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ejbkimbler's review against another edition
1.0
* I won this book as an ARC through the goodreads first reads program.
I know many others have loved this book but I really didn't. I thought it was crude and explicit, and I didn't appreciate the constant f-word either.
The story itself wasn't bad, but because the reader is in the character's head (because of the first person narration) I found that I was "seeing" the sexual encounters rather than just hearing about them, and then "seeing" his wife's face as he constantly lies to her. This was especially disturbing after he meets Jello, a woman who is really a man.
If you're thinking about reading this book, be aware that it is rather descriptive in some places and that the whole story is based on deception, lies, and the breaking apart of a marriage.
I know many others have loved this book but I really didn't. I thought it was crude and explicit, and I didn't appreciate the constant f-word either.
The story itself wasn't bad, but because the reader is in the character's head (because of the first person narration) I found that I was "seeing" the sexual encounters rather than just hearing about them, and then "seeing" his wife's face as he constantly lies to her. This was especially disturbing after he meets Jello, a woman who is really a man.
If you're thinking about reading this book, be aware that it is rather descriptive in some places and that the whole story is based on deception, lies, and the breaking apart of a marriage.
sunspot's review against another edition
5.0
Another First-Reads win, and another book I might not have picked up otherwise, but ended up loving.
"Netsuke" is dark, disturbing, and wonderfully engrossing. The book's main character, a rather depraved psychoanalyst who preys upon his own patients -- rationalizing and justifying it so that it almost does seem like a logical thing to do -- is the sort of character one finds hard to forget after finishing the book; the sort who leaves a stain on the reader, one that takes days to shake off -- if one is able to shake said character off at all. The prose, as another reviewer said, is indeed lovely (typos aside, as this is an uncorrected copy, after all), and there are several phrases and passages I've highlighted in my copy to remember (though I doubt I needed to highlight them, really, as I doubt I'll forget them, memorable as they are).
This was my first experience with any of Ducornet's works, but it certainly won't be the last.
"Netsuke" is dark, disturbing, and wonderfully engrossing. The book's main character, a rather depraved psychoanalyst who preys upon his own patients -- rationalizing and justifying it so that it almost does seem like a logical thing to do -- is the sort of character one finds hard to forget after finishing the book; the sort who leaves a stain on the reader, one that takes days to shake off -- if one is able to shake said character off at all. The prose, as another reviewer said, is indeed lovely (typos aside, as this is an uncorrected copy, after all), and there are several phrases and passages I've highlighted in my copy to remember (though I doubt I needed to highlight them, really, as I doubt I'll forget them, memorable as they are).
This was my first experience with any of Ducornet's works, but it certainly won't be the last.
kyuni's review against another edition
He leído un libro muy malo en el día del libro y es un poco como pedir una Danet en una mariscada.
joejoh's review against another edition
3.0
I wish Goodreads would let us give half stars, because this is definitely 3.5 stars, but not quite 4. The book is about a therapist who has a sexual addiction, and he acts on that addiction with patients that he finds fascinating (both female and male). In the meantime, he deprives his loving wife of her sexual needs. The book is written in very short chapters and moves quickly. While the main character is entirely unlikable, he's so fascinating, that we actually have to see what he does next. This book is only recommended to people who can handle strong language and descriptions of sex(not extremely detailed, but sometimes disturbing).
sheldonnylander's review against another edition
3.0
Note: An uncorrected advanced reader's copy was provided to this reviewer by the publisher (Coffee House Press) through the First Reads giveaway.
Netsuke is primarily a character study of several characters. The first is the psychoanalyst who uses his practice to take advantage of several of his clients, many of whom deal with sexual issues. The first thing that become apparent is that the main character has the same issues as many of his clients, that being a sexual addiction and a self-destructive nature, the latter of which manifests through his dropping clues about his infidelities to his wife, Akiko. The main character is only different from his clients in that he has a position of authority over them and uses it to take advantage and indulge in his own sexual desires.
The other main character in the novel is Akiko herself. She is a wife in denial. She clearly knows what her husband is up to, although not necessarily with whom, but she tends to turn a blind eye. There are looks of recognition when her husband drops clues about his infidelity, but then a denial until she is directly confronted with it, such as when he confesses to her about an indiscretion from years before. She simply doesn't want to know, but this denial slowly eats away at her, causing her to start to appear older and worn as the novel progresses.
It's an interesting dynamic in what is a very short novel (only 128 pages; more of a novella), and I would have liked it more, but there are some definite issues with the narrative. First the shifting perspective, primarily a chapter told from the perspective of one of the psychoanalyst's clients (he refers to them as “clients” rather than “patients,” a distinction which becomes important in the novel) felt like it could have been handled better, probably through a longer conversation between the psychoanalyst and said client. The change in perspective is more jarring than I believe was intended, and actually pulled me off the page. What's more jarring is when the perspective shifts from the psychoanalyst's first-person perspective to third-person. I am aware that this is an uncorrected galley copy, so this may be changed in the published novel, but it was extremely jarring and problem, not handled all that artfully, and reminding me that I was reading a book and not watching or living these characters' lives.
The second issue that this novel has is the language used, particularly when it comes to the characters' introspection, of which there is a lot. It felt unnecessarily flowery. Yes, it becomes clear that the psychoanalyst and Akiko are supposed to be part of the more well-to-do societal class, but it reminded me quite a bit of some French novels, such as those by [a:Muriel Barbery|643126|Muriel Barbery|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1262638110p2/643126.jpg], particularly [b:The Elegance of the Hedgehog|2967752|The Elegance of the Hedgehog|Muriel Barbery|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1240508801s/2967752.jpg|1531887]. Only the subject of this introspection is a lot more base, primarily having to do with sexual desires or the sexual act. Unlike some other reviewers, I was not offended or felt assaulted by the use of the f-word or description of this f-word being carried out.
But be warned: Readers of this novel will need to have a slightly thicker skin.
Again, I felt that I should like this novel more than I did. I'm giving this novel three stars, although I feel it deserves three and a half, but since we can't give half stars on Goodreads, the novel feels like it leans more towards the three star level. While it's an interesting character study in its purest form with a textbook ending (meaning that it's both surprising and expected), there were enough problems threaded throughout the novel that I just couldn't give it a higher recommendation.
Netsuke is primarily a character study of several characters. The first is the psychoanalyst who uses his practice to take advantage of several of his clients, many of whom deal with sexual issues. The first thing that become apparent is that the main character has the same issues as many of his clients, that being a sexual addiction and a self-destructive nature, the latter of which manifests through his dropping clues about his infidelities to his wife, Akiko. The main character is only different from his clients in that he has a position of authority over them and uses it to take advantage and indulge in his own sexual desires.
The other main character in the novel is Akiko herself. She is a wife in denial. She clearly knows what her husband is up to, although not necessarily with whom, but she tends to turn a blind eye. There are looks of recognition when her husband drops clues about his infidelity, but then a denial until she is directly confronted with it, such as when he confesses to her about an indiscretion from years before. She simply doesn't want to know, but this denial slowly eats away at her, causing her to start to appear older and worn as the novel progresses.
It's an interesting dynamic in what is a very short novel (only 128 pages; more of a novella), and I would have liked it more, but there are some definite issues with the narrative. First the shifting perspective, primarily a chapter told from the perspective of one of the psychoanalyst's clients (he refers to them as “clients” rather than “patients,” a distinction which becomes important in the novel) felt like it could have been handled better, probably through a longer conversation between the psychoanalyst and said client. The change in perspective is more jarring than I believe was intended, and actually pulled me off the page. What's more jarring is when the perspective shifts from the psychoanalyst's first-person perspective to third-person. I am aware that this is an uncorrected galley copy, so this may be changed in the published novel, but it was extremely jarring and problem, not handled all that artfully, and reminding me that I was reading a book and not watching or living these characters' lives.
The second issue that this novel has is the language used, particularly when it comes to the characters' introspection, of which there is a lot. It felt unnecessarily flowery. Yes, it becomes clear that the psychoanalyst and Akiko are supposed to be part of the more well-to-do societal class, but it reminded me quite a bit of some French novels, such as those by [a:Muriel Barbery|643126|Muriel Barbery|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1262638110p2/643126.jpg], particularly [b:The Elegance of the Hedgehog|2967752|The Elegance of the Hedgehog|Muriel Barbery|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1240508801s/2967752.jpg|1531887]. Only the subject of this introspection is a lot more base, primarily having to do with sexual desires or the sexual act. Unlike some other reviewers, I was not offended or felt assaulted by the use of the f-word or description of this f-word being carried out.
But be warned: Readers of this novel will need to have a slightly thicker skin.
Again, I felt that I should like this novel more than I did. I'm giving this novel three stars, although I feel it deserves three and a half, but since we can't give half stars on Goodreads, the novel feels like it leans more towards the three star level. While it's an interesting character study in its purest form with a textbook ending (meaning that it's both surprising and expected), there were enough problems threaded throughout the novel that I just couldn't give it a higher recommendation.
aleact's review against another edition
3.0
A twisted jaunt into the mind of a filanderer. This book sucks you in with it's short chapters that flow on to the next and sets up your curiousity so that you desperately need to know what will happen in the end. Even against your will. A well matched M.O. for the plot of the book and the main character.
rachelp's review against another edition
3.0
This book is about a psychoanalyst who has a nasty habit of seducing his patients. I was really unsure what rating to give this book. It was very dark and not at all enjoyable, but definitely interesting. The main character had not a single likable thing about him and I felt frustrated that his sweet and caring wife had wasted so much time being with him. The book was barely over one hundred pages, which is good. I don't think I could have read two hundred plus pages of that story.
ryeaunt's review
4.0
This was recommended to me by someone who I have friended on this website and up until now have trusted very much, they liked crash, I liked crash, they like Oe, heck! I like Oe, they gave netsuke a 5. In their review for netsuke they called it the thinking mans American psycho(more or less-mostly just better then AP). I haven’t read American psycho, I read Less Than Zero, in my review, I famously wrote “the main character should have die at the end”. *spoilers* the main character of netsuke drives into traffic with his wife in the car at the end. It’s a resolution that kinda jumps out at you from nowhere, it’s tough to imagine someone who revels in self destruction as much as the main character as suicidal and not more destructive. Idk, also the book felt like it was written by Robert California, really really skilled writing, just the end felt a little like crash down to the fucking in cars.
3.5/5
3.5/5
lisahoeflinger's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-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
3.0