Reviews

Grief can overpower our sense of reason, whether it's the day after or a decade. Loss is immeasurable. What we would do, go for, or put ourselves through to sustain any shape, form, or hint of (re)gain is like a fever that tucks itself away inside us until a wound opens anew and it's able to bloom. It could be a lover. It could be a close friend. It could be a parent. The latter is the most curious because you come into this world expecting to see them perish. The real tragedy would be if they beheld your exit from the world. And yet that absence instantly redesigns the world. I recall a quote from Paul Rudd: "When you lose a parent, the world is off its axis and it never rights itself. You adapt or perish." This book grieves in a way that by no means plays the heartstrings. It's direct and breezy, but, above all else, it's true to its nature.

alicea82's review

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dark emotional mysterious reflective sad

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

3.5

unculturedbookclub's review against another edition

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3.5

This is my first time reading a translated book so I don't have any frame of reference for what they're usually like, but I went in expecting the writing to be a little awkward. Although it is stilted at points, I found it a strangely appealing way to read.

The story itself is very touching and sweet, save for a few outdated instances of the male gaze. I love ghost stories and found this to be increasingly creepy as it went on, culminating in some pretty spooky imagery. The protagonist isn't perfect, or even particularly likeable at points, but that makes what happens around him all the more interesting as we're constantly changing our minds about what he deserves and how things should end. This was a very engaging and super quick read, so I'd recommend it to anyone interested in ghost stories. I'm led to believe the recent movie, All of Us Strangers is a superior reimagining of this, so I'm excited to see that.