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egilmore's review
5.0
Akutagawa’s (translated) writing itself is probably a 4 for me, but the care with which this collection was translated, curated, organized, and explained was exceptional. I read everything: the head notes, foot notes, Murakami’s introduction, the translator’s note, and Akutagawa’s chronology. Together they make for a really rich reading experience. Truly excellent presentation.
As for Akutagawa: Prior to this, I had only read “In a Bamboo Grove” and it has stuck with me since high school. There are many enjoyable and interesting shorts in here, but my favorites were:
—the succinct, evocative, and POV-ambitious historical pieces Rashomon and In a Bamboo Grove
—the very weird, funny, and ominous contemporaries Horse Legs and Green Onions
—the poetic, ruminative, and revealing The Life of a Stupid Man,
—and the two standout pieces: Hell Screen and Spinning Gears.
Murakami and Rubin acknowledge these are the knockouts, and they’re not wrong. Hell Screen took my breath away and is one of the best short stories I’ve ever read. Spinning Gears is the less showy but no less impressive autofiction accomplice: a dark side to Hell Screen’s moon. Taken in tandem with Akutagawa’s biography, they will haunt you with their stylistic acumen and probes into artistry, madness, and domestic reckoning.
As for Akutagawa: Prior to this, I had only read “In a Bamboo Grove” and it has stuck with me since high school. There are many enjoyable and interesting shorts in here, but my favorites were:
—the succinct, evocative, and POV-ambitious historical pieces Rashomon and In a Bamboo Grove
—the very weird, funny, and ominous contemporaries Horse Legs and Green Onions
—the poetic, ruminative, and revealing The Life of a Stupid Man,
—and the two standout pieces: Hell Screen and Spinning Gears.
Murakami and Rubin acknowledge these are the knockouts, and they’re not wrong. Hell Screen took my breath away and is one of the best short stories I’ve ever read. Spinning Gears is the less showy but no less impressive autofiction accomplice: a dark side to Hell Screen’s moon. Taken in tandem with Akutagawa’s biography, they will haunt you with their stylistic acumen and probes into artistry, madness, and domestic reckoning.
fanbookatic's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.75
wisteriacrow's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
yuzureads's review against another edition
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
s4peace's review
2.0
Roshomon is very interesting but the rest of the stories were okay. They had the same template with a commentary on society towards the end. Decent read.
willgrogan's review
4.0
Ryūnosuke has crafted many stories and of these there are bizarre, comedic, intriguing and picturesque ones. His more personal works such as Life of a Stupid Man and The Writer's Craft had me less interested than the masterful stories like Hell Screen or the bizarre and humourous narratives such as Horse Legs. Nonetheless, all his stories and writings are well written and decently translated by Jay Rubin and Ryūnosuke's talent shines through!
Definitely worth a read
Definitely worth a read
alexisfromdabooks's review against another edition
5.0
Akutagawa è un maestro. Rashomon e Nel bosco sono due novelle di un fascino incredibile. Da leggere e rileggere.
benrogerswpg's review against another edition
3.0
I read this book because the short story, Spinning Gears, was mentioned in the latest Murakami book, [b:First Person Singular: Stories|54614599|First Person Singular Stories|Haruki Murakami|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1596716987l/54614599._SY75_.jpg|85211596].
I enjoyed Murakami's massive introduction in this book.
I can really tell Murakami looks up to Akutagawa and has been inspired by his books and stories in his own material.
I found the stories especially strange reads. Very peculiar.
The stories somewhat did remind me of Murakami, but honestly, not nearly as good as the master (Murakami).
A few stores stood out to me, but all-in-all I was fairly disappointed.
3.1/5
I enjoyed Murakami's massive introduction in this book.
I can really tell Murakami looks up to Akutagawa and has been inspired by his books and stories in his own material.
I found the stories especially strange reads. Very peculiar.
The stories somewhat did remind me of Murakami, but honestly, not nearly as good as the master (Murakami).
A few stores stood out to me, but all-in-all I was fairly disappointed.
3.1/5
firdaws's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.5