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kelamity_reads's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
I really enjoyed this book. The slow place, the way the atmosphere builds to be more and more opressive, and the growing sense of isolation really drew me in.
I purchased this book prior to COVID and I'm glad that I didn't get around to reading it until post-lockdown as I don't think I would have truly believed or personally felt the level of isolation that the characters experienced in the story if I hadn't lived through multiple lockdowns myself.
This story is very much a Japanese horror and thus may not appeal to people who prefer a more Westernised approach to horror. It's much more understated and subtle. If you have watched Japanese horror movies like 'Dark Water' (Honogurai mizu no soko kara) and enjoyed them, then you'll likely enjoy this story, too.
The closest thing to a criticism I can come up with is that there was the occasional awkward word choice that made me pause for a moment but I'm confident that's simply due to the story being translated into English from the original Japanese.
I purchased this book prior to COVID and I'm glad that I didn't get around to reading it until post-lockdown as I don't think I would have truly believed or personally felt the level of isolation that the characters experienced in the story if I hadn't lived through multiple lockdowns myself.
This story is very much a Japanese horror and thus may not appeal to people who prefer a more Westernised approach to horror. It's much more understated and subtle. If you have watched Japanese horror movies like 'Dark Water' (Honogurai mizu no soko kara) and enjoyed them, then you'll likely enjoy this story, too.
The closest thing to a criticism I can come up with is that there was the occasional awkward word choice that made me pause for a moment but I'm confident that's simply due to the story being translated into English from the original Japanese.
angustiacosmica's review against another edition
4.0
I always whine and complain about wanting to read horror books with actual spooks in it. Nothing about fearing those who are alive, or humans being the real monsters; just good ol' spooks.
Well, here I got just what I wanted.
A dreary ambiance, dread that slowly builds up, ghosts and whatnot! A spectacular performance really...
But then, the real horror of it all.
An open ending that left me turning the pages over and over in case it was a lil joke by the author.
I'm so mad I want to visit Japan and throw a tantrum at Mariko's door out of sheer frustration.
Humans truly are the real monsters
Well, here I got just what I wanted.
A dreary ambiance, dread that slowly builds up, ghosts and whatnot! A spectacular performance really...
But then, the real horror of it all.
An open ending that left me turning the pages over and over in case it was a lil joke by the author.
I'm so mad I want to visit Japan and throw a tantrum at Mariko's door out of sheer frustration.
Humans truly are the real monsters
waclements7's review against another edition
4.0
Really enjoyable and convincing. I think the translation was pretty smooth (sometimes it's sort of clunky--I always wonder about nuance, regardless, but there wasn't anything jarring or that seemed out of place to me). The blurb sounds reminiscent of Poltergeist, but it's really quite different. It's made me curious about how death and cemeteries are viewed in Japan--obviously not too differently than here, as it's mentioned by one of the characters as a hesitating point to buying the apartment. I liked it enough to get another of the authors' works. I don't know how attached I felt to the characters at first, but I was definitely on their side as the novel progressed. It's complicated by an event in their past. Is that why it ends the way it does? I don't know!!
aaronlindsey's review against another edition
3.0
A pretty solid ghost story. My only issue with The Graveyard Apartment is that it suffers from what I call the Hugo Effect.
Victor Hugo is one of my favorite writers, but he's also the only writer that I prefer to read abridged. He was enamoured with architecture and poured so much detail into his fictional buildings the story was sometimes tough to follow.
This one had too much unnecessary detail for my tastes. the 320 pages could have easily been knocked down to 250.
Victor Hugo is one of my favorite writers, but he's also the only writer that I prefer to read abridged. He was enamoured with architecture and poured so much detail into his fictional buildings the story was sometimes tough to follow.
This one had too much unnecessary detail for my tastes. the 320 pages could have easily been knocked down to 250.
northviewlocke's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
5.0
This is the scariest book I've ever read: all-encompassing, unforgiving, and profoundly wrong.
salicat's review against another edition
4.0
3.2 average on GR? Really??
Slow burn, but such great characters. And beautiful writing.
dnemec's review against another edition
3.0
Apparently, living near a cemetery is not as great as one would think. (Well, I think it would be great. But that might be just weird, little ol' me...)
Something weird is going on in the building where Teppei and Misao Kano have moved with their daughter, dog and bird. The apartments are very cheap, but the building is only half full, perhaps because it is surrounded by a graveyard and crematorium. Right off, the bird keels over dead in the apartment. Then Tamao, the daughter, is mysteriously injured in the creepy-ass basement. But when her mother goes down to get her, the elevator won't move. (Incidentally, this struck me as odd. They must not have any building codes in Tokyo. There is an elevator and emergency stairs for the rest of the building, but the only way to get to the basement is the elevator. The steps don't go down there. I don't know if that's common, but it's weird!) The elevator only gets moving again when another tenant prays over the elevator. Suddenly, everyone is moving out until the Kanos are the only ones left. Then things get worse...
This wasn't great, but it was entertaining. There's just something about Asian horror that captures me. This was quite subtle, for the most part. A worthwhile way to spend the weekend!
Something weird is going on in the building where Teppei and Misao Kano have moved with their daughter, dog and bird. The apartments are very cheap, but the building is only half full, perhaps because it is surrounded by a graveyard and crematorium. Right off, the bird keels over dead in the apartment. Then Tamao, the daughter, is mysteriously injured in the creepy-ass basement. But when her mother goes down to get her, the elevator won't move. (Incidentally, this struck me as odd. They must not have any building codes in Tokyo. There is an elevator and emergency stairs for the rest of the building, but the only way to get to the basement is the elevator. The steps don't go down there. I don't know if that's common, but it's weird!) The elevator only gets moving again when another tenant prays over the elevator. Suddenly, everyone is moving out until the Kanos are the only ones left. Then things get worse...
This wasn't great, but it was entertaining. There's just something about Asian horror that captures me. This was quite subtle, for the most part. A worthwhile way to spend the weekend!
blkoller_author's review against another edition
4.0
Japan has mastered the art of the ghost story. Graveyard apartment is no exception! Koike is a top seller in Japan and after reading this I understand why. I read and reviewed the English Translation, but I'd like to see if I can find the Japanese edition as well and give that a read. Fun Fact about me, I grew up in a bilingual household.
I must tip my hat to the translator, because even though this is a translation, it didn't lose any of its authenticity. In fact, it was so well done, my brain was 'hearing' the dialogue in Japanese. Not something that happens often. English translations can sound awkward, or clunky. This didn't read that way at all. Now with that out of the way, let's get into the book itself!
Japanese Culture has many superstitions for death. So an apartment building overlooking a graveyard is hardly desirable. One by one, each tenant takes their leave. Even before the move Misao is haunted by her husband's ex wife, who killed herself when she learned her husband was having an affair. (Another thing heavily frowned upon in Japan is divorce.) So rather than bring shame to her entire family, the wife takes her own life, to spare the rest of her family the shame. [That would come with divorce.]
But the ghost of her husband's former wife are not the only ghostly phenomenon. Tamao, her daughter's pet bird passes away after they move. The family dog, Cookie, seems to behave strangely. But it is not the buried restless spirits that should worry the tenant's, for evil lurks within the walls of this cheap Tokyo apartment complex.
I read this book in one sitting, which is not something I'm able to do very often.
I must tip my hat to the translator, because even though this is a translation, it didn't lose any of its authenticity. In fact, it was so well done, my brain was 'hearing' the dialogue in Japanese. Not something that happens often. English translations can sound awkward, or clunky. This didn't read that way at all. Now with that out of the way, let's get into the book itself!
Japanese Culture has many superstitions for death. So an apartment building overlooking a graveyard is hardly desirable. One by one, each tenant takes their leave. Even before the move Misao is haunted by her husband's ex wife, who killed herself when she learned her husband was having an affair. (Another thing heavily frowned upon in Japan is divorce.) So rather than bring shame to her entire family, the wife takes her own life, to spare the rest of her family the shame. [That would come with divorce.]
But the ghost of her husband's former wife are not the only ghostly phenomenon. Tamao, her daughter's pet bird passes away after they move. The family dog, Cookie, seems to behave strangely. But it is not the buried restless spirits that should worry the tenant's, for evil lurks within the walls of this cheap Tokyo apartment complex.
I read this book in one sitting, which is not something I'm able to do very often.
themoonreader's review against another edition
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
thegodmachine393's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Suicide, and Death
Moderate: Child death