3.49 AVERAGE

funny mysterious sad slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated
adventurous funny slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
alvarete's profile picture

alvarete's review

4.25
challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

everything everywhere all at once ass book
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
funny lighthearted reflective fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
adventurous emotional funny reflective relaxing medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
funny slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: N/A
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

i really struggled with this one, but as soon as
i noticed that some parts repeated in an identical way
, i got a bit more into it. the last chapter was my favourite. definitely an interesting read, but i only did it for masaaki yuasa
funny lighthearted medium-paced
Loveable characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

What to say about this book...

It's like if Catcher in the Rye was actually funny and a little bit speculative and had a bit of "A Christmas Carol" undercurrent to the plotline. I don't know if that makes sense, but it's the best I got.

I was swept away in the absurdity of this book. The unnamed narrator was hateable and relatable (unlike Holden, imo). I enjoyed the ride.

On the one hand, I love how the author showed the journey of a protagonist consistently blaming his life and his distasteful actions/personality traits on others in multiple lives, but discovering that it is just himself that is the problem and is a distasteful human. I also thoroughly enjoyed the silliness and dramatics of the writing style.

On the other hand, with the lack of a goal in the story, the completely unlikable protagonist, and the repetitive nature of the story, it didn't make for the best overall reading experience for me. Especially with the disatisfying ending.
(Note that I totally get the repetitive nature of passages was to express the similarities in the protagonist's multiple lives! It just made for a drawn out reading process.)