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ruangtitikkoma's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
andymascola's review against another edition
3.0
In 1920s Japan a man in his 20s agrees to pay for a 15yo girl’s education and raise her as a cultured member of society in order to make her his future wife. Without spoiling it, I’ll just say that Naomi has different plans. I liked it.
aamontillado's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
fast-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
3.75
it is a well written it’s old 1920 but it genuinely like just kept pissing me off n kept pissing me off mor n mor it was goob but then it kept getting worse as it went on bc it was pisisng me off like i hate u i want naomi to die n joji to go to jail n kill himself or soemthing like i want naomi to b murdered but whatever didn’t end that way one word cuck (culture)
read for class yawn ltwl 120 popular literature n culture
read for class yawn ltwl 120 popular literature n culture
kimmiekm's review against another edition
2.0
A businessman finds a 15 year old girl working in a cafe, takes her to live with him, teaches her, bathes her, buys her tons of clothes and marries her. What part of that tripped you up? The 15 year old? The bathing? Yeah, me too.
Naomi by Junichiro Tanizaki is the third book on my brother’s Japanese Literature syllabus. Joji, the creeper who discovers Naomi in the cafe, narrates the novel. He’s so head-over-heels crazy in love with her that as the novel progresses, the reader sees that Naomi is manipulative and greedy, but Joji, who can rarely and barely see Naomi’s faults, can’t break away.
Aside from the fact that Naomi is only 15 when Joji falls in love with her and brings her to his home to live, there are some really interesting themes in the novel. I found it really compelling that as Naomi sinks deeper and deeper into selfishness and greed, she becomes more and more “Western.” At first, she simply likes western clothes, food, and ideas but eventually she begins to not only act more western, but she also physically appears western. At the climax of the novel, Joji actually mistakes her for a western woman and marvels at the “whiteness” of her skin. I’m not sure what Tanizaki thought of Western culture and influence himself, but I would assume he felt it had a poor impact on Japan and its people.
Naomi by Junichiro Tanizaki is the third book on my brother’s Japanese Literature syllabus. Joji, the creeper who discovers Naomi in the cafe, narrates the novel. He’s so head-over-heels crazy in love with her that as the novel progresses, the reader sees that Naomi is manipulative and greedy, but Joji, who can rarely and barely see Naomi’s faults, can’t break away.
Aside from the fact that Naomi is only 15 when Joji falls in love with her and brings her to his home to live, there are some really interesting themes in the novel. I found it really compelling that as Naomi sinks deeper and deeper into selfishness and greed, she becomes more and more “Western.” At first, she simply likes western clothes, food, and ideas but eventually she begins to not only act more western, but she also physically appears western. At the climax of the novel, Joji actually mistakes her for a western woman and marvels at the “whiteness” of her skin. I’m not sure what Tanizaki thought of Western culture and influence himself, but I would assume he felt it had a poor impact on Japan and its people.
tiff_low's review against another edition
5.0
I hated this book, and I found it beautiful and incredibly arresting at the same time.
That is what Joji, a man in his 30’s, feels at the end of his story with Naomi, a girl he took in when she was just 15 years old. After adopting her, he took on a twisted father/husband role in her life. What should be innocuous snippets of life are filled with sensuous details and idolizations of Naomi’s youth and seemingly Western features.
This book made my skin crawl. I’m not sure what part of it is “hilarious,” according to the description. The characters are pathetic, conniving, and cruel. Yet, the writing keeps me turning the page again and again. Written during Japan’s transition to Westernization, I find Naomi an illustration of a larger movement that I don’t understand yet.
That is what Joji, a man in his 30’s, feels at the end of his story with Naomi, a girl he took in when she was just 15 years old. After adopting her, he took on a twisted father/husband role in her life. What should be innocuous snippets of life are filled with sensuous details and idolizations of Naomi’s youth and seemingly Western features.
This book made my skin crawl. I’m not sure what part of it is “hilarious,” according to the description. The characters are pathetic, conniving, and cruel. Yet, the writing keeps me turning the page again and again. Written during Japan’s transition to Westernization, I find Naomi an illustration of a larger movement that I don’t understand yet.
veneti's review against another edition
dark
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? Yes
2.0
Such an intriguing concept that just failed to deliver. Perhaps a prime example of the difficulties of reading in translation. Joji was a that though and is to blame for Naomi's "fall"
aynsrtn's review against another edition
4.0
Buku yang bikin aku kesel dan hanya bisa mengelus dada karena saking keselnya melihat ketololan dan kebucinan Kawai Joji kepada Naomi. Huft, buku yang cukup satu kali aku baca selama hidupku. Bukan berarti buku ini tidak bagus, justru bagus. Namun, agar demi ketenangan batin, lebih baik cukup dibaca sekali saja :D
Aku membaca buku ini dalam versi terjemahan bahasa Indonesia yang berjudul Naomi: Cinta si Tolol. Sesuai judulnya memang cerita tentang orang yang tolol dalam hal percintaan. Terima kasih kepada Penerbit Haru dan Ribeka Ota yang sudah menerjemahkan buku ini.
Berkisah tentang Kawai Joji, seorang insinyur muda yang menyukai kebarat-baratan, salah satunya perempuan jepang yang terlihat seperti perempuan barat bernama Naomi. Saking sukanya sama budaya barat, di buku ini nama Naomi dicetak miring agar supaya dianggap konsonan asing. Sungguh dedikasi. Joji pun merawat Naomi dari usia 15 tahun sampai dijadikan istri. Usia mereka terpaut jauh yaitu 13 tahun. Jadi, saat itu Naomi 15 tahun sementara Joji 28 tahun.
Melihat sinopsis singkat di atas sudah terlihat bukan bahwa buku ini disinyalir ada kisah grooming di dalamnya. Ya, memang betul. Bahkan ada beberapa adegan yang menurutku eksplisit ya. Kalau rating bukunya 21+ mungkin bisa dipertimbangkan. Tapi, buku ini ratingnya 17+. Serta ucapan-ucapan dan celetukan Joji dan Naomi kadang bikin bulu kuduk meremang :""
Namun, disamping hal itu, buku ini pun menjelaskan kultur dan apa yang terjadi di era Taisho (saat buku ini ditulis dan setting di bukunya sendiri). Di mana masyarakat Jepang seakan—hampir—kehilangan identitas diri karena menyukai budaya barat. Padahal Jepang bukan negara yang pernah dijajah oleh bangsa barat, tapi kultur barat sungguh berkesan bagi mereka, terutama si tokoh utama di buku ini yaitu Kawai Joji.
Joji ingin hidup ala barat. Pernikahannya dengan Naomi tidak berdasarkan perjodohan, tetapi atas keinginan sendiri. Dulu waktu zaman itu, menikah kan berdasarkan perjodohan orang tua. Lalu, tinggal di rumah gaya barat. Bukan rumah yang ada tatami seperti biasanya rumah-rumah Jepang. Gaya hidupnya pun ala barat. Makan beefsteak, pergi dansa, dan pakaian pun kebarat-baratan. Obsesi itu yang membuat Joji sadar—tanpa sadar—membentuk karakter Naomi. Bahkan aku menuliskan daftar "dosa" Naomi karena dia sungguh karakter yang membuatku tercenung. Dia hidup di tahun 1920an, tetapi bisa relevan di era sekarang. Dan membuatku berkontemplasi, ada lho perempuan seperti "itu".
Akhir kata, buku ini bisa merefleksi tentang penting relasi dalam sebuah hubungan. Bagaimana efek budaya luar tidak membuat diri sendiri krisis identitas. Dan yang terpenting, meskipun cinta kadang tak ada logika, but please still being logic. Atau jika tidak, mungkin akan bernasib sama seperti Kawai Joji.
Aku membaca buku ini dalam versi terjemahan bahasa Indonesia yang berjudul Naomi: Cinta si Tolol. Sesuai judulnya memang cerita tentang orang yang tolol dalam hal percintaan. Terima kasih kepada Penerbit Haru dan Ribeka Ota yang sudah menerjemahkan buku ini.
Berkisah tentang Kawai Joji, seorang insinyur muda yang menyukai kebarat-baratan, salah satunya perempuan jepang yang terlihat seperti perempuan barat bernama Naomi. Saking sukanya sama budaya barat, di buku ini nama Naomi dicetak miring agar supaya dianggap konsonan asing. Sungguh dedikasi. Joji pun merawat Naomi dari usia 15 tahun sampai dijadikan istri. Usia mereka terpaut jauh yaitu 13 tahun. Jadi, saat itu Naomi 15 tahun sementara Joji 28 tahun.
Melihat sinopsis singkat di atas sudah terlihat bukan bahwa buku ini disinyalir ada kisah grooming di dalamnya. Ya, memang betul. Bahkan ada beberapa adegan yang menurutku eksplisit ya. Kalau rating bukunya 21+ mungkin bisa dipertimbangkan. Tapi, buku ini ratingnya 17+. Serta ucapan-ucapan dan celetukan Joji dan Naomi kadang bikin bulu kuduk meremang :""
Namun, disamping hal itu, buku ini pun menjelaskan kultur dan apa yang terjadi di era Taisho (saat buku ini ditulis dan setting di bukunya sendiri). Di mana masyarakat Jepang seakan—hampir—kehilangan identitas diri karena menyukai budaya barat. Padahal Jepang bukan negara yang pernah dijajah oleh bangsa barat, tapi kultur barat sungguh berkesan bagi mereka, terutama si tokoh utama di buku ini yaitu Kawai Joji.
Joji ingin hidup ala barat. Pernikahannya dengan Naomi tidak berdasarkan perjodohan, tetapi atas keinginan sendiri. Dulu waktu zaman itu, menikah kan berdasarkan perjodohan orang tua. Lalu, tinggal di rumah gaya barat. Bukan rumah yang ada tatami seperti biasanya rumah-rumah Jepang. Gaya hidupnya pun ala barat. Makan beefsteak, pergi dansa, dan pakaian pun kebarat-baratan. Obsesi itu yang membuat Joji sadar—tanpa sadar—membentuk karakter Naomi. Bahkan aku menuliskan daftar "dosa" Naomi karena dia sungguh karakter yang membuatku tercenung. Dia hidup di tahun 1920an, tetapi bisa relevan di era sekarang. Dan membuatku berkontemplasi, ada lho perempuan seperti "itu".
Akhir kata, buku ini bisa merefleksi tentang penting relasi dalam sebuah hubungan. Bagaimana efek budaya luar tidak membuat diri sendiri krisis identitas. Dan yang terpenting, meskipun cinta kadang tak ada logika, but please still being logic. Atau jika tidak, mungkin akan bernasib sama seperti Kawai Joji.
kylareda's review against another edition
2.0
While the writing style made it easy to stay immersed and follow along, I found a lot of the content to be disturbing, nor did I like either of the main characters. I found Naomi to be a spoiled brat with very few redeemable qualities, and Jōji is weak, boring and kind of creepy.
sp1derman's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.0
a very low 4 but idk might change as i think about it more
read this book because of bsd, and even though it felt like a drag to get through i can see the ways this book influenced the character in bsd and i did enjoy reading it. his obsessive thoughts feel so pitiful at times, and i feels so sad for Naomi as a person, but honestly at times she felt so unreal? like joji was obsessed with this concept of her and couldn’t bring himself to think of her as existing outside of his concept of who she could be.
read this book because of bsd, and even though it felt like a drag to get through i can see the ways this book influenced the character in bsd and i did enjoy reading it. his obsessive thoughts feel so pitiful at times, and i feels so sad for Naomi as a person, but honestly at times she felt so unreal? like joji was obsessed with this concept of her and couldn’t bring himself to think of her as existing outside of his concept of who she could be.