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3.69 AVERAGE
3.69 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
While the absurdist plays of Beckett veer towards boredom and mundanity, Kobo's version is thrilling and introspective in its sheer repetition of the same basic premise of a man who has to shovel sand out of a hole daily. It is the conscious revolt and subsequent failure against this mundanity with the long winded metaphors and undercurrent of sexual tension present in most post-WWII Japanese literature that makes this text so interesting. What's most terrifying is the fact that his struggle represents all our struggles, whether we realise it or not
dark
reflective
medium-paced
In terms of the 'theoretical' and 'philosophical' sections of this book I only really liked two that felt like they had any real meaning or truth to them, and the rest felt useless or false. The main character is quite unlikable and only worsens as the book goes on, and his theories concerning sex and his understanding of sex I also did not care for. Strangely, I think he did not ask the woman enough important questions earlier on. However, I did like the general imagery of the sand and the final ending was done very well. Near the end, I did have a general impression for how the story would finish, but I found it to be written better than I first imagined, and was quite happy with it and the manner in which he was finally trapped. So, while I was frustrated with the main character, this ending makes me struggle to dislike the book because of how satisfying the last two pages are, as well as the general concept.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping
Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual content, Vomit, Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Minor: Miscarriage
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Beautiful writing, very slow paced. Learned a lot of fun facts about sand.
This is the second book by Kōbō Abe I've read. I have actually seen the film version of this, but a long long time ago.
It's an odd book. Short. If I had read any Kafka, I'd be tempted to call it Kafkaesque. It did - in a way - remind me of the television series, The Prisoner. But it seems to me to be a story about how we eventually find ways to make ourselves comfortable in our own prisons. It doesn't matter if that prison is your career as a teacher or being forced to clear sand with a strange woman by a bunch of villagers who tricked you into it. You might struggle a bit at the beginning but things will distract you or you'll find ways to justify what you've done. Then, when you're given the chance to escape, you choose not to take it.
It's a parable about the real world. And perhaps the sand is time. That its victory can't be put off, however hard you struggle so maybe you should just make the best of what you have whilst you are here to enjoy it.
Or perhaps it is just the story of a man in a hole.
I enjoyed it more than 'The Face of Another'. Indeed I had almost the reverse experience with this book. 'The Face of Another' I liked a lot at the beginning but liked less by the end. This I enjoyed more by the time I'd finished it. I wasn't grabbed by it, but I settled into it and found myself impressed by the ending.
There are some nice illustrations scattered throughout too by the way.
It's never going to be one of my favourite books, but it was worth reading. I might even read it again when I'm in the right mood.
It's an odd book. Short. If I had read any Kafka, I'd be tempted to call it Kafkaesque. It did - in a way - remind me of the television series, The Prisoner. But it seems to me to be a story about how we eventually find ways to make ourselves comfortable in our own prisons. It doesn't matter if that prison is your career as a teacher or being forced to clear sand with a strange woman by a bunch of villagers who tricked you into it. You might struggle a bit at the beginning but things will distract you or you'll find ways to justify what you've done. Then, when you're given the chance to escape, you choose not to take it.
It's a parable about the real world. And perhaps the sand is time. That its victory can't be put off, however hard you struggle so maybe you should just make the best of what you have whilst you are here to enjoy it.
Or perhaps it is just the story of a man in a hole.
I enjoyed it more than 'The Face of Another'. Indeed I had almost the reverse experience with this book. 'The Face of Another' I liked a lot at the beginning but liked less by the end. This I enjoyed more by the time I'd finished it. I wasn't grabbed by it, but I settled into it and found myself impressed by the ending.
There are some nice illustrations scattered throughout too by the way.
It's never going to be one of my favourite books, but it was worth reading. I might even read it again when I'm in the right mood.
dark
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes