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jujubeans13's review against another edition
this shit fucked up fr. this whole thing is one nasty little mind game. again tanizaki has a foot fetish (a lot of fetishes actually) but thats not really relevant here. i don't think the plotline is particularly defined or strong, but it contributes to the sort of stream-of-consciousness journal entry style. finding out that was kinda wild. i actually think this one kind of deviates from a lot tanizaki's usual themes, but ofc remains loyal to the primary one of sexuality and its dangers that he explores in most all of his writing. i think it goes to show how sexuality and physicality can be used as a weapon, and danger is bound to arise if it is insincere or disingenuous. not everyone gets their comeuppance in the end i suppose. also . heres to you tanizaki.
Spoiler
everything was a calculated move this whole time and they were just writing shit down to fuck with each otherSpoiler
the daughter is a real one for taking one for the team and marrying a rando just so her mom can get railedayagardou's review against another edition
4.0
c'est un peu délicat de parler de ce livre sans révéler absolument tout ce qu'il s'y passe. deux personnes écrivent un journal intime en étant persuadées que l'autre le lit en cachette. et la lecture est fascinante. j'ai vraiment énormément apprécié ma lecture même si elle ne m'a pas du tout été agréable. le couple parle principalement de sa vie sexuelle et cette partie de leur vie n'est pas saine du tout. donc je vous place un petit trigger warning pour viol conjugal ici.
mais je pensais vraiment détester le livre après ce passage très désagréable à lire. et ça n'a pas été le cas. je n'aime pas les personnages, mais les entrées dans leur journal respectif me fascinent. puis il y a ce dernier tiers qui m'a fait l'effet d'une claque.
c'est une lecture fascinante, mais compliquée. même si je vous conseille la lecture, je pense que la lecture doit se faire à un moment où on est prêt pour lire quelque chose comme ça.
mais je pensais vraiment détester le livre après ce passage très désagréable à lire. et ça n'a pas été le cas. je n'aime pas les personnages, mais les entrées dans leur journal respectif me fascinent. puis il y a ce dernier tiers qui m'a fait l'effet d'une claque.
c'est une lecture fascinante, mais compliquée. même si je vous conseille la lecture, je pense que la lecture doit se faire à un moment où on est prêt pour lire quelque chose comme ça.
bookishcorner's review
challenging
dark
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? N/A
3.5
yogarshi's review against another edition
4.0
This seemed like a very ordinary, if incisive book, about the human psyche and the games it plays for its pleasures. That is, until the last few pages, when things become much darker, and you are forced to turn back those pages and re-evaluate your interpretation of the tale.
The Key is the story of an elderly couple, who indulge in scheming and trickery to try and achieve newer heights of sexual pleasure in the sunset of their lives. The constant sexual tension, the infidelity in the form of a 'third man', and a devious daughter with ulterior motive - all of this seems to set this book up as classic bedtime reading. But the psychological undercurrents are deeper and more thought provoking than many other books that deal with similar motifs using similar narrative techniques (looking at you, Gone Girl), and reading this as some cheap erotica would be doing it a big disservice.
My first Tanizaki, and most definitely not my last.
The Key is the story of an elderly couple, who indulge in scheming and trickery to try and achieve newer heights of sexual pleasure in the sunset of their lives. The constant sexual tension, the infidelity in the form of a 'third man', and a devious daughter with ulterior motive - all of this seems to set this book up as classic bedtime reading. But the psychological undercurrents are deeper and more thought provoking than many other books that deal with similar motifs using similar narrative techniques (looking at you, Gone Girl), and reading this as some cheap erotica would be doing it a big disservice.
My first Tanizaki, and most definitely not my last.
hklnvgl's review against another edition
5.0
«La llave» es la tercera novela de Tanizaki que leo y tengo ya claro que es uno de mis escritores favoritos. Aunque sus libros no sean quizás para todo el mundo (o lo odias o te encanta), son lecciones absolutamente magistrales de cómo manipular a un lector a través de las omisiones del narrador (o de sus mentiras, directamente). También es excepcional la maestría del autor a la hora de caracterizar perfectamente a sus personajes en muy pocas páginas. No puedo esperar para leer mi próximo Tanizaki.
cimoore1999's review
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0