Reviews

“Whoever pretends not to believe in ghosts of any sort, lies to his own heart. Every man is haunted by ghosts… though most of us (poets excepted) are unwilling to confess the acquaintance.”
-Lafcadio Hearn, “The Eternal Haunter.”

I discovered Lafcadio Hearn some years ago while I was a student of the Japanese language, and he has since quickly become one of my favourite authors. Despite still being well-known in Japan and his works considered classics in their own right, Hearn has unfortunately become somewhat obscure in the West. But his work is nothing less than magnificent.

Lafcadio Hearn wrote his Japanese Ghost Stories from behind the paper-screens of a rapidly Westernising country, recording the lives and stories of an old Japan that was fading amongst the push for modernisation. Hearn approached this with an openness and empathy that few other Western writers can compare. And with the help of his wife Setsuko Koizumi, we are left with a collection of peculiar stories inviting us into a bygone world both supernatural and vividly real.

Japanese Ghost Stories features a selection of extraordinary tales, most of which I found to be curious, sometimes frightening, but also bewitching and hauntingly beautiful. There is this incredible poetry in the way Hearn writes, showing us a strong Japanese and Buddhist influence paired with an Irish upbringing, pouring out from the pen of a talented man who was well-versed in his craft. Hearn’s writing has this incredible ability to enchant and allure, and reading his work brings me the same inner-fulfilment and joy as experiencing a particularly beautiful work of art.

If you haven’t already, I highly recommend also watching the Japanese film Kwaidan, which was based off Hearn’s work and ended up winning the Special Jury Prize at the 1965 Cannes Film Festival.

Content Warnings

metmaedl's review against another edition

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3.0

Die Illustrationen sind wunderschön!
Aber die Geschichten fand ich zum Teil nicht so toll. Manche waren nur 2 Seiten lang und ich hätte gerne mehr Hintergrundinfos zu den einzelnen Wesen gehabt. Was tun die? Wie sind die entstanden? Was mache ich, wenn ich eines treffe?
Die Texte sind schon sehr alt, was sich leider auch im Schreibstil wiederspiegelt. teils ziehen sich die längeren Geschichten ein wenig... Allerdings finde ich sie auch gerade deshalb sehr interessant, da dieser Autor wohl das westliche Bild von Japan sehr geprägt hat.
Und ein Kritikpunkt noch. Leider zeigen die Illustrationen nicht immer das, was in den Geschichten beschrieben wird. Ich möchte bitte eine Geschichte zur Titelillustration!

z3r081's review

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Too distracting with having to read part of the story, flit yo the back or bottom of the page for a lengthy explanation of something then back to the actual story.

I love a genuine Japanese horror film and was sad to abandon this, so maybe I'll return

seanfischer's review against another edition

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adventurous dark informative mysterious slow-paced

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

2.75

When a Japanese ghost tells you to do something, do it or find a priest.

fialba's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious slow-paced

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

5.0

scottcampbell's review

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

3.75

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