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Liked the movie, book's worse, but has very magicky otherworldly vibes
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
wasnt necessarily a bad book, just didnt match my tastes. i kind of had high expectations because i thought it would be similar to undefeated by the rain or the restaurant of many orders, but it wasnt like those at all. each story was written nicely, but lacked something that i cant quite describe. it was okay and was a quick read so im not too upset about it. there was a few quotes i liked, such as "if my death were to be of help to others, i wouldnt mind if my body went up into flames" or something along those lines, but not much of the themes or storyline stuck with me afterwards.
So sad, but really beautiful. A quick read, and I think it is a kid's book... But I'm really not sure.
writing a review months after reading this but
the nighthawk star - 3/5 it was cute!!
signal and signalless - 2/5 very boring im sorry
night on the galactic railroad - 5/5 i love gay people
the nighthawk star - 3/5 it was cute!!
signal and signalless - 2/5 very boring im sorry
night on the galactic railroad - 5/5 i love gay people
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
At first I didn’t really get this story, but after sleeping on it, reading a few thoughts about it online, and thinking about the context in which it was written and published, I think I understand it a bit better…
I can’t say I agree with some of its messages
- self-sacrifice is the greatest thing you can do in life
- we are on earth purely to make others happy
...but I do agree with others
- everyone is searching for ways to make their life fulfilling, and that looks different for everyone.
- The things we cherish won’t last forever, and people or things can suddenly die or disappear but we should use our memory of them to live a full life.
- Death is not some grand event but it is quiet, sudden, and happens without notice.
Night on the Galactic Railroad is definitely leaning into the Buddhist view of the afterlife and the spirit, which makes sense considering Miyazawa’s background. I found Giovanni to be a compelling character in his selfishness and reluctance to let go of Campanelli, even though their relationship felt vague and ambiguous. Much of their friendship was left to the readers' imagination. The journey Giovanni and Campanelli take on the train is almost like Dante’s journey through hell to me, but obviously in a different context and almost dealing with a heaven-like vision of the after life instead of hell and purgatory.
It was easy to tell that it was an unfinished story, there are some parts in the middle that feel out of place or unpolished, and I wonder if we would have gotten to know more about how Giovanni and Campanelli became friends. But it being written after Miyazawa lost his sister and then published posthumously makes the story make more sense.
Content Warnings
Minor: Child death
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
inspiring
fast-paced
