy most about this collection is that they all feel like classic Japanese folktale but have such a ‘realistic’ twist to them.

getlovequick's review

4.0

consider this rating a 4.5, with the half off because i didn’t really enjoy “the dragon” as much as the other stories. that being said, WHEW akutagawa was talented. the writing style was so descriptive and beautiful, something sorely lacking from a lot of modern literature. my favorite stories from this collection were “rashōmon,” “yam gruel,” and “kesa and moritou.”

dantastic's review against another edition

3.0

In a Grove: A man is found stabbed to death in a grove. Some people of interest and the key players give their accounts.

Yeah, I'm a fan of this. Lots of narrators with varying degrees of reliability. If the other stories are this good, this collection is going to be stellar.

Rashomon: A samurai's servant sits under the Rashomon during a rain storm, pondering whether he should become a thief or starve to death.

I didn't like this story as much as the first but it was still interesting. I never thought of making wigs in that way.

Yam Gruel: Goi, a samurai who is the butt of everyone's jokes, has a life-long craving for Yam Gruel. But what will he do when he's offered all he can ever eat?

This was an odd one, more like a fable than the previous two. I felt bad for Goi and really hoped he'd go on a killing spree but, alas, it was not to be.

The Martyr: When the umbrella maker's daughter becomes pregnant, everyone suspects, Lorenzo, the orphan raised by Jesuits.

Huh. This was an odd one about protecting the people you love at all costs.

Kesa and Morito: The tale of a love triangle from two of its participants. This was another story with unreliable narrators. It was well written and fairly twisted.

The Dragon: An old man tells the story of a big nosed priest named Hanazo and the prank he played on a village that backfired.

All in all, this was an enjoyable collection. By far, my favorite tales were In a Grove and Kesa and Morito, the two unreliable narrator tales. The others were good to mediocre. 3.5 out of 5 stars.