Reviews

Herr Nakano und die Frauen by Ursula Gräfe, Kimiko Nakayama-Ziegler, Hiromi Kawakami

mnwatson's review against another edition

hopeful lighthearted slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

newintroductionbysusan's review against another edition

reflective slow-paced

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

4.0

the_sunken_library's review against another edition

2.0

I hate to say that i didn't love this as much as Strange Weather in Tokyo. In fact, I found it incredibly disappointing.

The story felt a lot more disjointed and quite frankly the characters in this book weren't nearly as interesting. The plot was slow and often the dialogue made no sense.

Pretty pants really.

afterttherain's review against another edition

3.0

ugh i really wanted to like this but unfortunately it is nowhere as poignant as strange weather! i know it's a different type of story but it just feels kind of all over the place :(

sleightoffeet's review against another edition

relaxing slow-paced

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

3.0

coffeemybook's review against another edition

hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective fast-paced

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

4.0

Simple yet memorable

spaanhede's review against another edition

emotional hopeful lighthearted reflective 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? No

3.0

huntersflapjack's review against another edition

emotional lighthearted slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

caroisreading's review against another edition

reflective medium-paced

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

2.5

The premise of this book was more exciting than the execution, for me. A thrift shop staff of unique characters in Japan sounds right up my alley, but ended up being more narrowly focused on the narrator's inner thoughts, obsessions and insecurities, written in painstakingly dense train-of-thought detail. Questionable behavior is illustrated, yet unresolved. She harrasses her love interest with incessant phone calls at one point.

He draws her nude without her knowing, even secretly placing the drawing in the store. Despite her discomfort, she's still pining over him.

There's also a very romanticized, rationalized look at infidelity in this story that doesn't sit well with me. At the same time, it has one of the most

comically stale and brief sex scenes I've ever read.

Beyond that, I think you'll still enjoy this if you like slice-of-life narratives and beautifying the mundane, as the thrift shop serves to symbolize. 

I most enjoyed the end, as the narrator reflects on her time at the shop, and Hiromi Kawakami beautifully captures the emotional twist of nostalgia, and the disorienting feeling of thinking about a past job, and past love. 

I'll try to give this another read in the future.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma, Alcohol, Infidelity, Medical content, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Sexual content, and Physical abuse

laura_bichateca's review against another edition

funny relaxing slow-paced

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

4.0

C6 A10 W9 P7 I9 L6 E9 = 56/14 => 4/5 ★