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emma_fukar's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer, Death, and Terminal illness
bookish_wanderer's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
2.75
The plot was quite original, a 30 yo man is about to die and strikes a bargain with the devil. He'll get one extra day of life for each item that is removed from our world.
With the loss of each item, our main characters starts pondering about the meaning of life. He thinks about loss and regret, strained and lost relationships, missed opportunities and time wasted. Having to choose what to make disappear in order to live, he wonders about his life's worth, and the mundane things we take for granted.
While the story touches on some interesting themes, including the concept of time as a human construct, the execution is quite messy and feels rather unpolished. The story takes random twists and turns and feels disjointed, often leaving me confused.
I still managed to enjoy parts of it as it was a quick and touching read after all. I did like the concept and the whimsical side of it, especially the budding relationship with Cabbage. Some of the ideas where interesting, if only they had been developed a bit more
With the loss of each item, our main characters starts pondering about the meaning of life. He thinks about loss and regret, strained and lost relationships, missed opportunities and time wasted. Having to choose what to make disappear in order to live, he wonders about his life's worth, and the mundane things we take for granted.
While the story touches on some interesting themes, including the concept of time as a human construct, the execution is quite messy and feels rather unpolished. The story takes random twists and turns and feels disjointed, often leaving me confused.
I still managed to enjoy parts of it as it was a quick and touching read after all. I did like the concept and the whimsical side of it, especially the budding relationship with Cabbage. Some of the ideas where interesting, if only they had been developed a bit more
Content Warnings
Minor: Death and Terminal illness
lenahausr's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Terminal illness, Grief, Death of parent, and Death
jselliot's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
A novella about coming to terms with death, and finding beauty in the mundane. The main character gives up phones, clocks, and movies ... but is unwilling to part with the companionship of cats, which is a sentiment I can agree with. The fleeting nature of elements within our lives is something that's dwelled upon throughout the novella, as is old relationships, failed and sustained.
This book didn't hit me as hard as The Fault In Our Stars, which I read with my mom while she was going through cancer (five years of chemo and radiation, seven brain surgeries later - but she beat it! Three years into remission now). But it was still a good book in the areas that mattered. I am curious what the author imagined happening with the open ending, though, with the protagonist hoping to meet his father one more time before his end.
This book didn't hit me as hard as The Fault In Our Stars, which I read with my mom while she was going through cancer (five years of chemo and radiation, seven brain surgeries later - but she beat it! Three years into remission now). But it was still a good book in the areas that mattered. I am curious what the author imagined happening with the open ending, though, with the protagonist hoping to meet his father one more time before his end.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Death, Death of parent, Grief, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Animal death
epellicci's review against another edition
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
An interesting exploration of life, death and grief. At times a little young, but ultimately moving journey through a man's discovery he's at the end of his life.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Terminal illness
the_endless_void's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Death of parent, Death, and Grief
Moderate: Animal death and Terminal illness
eline1701's review against another edition
reflective
sad
slow-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
4.0
Ahhh this would've been 3 stars and then the last few chapters said WAIT and suddenly I found myself underlining a lot of lines and yeah. Yeah okay. When I'm less emotional again the rating might go down a bit but the ending made me feel oddly warm. Also really, really made me miss my old cats. And, as the main character's mother put it: "Cats and humans have been partners for over ten thousand years. And what you realize when you've lived with a cat for a long time is that we may think we own them, but that's not the way it is. They simply allow us the pleasure of their company". That said, this book is not about cats. Though it is a bit. But also, you know?
I also really enjoyed reading a book by a Japanese author even if it made me wish I could read (and understand) the original as I'm sure I missed so many nuances. Still, I really enjoyed what the translator did and loved the tiny explanatory phrases that I think they added as part of the sentence at times.
I didn't love the protagonist for most of the book and I don't think I was supposed to, but it also made me a bit annoyed at the way he thought sometimes and it also meant I wasn't super into the whole theme of movies or the way he explored them perse. But that's a matter of taste, I think, and learning that the author is also a producer, director, screenwriter and showrunner made sense.
I did really enjoy the way the protagonist's memories were woven into the story, and as I said, I loved the ending.
Big content warning for death and grief and existential thoughts.
I also really enjoyed reading a book by a Japanese author even if it made me wish I could read (and understand) the original as I'm sure I missed so many nuances. Still, I really enjoyed what the translator did and loved the tiny explanatory phrases that I think they added as part of the sentence at times.
I didn't love the protagonist for most of the book and I don't think I was supposed to, but it also made me a bit annoyed at the way he thought sometimes and it also meant I wasn't super into the whole theme of movies or the way he explored them perse. But that's a matter of taste, I think, and learning that the author is also a producer, director, screenwriter and showrunner made sense.
I did really enjoy the way the protagonist's memories were woven into the story, and as I said, I loved the ending.
Big content warning for death and grief and existential thoughts.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Death of parent, Animal death, Grief, and Terminal illness
linhb's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Reflective and melancholy plot. Not sure if it’s the translation that makes the writing feel mediocre, but it reads mediocrity.
Content Warnings
Minor: Terminal illness
evapetrovski's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent
Moderate: Terminal illness and Animal death
magda_mull's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Chronic illness, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Animal death