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readingsponsoredbybts's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Death, Terminal illness, and Death of parent
Moderate: Toxic relationship
clemrain's review against another edition
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
I knew nothing about this book but I have been eager to read it. This book reminds me of the only book I’ve given a 0 star rating to. If you like Mitch Albom, you’ll like this.
It’s too long, it’s a mashup of the simplest ideas, it’s characters do not further the plot and everything about it is abrupt.
The downfall of this book might just be its translation. A book translated is a different book. I can’t read the original, but—based on the many translated works I’ve read—I think that this translation is not the best. There are a few typos and missing words. The sentences can get clunky. The grammar can get confusing. Overall, it feels like unpolished work. Like 2019 Google translate.
I will be watching the movie in an attempt to see a different version of translation.
It’s too long, it’s a mashup of the simplest ideas, it’s characters do not further the plot and everything about it is abrupt.
The downfall of this book might just be its translation. A book translated is a different book. I can’t read the original, but—based on the many translated works I’ve read—I think that this translation is not the best. There are a few typos and missing words. The sentences can get clunky. The grammar can get confusing. Overall, it feels like unpolished work. Like 2019 Google translate.
I will be watching the movie in an attempt to see a different version of translation.
This book reads like a 12 year old’s fanfiction. Full of amazement and ideas, but it’s all delivered in boring and underdeveloped writing. The repetition and ongoing thought trains are stubborn. I understand this whole story is a letter, and so I’ll let some rambling slide as a stylistic choice but I don’t think that it was a conscious choice.
There’s so many cliches in this book, here’s a cliche to describe the amount. If I were to take a shot every time I read a cliche in this book, I’d be dead by chapter 2.
The characters have no depth. The conclusions they make and their reaction have no ground.
This concept is best for short stories.
The ending made me think…where’s the rest? What a way to end it.
The characters have no depth. The conclusions they make and their reaction have no ground.
This concept is best for short stories.
The ending made me think…where’s the rest? What a way to end it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Grief, and Death of parent
Moderate: Death
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders
emmoon's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death
crabbytaco's review against another edition
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death and Death of parent
Moderate: Cancer and Death
obmolocarorua's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
skyegbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I thought this book would focus more on the future impact of his decisions than on his past
I really liked how he questioned himself and looked at those around them to think that although this may not affect me it effects people I care about and in the grand scheme of things we are not more important than other species or collectives as each holds a special meaning to individuals
Content Warnings
Moderate: Chronic illness, Death, and Death of parent
Minor: Animal death
hoiyan's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
if you were given a chance to live another day in exchange for making something in the world disappear, would you take that deal?
this was a nice and short read. mixing in elements of fantasy with mortality was refreshing. i went into this book 100% expecting to bawl my eyes out, but i thankfully did not.
i think the (nameless) mc being a bit emotionally detached from his reality, along with the story's pacing and language barrier/translation helped to removed an extra layer of potential heartbreak. the writing focused more on exploring what the meaning of life, death, and everything that could come im between meant rather than the grief and messy stages of emotions that come with it. i think i would've enjoyed this a lot more if it explored his stages of grief + how he came to accept his own death, if ever.
i wasn't sure if this was an issue on my part, but a lot of the book's narrative "thoughts" on death were things i thought were common in everyone's mind. it didn't seem to break any new standards or show new revelations for me, but again, it might be my own issue. i've thought a lot about everything both the mc and the devil brought up throughout the book's timeline, so it didn't seem overly existential for me (haha...). i really wish i was able to read the original book in Japanese to see all the missing contexts and details that English can't quite capture, but the translators really did an amazing job.
all in all, i enjoyed the writing and banter with the mc and devil (funny dude), and the exploration of pets, specifically cats, and their relationship with humans. or rather, our relationships with cats. i made sure to hug my cat after turning over the last page.
i was annoyed at the mc at first for not choosing/bargaining objects that would be better off earth, but halfway in, i realized the objects he chose were intimately connected to him directly. it added a bit more depth, and more to the world-building/schematics of the devil's deal. the devil didn't simply pick and choose random objects — of course not, he's the devil — he specifically handpicked things connected to the human's memories and life. in our mc's case, phones, movies, clocks, and almost cats. i thought that was pretty clever even if the mc didn't notice it himself. i think if the logistics of the devil's offer were explored/explained more, i'd be able to really ground myself into the world and the risks of each object disappearing. i had a lot of questions of the other 107 people who accepted, and how their objects affected the world leading up to our mc. it seemed to be missing a whole system of how this entire thing works in the first place.
honestly, i'd like to strike a deal with this devil if given the chance. would you?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Cancer, Death, Terminal illness, and Death of parent
joaura's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Terminal illness
juliaisnotalright's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.25
Which objects are you willing to let them disappear for one more day alive ?(does that sentence even make sense?)
In this novel the protagonist is going to die but then makes a pact with the devil.
I learned a lot about life and death and that everything will be gone eventually. In general I love Japanese literature and enjoyed most of the book as well.
The ending left me kind of unsatisfied but I know why the author did that.
In general quick read and would recommend
In this novel the protagonist is going to die but then makes a pact with the devil.
I learned a lot about life and death and that everything will be gone eventually. In general I love Japanese literature and enjoyed most of the book as well.
The ending left me kind of unsatisfied but I know why the author did that.
In general quick read and would recommend
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Death of parent
aia_r's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
a strange, funny and melancholy book that deals with questions about life. a young man learns that he has a short time left to live, so he makes a deal with the devil that earns him an extra day. he reflects on his own life; his family, his lovers, his friends. he wishes he had done certain things sooner and realises that it’s too late for them now. however strange a book this is, it’s very moving in my opinion.
you never know when it’s time for you to leave this life, so tell the people you love that you love them, tell the people you dislike why you dislike them, forgive because life is too short for grudges, don’t care about what others might think or say about you, because it truly does not matter since we’re all going to die eventually. be kind, be rebellious sometimes. listen to music and dance as if no one’s watching, or even better, dance with a friend! you don’t want to be on your death bed regretting and wishing you had done more. live life to its fullest, and do the best you can do because that’s the best anyone can do.
you never know when it’s time for you to leave this life, so tell the people you love that you love them, tell the people you dislike why you dislike them, forgive because life is too short for grudges, don’t care about what others might think or say about you, because it truly does not matter since we’re all going to die eventually. be kind, be rebellious sometimes. listen to music and dance as if no one’s watching, or even better, dance with a friend! you don’t want to be on your death bed regretting and wishing you had done more. live life to its fullest, and do the best you can do because that’s the best anyone can do.
Content Warnings
Minor: Death, Grief, and Death of parent