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3.34 AVERAGE
3.34 AVERAGE
I don't like it as much as the other Kawakami books I've read, but I think it's mostly because I feel zero interest in Nishino to begin with and he's obviously the focal point of the novel. That is, we learn about the women he's loved and what sort of people they are, but they're always presented to us in how they relate to him. In a way, Nishino is pretty much a mirror that distorts and reflects these women for us the readers, but at the same time that mirror does have its personality and I don't care much for it.
The actual novel is very skilfully told, though. We have ten short stories that tie together into a novel, each one told by a woman who loved and was loved by Nishino. Because they are told from the women's POV, Nishino is pretty much a malleable presence here--not to speak of how the stories/chapters aren't chronological, so he also shifts from man to boy without rhyme or reason (which fits him tbh)--we see him in the different ways his many lovers saw him: a savage, a detached boy, a man incapable of true love, or a man who loved too easily. And still Kawakami never loses control of the story or the characters she's writing about.
So I'd been meaning to finish this for last year's reading challenge, but this isn't a bad way to start the year. I might not care much for the focal character, but Kawakami's insight about people and their relationships is always a joy to read.
The actual novel is very skilfully told, though. We have ten short stories that tie together into a novel, each one told by a woman who loved and was loved by Nishino. Because they are told from the women's POV, Nishino is pretty much a malleable presence here--not to speak of how the stories/chapters aren't chronological, so he also shifts from man to boy without rhyme or reason (which fits him tbh)--we see him in the different ways his many lovers saw him: a savage, a detached boy, a man incapable of true love, or a man who loved too easily. And still Kawakami never loses control of the story or the characters she's writing about.
So I'd been meaning to finish this for last year's reading challenge, but this isn't a bad way to start the year. I might not care much for the focal character, but Kawakami's insight about people and their relationships is always a joy to read.
fast-paced
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes