Reviews

Very dark. (Kittens get murdered. People die.) I'm not sure what the point of it is. Something about desire. These kids are fucking each other up the whole time. Nothing really gets resolved either. It just didn't really speak to me, specifically. Interesting story, but kind of depressing. Heed the content warnings, lots of heavy topics.

Content Warnings

bjlinard's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

4.25

brogan7's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

This is a difficult book to give a number to. I thought it was too disturbing for my taste, but there were interesting things about it, it felt like a cry of distress, a request for human kindness in a world that's full of human brutality...
It's just hard to read about the brutality and understand it will have no resolution, there will be no moment when people stand up for themselves, set boundaries, extend kindness, ask difficult questions... they're all just muddling along in their suffering and deep dysfunction.

Also, it was almost impossible to keep track of the characters (at one point the author helpfully inserts "this is Takahashi's first appearance")--the characters' features alter in moments of heightened emotions, which makes telling them apart quite challenging.

Mature content, a difficult read.

Someone should tell the translator Solidago Canadensis is referred to simply as "goldenrod" in English, though "Canadian goldenrod" is very sweet.

Don't recommend.

Content Warnings

mynatea's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

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

2.5

I’m not really a reader who looks deep for life changing meanings within books, that’s what high school me did and it was exhausting. This book is one of those (Probably).

With that being said, this is one of those books where you’re going to think has no meaning to it. There’s no linear storyline, there is no resolve. This book, the people in it, their individual experiences and thoughts just exist.

Young adults discovering a dead body which they treat as something very personal to them and more, while others see it, acknowledge it, question it, and move on. Do I know why they are so attached to dead bodies? No. Will I ever understand? Probably not. There’s more to each persons life than seeing a dead body but the dead body brought them together in a way I won’t get. And that’s fine.

It’s not the book for everyone. It isn’t really one for me either, but I can appreciate it.

mvuijlst's review against another edition

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2.0

What the actual fuck. De blurb op de achterkant zegt dit:

At the edge of the city not far from the sea, a field of goldenrod sways in the breeze, its veil of amber flowers obscuring secrets underneath. Old bones and forgotten memories rest in silence, waiting for someone to dig them up. This is where the lives of six young men and women intertwine in ways both tragic and extraordinary. Decaying secrets are revealed as they forge friendships from pain, find betrayal in pleasure, and stare into the face of death itself—in a field of gold by a stagnant river, under the smoke-filled skies.

Ik had hier goeie dingen over gehoord, en het was maar 13 euro bij de Amazons, dus hey waarom niet?

Wel: what the actual fuck.

Wat een vies boek. Zware pesterijen en mishandeling van mensen en dieren, anorexie en tienerzwangerschap en nihilisme, sex en drugs en diepe miserie, homofobie en al dan niet casual wreedheid, en van begin tot einde van het hele boek niémand die ooit een goede keuze maakt.

Geen enkel moment van optimisme of geluk in een heel boek, allemaal mensen die gebroken waren in het begin, en op het einde nog méér gebroken zijn, zonder vooruitzicht op beter.

Een ervaring, vermoed ik.

Zeker geen slécht boek in de zin van slecht gemaakt of zo, maar wel diep, diep, diép deprimerend. Ik heb geen idee voor wie dit bedoeld is. Ik kan niemand bedenken aan wie ik dit zou aanraden.

Brr.

[Wel bedankt aan de vertaler om de vele vele verwijzingen te verduidelijken die anders alleen zin zouden hebben voor een Japanner die de jaren 1980-90 actief meegemaakt heeft.]

rnmcfarlane's review against another edition

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challenging dark medium-paced

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

3.0

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