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natasha29singh's review
3.0
It actually starts off okay, with the first chapter, ‘written’ by the protagonist, reminding me very strongly of [b:No Longer Human|194746|No Longer Human|Osamu Dazai|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1422638843l/194746._SY75_.jpg|188338]. Pretty soon the tedious descriptions of the minutiae of the protagonist’s life got extremely boring, and I was tempted to not finish the book. He just meandered from one place to another like a jobless loser, simping for Oei. After his marriage, though, atleast plot-wise, the book picks up considerably. You find yourself sharing in his happiness, and the central conflict in Part III is virtually identical to [b:No Longer Human|194746|No Longer Human|Osamu Dazai|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1422638843l/194746._SY75_.jpg|188338] (I was very surprised to find that this book precedes that one by a lot). This protagonist is far-more self-willed, however, and I actually found his behavior towards his wife and children (rip) very endearing. Some parts of the book about guilt and confessions have vaguely feminist undertones as well, particularly given the time in which it was written. I was waiting for something horrible to happen so I don’t mind the ambiguous ending so much. I think the second half of the book is definitely better than the first.
peteballoon's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
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