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blearywitch's review
4.0
An old respectable Japanese man in a nice little American town, unmarried, with a young adopted daughter. I was so sure it was going to be a Lolita kind of story but I couldn't have been more wrong. Dr. Hata's reflections about his ambition, life, and relationships with a widow in town and his adopted daughter are interestingly unfulfilled, sad, and confusing as life sometimes is. It's sometimes harder when one's actions are embodied by one's culture and misinterpretations happen. His reflections of his past as a medical officer in the Japanese military camp in Rangoon were my favourite. The commander, captain, the tragic and brutal situations surrounding the unsuspecting female volunteers, and the brutality with which the Japanese soldiers dealt with each other were gripping. The criticism that I felt struck close to home was delivered by Captain Ono to Kurohata about sticking to resolves and not being hampered down by distracting feelings.
The decisions we make thoughout our life stays with us in so many different ways. The story, propelled by the melancholic writing brings out the morbid thoughts in one's mind. It was a good read albeit dark.
The decisions we make thoughout our life stays with us in so many different ways. The story, propelled by the melancholic writing brings out the morbid thoughts in one's mind. It was a good read albeit dark.
rencordings's review
3.0
I kind of have mixed feelings about this. It's not a terribly difficult book in terms of language (though there are definitely parts where the language is strange, perhaps intentionally), but I think it's pretty difficult to interpret the book. There's just so much in here, complicated by the fact that the narrator is such an unreliable one. I appreciate it as a politically significant, complex and extremely thought-provoking novel, but if I were to read it for leisure, it's not my cup of tea. The language and the prose are somewhat off-putting. So three stars.
annalynjustice's review
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
0.5
lizzieh96's review
3.0
I'm still kind of processing. This was definitely a good book to read in a class. I don't know if I would have pulled much out of it (or even stuck with it) if I had read it on my own. But discussing the symbols and parallels was really cool. Hata as a narrator was interesting and complex, and I like delving into his psyche--even if it's probably impossible to really get at the heart of all of his issues.
firerosearien's review
4.0
Much like Hata, I don't really know what to make of this book. It touches on some deeply disturbing themes and yet maintains a sense of overbearing politeness. The "comfort women" (read: sex slaves) during WWII get very, very little attention here in the US, and I almost wish the novel explored it even more, rather than focusing on his present life, which just....didn't interest me, at all.
sararotondi's review
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
mjarmel's review
3.0
I'm horrible with making time to write these and one day I will, but the prose is beautiful in this story, often evoking the pain and desolation described by the author.
bookrec's review
3.0
The title aptly reflects Doc’s life. He just seems to be going through the motions. He lives for what others may think - of him, his house, his family, his job. He is Japanese and his thoughts truly feel like those of a Japanese man. Maybe because he isn’t really living his life, I don’t feel a strong desire to know him. The only interesting part is his war years, which he is not overly involved in either.