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3.34 AVERAGE
3.34 AVERAGE
I assumed there would be something overarching between the stories yet I found none (maybe it’s about Nishino’s inability to love?). There are also some supernatural aspects to some stories that I’m not really a big fan of. Perhaps I haven’t experienced this kind of love in my life in order to fully grasp the underlying message. May have to read this again some day.
This was very much a middle-of-the-road kind of book for me. I didn't really connect with the characters, especially Nishino and that did seem quite crucial to love the book. When I was reading the book, I enjoyed my time and read on, but once I'd stopped I never itched to get back into it. I finished this because of my reading habit, not because I needed to know what would happen next, per sé. The writing style changed in each chapter, to differentiate between the women, and with some styles I clicked and with others I didn't. I'm really happy I gave this a try, though, because it was different from what I usually pick up.
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Minor: Child death, Incest
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
funny
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
not my favourite kawakami but full of delights all the same
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
As many readers of my blog will know, I have a deep love and affection for Japanese fiction. It seems to be on the whole both calmer and stranger than fiction originally written in English and deal with people’s quirks more lovingly. The Ten Loves of Mr Nishino is filled with that calmness, yet is rich in detail and atmosphere. It packs a punch for its 195 pages.
The plot of The Ten Loves of Mr Nishino is simple – Mr Nishino’s lovers (all women) talk about their love affair with him. The stories are not told in chronological order, but move from adulthood to high school and to his older age. The reader only hears from Mr Nishino through the stories his lovers tell, never directly. We also never hear about from his mother or sisters directly, it’s up to his lovers to reveal what they know about his family and past. This sounds like it all could get too complex to hold together in the reader’s head but it really doesn’t. The story is told in such a natural, conversational way that you can’t help but soak up the detail of a main character who is always on the sidelines of the narrative.
Each woman is unique, with her own voice as she tells the story of her time with Mr Nishino in first person. Slightly strangely, all of the women remember Nishino fondly and nobody bears a grudge against him (even the women who wanted to marry him). Some fall for Nishino hard and fast, others hold a piece of themselves back as the wonder where the relationship will go. Sometimes it goes nowhere. Sometimes it feels like giddy, summer love and others like the real thing. But the candle that burns brightly burns out. Nishino loves these women, but something is stopping him from giving them everything. As the women tell their stories of parfaits, cats and boardrooms, Nishino’s past is gradually revealed. As this happened, my opinion of him changed from a Lothario who can’t help but fall hard to a man who is searching for something elusive that he can’t quite describe…
You could read each chapter of The Ten Loves of Mr Nishino almost as a stand along short story focusing on Mr Nishino, but as the book progresses there are clever links to previous girlfriends and events. It’s very cleverly done with the overall tone of the book hopeful with a tinge of melancholy. Allison Markin Powell has given Hiromi Kawakami’s work a unique voice that carries through in both of Kawakami’s books I’ve read (The Nakano Thrift Shop is just as delightful). It’s a beautiful story, light yet nourishing for the soul. I eagerly await more English translations!
Thank you to Allen & Unwin for the copy of this book. My review is honest.
http://samstillreading.wordpress.com
The plot of The Ten Loves of Mr Nishino is simple – Mr Nishino’s lovers (all women) talk about their love affair with him. The stories are not told in chronological order, but move from adulthood to high school and to his older age. The reader only hears from Mr Nishino through the stories his lovers tell, never directly. We also never hear about from his mother or sisters directly, it’s up to his lovers to reveal what they know about his family and past. This sounds like it all could get too complex to hold together in the reader’s head but it really doesn’t. The story is told in such a natural, conversational way that you can’t help but soak up the detail of a main character who is always on the sidelines of the narrative.
Each woman is unique, with her own voice as she tells the story of her time with Mr Nishino in first person. Slightly strangely, all of the women remember Nishino fondly and nobody bears a grudge against him (even the women who wanted to marry him). Some fall for Nishino hard and fast, others hold a piece of themselves back as the wonder where the relationship will go. Sometimes it goes nowhere. Sometimes it feels like giddy, summer love and others like the real thing. But the candle that burns brightly burns out. Nishino loves these women, but something is stopping him from giving them everything. As the women tell their stories of parfaits, cats and boardrooms, Nishino’s past is gradually revealed. As this happened, my opinion of him changed from a Lothario who can’t help but fall hard to a man who is searching for something elusive that he can’t quite describe…
You could read each chapter of The Ten Loves of Mr Nishino almost as a stand along short story focusing on Mr Nishino, but as the book progresses there are clever links to previous girlfriends and events. It’s very cleverly done with the overall tone of the book hopeful with a tinge of melancholy. Allison Markin Powell has given Hiromi Kawakami’s work a unique voice that carries through in both of Kawakami’s books I’ve read (The Nakano Thrift Shop is just as delightful). It’s a beautiful story, light yet nourishing for the soul. I eagerly await more English translations!
Thank you to Allen & Unwin for the copy of this book. My review is honest.
http://samstillreading.wordpress.com