Reviews

Manazuru by Hiromi Kawakami

monaccko's review

emotional mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

ruhh's review against another edition

emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

pernillelsk's review

emotional mysterious reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment and Grief

Moderate: Infidelity

Minor: Suicidal thoughts

wearyreader's review against another edition

emotional mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

paulataua's review against another edition

5.0

Kei is obsessed with the disappearance of her husband some 12 years earlier, not clear about whether is he dead or he just left her. She keeps getting drawn back to Manazuru, the place they used to holiday. and also the place that somehow holds the key to the mystery. It’s a weird story that gets weirder as it progresses and she is joined by a mysterious woman who appears and disappears. It’s a story of connection and disconnection, about forgetting and remembering, and about relationships between mothers and daughters, between husbands and lovers. It’s beautifully written and quite haunting. The ending isn’t as ‘satisfying’ as ‘Strange Weather in Tokyo’, but I am giving it five stars in the hope of encouraging others to read her.

hperks18's review

emotional mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

ghost_cat's review

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

3.5

akshaya07's review against another edition

DNF @35%

I have been reading this book forever. And I tried so hard to like it, to concentrate, but I just couldn't anymore. It's prolonged and dull, and while I love character-driven books, nothing happened in this book, and there was no development. I enjoyed Hiromi Kawakami's "Strange Weather In Tokyo", so I will undoubtedly pick up more of her books. But, this was just not for me or maybe I read it in a mindset where I was not ready for such a slow story. 

imogenrose97's review against another edition

emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

sumlittlebee's review against another edition

emotional hopeful mysterious reflective tense fast-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

4.0