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rencordings's review against another edition
1.0
I started the book loving the heck out of the first chapter; the characters were very dynamic, the setting compelling, the mysterious Shiomi-san all spooky and humbly above everyone else. But when the book traveled back to Shiomi's past via the notebooks, I began to lose interest. I think the "memoirs" were to depict the colors and vibrancy of youth and how Shiomi became the way he is and etc., but they didn't really appeal to me. Young Shiomi just wasn't an interesting enough character, and there wasn't anything distinct or gripping enough about the writing style to keep my attention, sadly. It's not my cup of tea, I guess.
katiecatbooks's review against another edition
5.0
Japan. 1954. Sanitorium.
Story: The story begins with our narrator in a sanitorium in Japan having a conversation with another patient, Shiomi, who is about to have surgery. What follows is the story of Shiomi and the effect it has on our narrator.
Language: Translated from Japanese, this is considered a classic in Japanese literature. Told in four parts, introduction from our narrator, Shiomi's first book, then second book, and ending with our narrator. The action and dialogues read almost as a play, with few settings, but people near each other conversing. The text is rather philosophical yet allows the reader to come to their own conclusions and opinions.
Characters: The narrator, unnamed, is an aspiring author in a sanitorium, sharing a room with others. Shiomi is one of those others and the two get on due to their shared interest in writing. Shiomi is a thinker and dreamer and wishes others could see the world as he does, while our narrator is a dreamer and seeks to understand those around him.
While I feel the book was a bit frustrating (a lot of unhappiness and dissatisfaction and hopelessness), it was presented and written very well and I was glad to read it.
Story: The story begins with our narrator in a sanitorium in Japan having a conversation with another patient, Shiomi, who is about to have surgery. What follows is the story of Shiomi and the effect it has on our narrator.
Language: Translated from Japanese, this is considered a classic in Japanese literature. Told in four parts, introduction from our narrator, Shiomi's first book, then second book, and ending with our narrator. The action and dialogues read almost as a play, with few settings, but people near each other conversing. The text is rather philosophical yet allows the reader to come to their own conclusions and opinions.
Characters: The narrator, unnamed, is an aspiring author in a sanitorium, sharing a room with others. Shiomi is one of those others and the two get on due to their shared interest in writing. Shiomi is a thinker and dreamer and wishes others could see the world as he does, while our narrator is a dreamer and seeks to understand those around him.
While I feel the book was a bit frustrating (a lot of unhappiness and dissatisfaction and hopelessness), it was presented and written very well and I was glad to read it.
brittn's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
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