Reviews

Dandelions by Yasunari Kawabata

bluenpink's review against another edition

emotional inspiring mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

5.0

clumsy_plop's review

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

myyearofreadingandrelaxation's review

mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

angela_iseli's review

reflective slow-paced

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

2.5

starlesslyra's review against another edition

reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.75

Every book by a Japanese author I've ever read always talks about breasts in it. Every single one.

reading_noise's review against another edition

reread after reading more of K's works maybe

arshiya's review

dark emotional reflective medium-paced

4.75

dylankakoulli's review

3.0

Dandelions is a simple, sparsely told -if slightly strange tale, that explores how individuals both suppress, process and overcome trauma and the fallibility of memory.

Kawabata’s reflective (though at times a tad repetitive) prose, is purposeful and poignant. Especially when describing the natural environment around our main characters -I found the poor, scarred and crying trees to be a particularly beautiful allegory.

Overall, this is the epitome of Japanese writing -where on the surface, not very much “happens”, but what lies within, will provoke plenty of food for thought.

3.5 stars

Only knocking off 1/2 a star as I wasn’t overly enamoured by the constant reference to the mental institution as a “madhouse” and the patients as “crazies” -dated it may be, but that didn’t (and should never) be an excuse.

lipka's review

emotional reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

The bridge was hardly long enough to say you had crossed it. 

 

        This reads like a twilight. It fits that so much of the dialogue takes place in the dwindling light, then in darkness around the nine o'clock bell. And the book is just so: a precious few conversations about Ineko, Inako.

 

The dialogue is cradled in a holding pattern, or maybe circling a drain far in the middle of a manmade river. But it does spin. It does ripple, distorting and calming in turns the waves of memory, trauma, and responsibility. 

 

It's odd, maybe, but it's very Kawabata. The Dandelion is paused in the half-light, looking forward to dawn. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Death of parent, and Grief

Moderate: Suicide attempt, Panic attacks/disorders, and Mental illness

Minor: Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Body horror, Child death, War, Murder, Sexual content, Suicide, and Sexism

claudia_c's review against another edition

reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No

3.0