Reviews

The Penguin Book of Japanese Short Stories by Jay Rubin

christy_lorraine's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective slow-paced

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

4.0

avvai's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative medium-paced

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

5.0

alskn's review against another edition

emotional informative inspiring medium-paced

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

4.0

winkpins's review against another edition

emotional funny inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

readsbyvan's review against another edition

3.0

It's a very captivating read, and the stories are wonderful, the length was just too long for me to keep a concentrated interest into every story, and it was a bit exhausting trying to understand every story. Overall, it's a pretty decent book if you are able to concentrate for so many stories.

mystifiedbulb22's review against another edition

4.0

A fun, diverse collection of stories overall. I'd maybe advise against reading the stories in order as the final thematic section on disasters became quite a slog to read. My fave stories:
- The Smile of a Mountain Witch by Ohba Minako
- Peaches by Abe Akira
- The Tale of the House of Physics by Yoko Ogawa
- Factory Town by Betsuyaku Minoru
- Dreams of Love etc. By Kawakami Meiko
- Hell Screen by Akutagawa Ryunosuke
- Filling up With Sugar by Sawanishi Yuten
- Planting by Matsuda Aoko
- Same as Always by Sato Yuya

anad41's review against another edition

adventurous challenging inspiring mysterious reflective relaxing medium-paced

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

4.75

stef5's review against another edition

4.0

 The standout stories are:
"The tale of the house of Physics" 
"The 1963/1982 Girl from Ipanema" 
"Cambridge circus" 
"Closet LLB" 
"Dreams of Love, Etc." 
 The Silver Fifty-Sen Pieces 
American Hijiki 
Pink ( probably the best one)
UFO in Kushiro
Planting
Same as always 
Mr.English

camicore's review against another edition

5.0

Writing this to document Peaches by Abe Akira in this anthology. On the fallibility of memory and disorder within family social norms.

matthewjackson's review against another edition

I read quite a few of the stories, but some of the chapters (particularly the darker ones) didn't interest me.