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frizzbee's review
challenging
dark
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
cami19's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
m_h_dahl's review against another edition
4.0
I don't understand why this book has gotten so many bad reviews. Because I really enjoyed reading this book???
Likewise, I get why this book might be difficult for someone to LIKE, because it explores some really dark parts of the personality though … ‘Cause there is a lot of sadistic relations between the characters in the book.
The protagonist, Yurika, is fascinating to follow. Her original thoughts, deep and complicated, makes her likeable, but also unlikeable. She seems so detached from the world around her. She is obsessed with understanding desire and the ways it correlates with destruction.
Yurika works as a freelancer in Tokyo’s underworld. She seems like just another prostitute who targets powerful men. But in Yurika’s case, that is for a reason. Instead of having sex with them, Yurika drugs the men and takes risqué photographs in order to blackmail them. The images are turned into the men she works for, a shady organization. It’s a lot of money and she can keep her identity intact, so Yurika is satisfied with this working arrangement, and has learned to do her job quickly and efficiently. Unfortunately, a figure from Yurika’s past suddently makes her job difficult, and that makes her realize that her secret agenda may not remain secret much longer. Yurika is caught in a deadly game of secrets, desire, and bad intentions where her past, her present, and her future seem to collide and fall into the hands of some of the most powerful and sadistic men from Tokyo’s criminal underworld.
In this noir crime thriller set in modern-day Tokyo, Nakamura writes about the psyche of a woman who understands pain on a personal level; it’s a fine line between the grotesque and the beauty. His writing style is sharp. Still, you can easily read this book in a single sitting.
‘The Kingdom’ is dark and perpetually seductive. The atmosphere is nerve-wrecking, thrilling - some kind of a dark, twisted «fairy tale» - with destructive, huge cracks beneath the surface. The plot explores the lives of ousiders in a dark underworld in Tokyo.
Likewise, I get why this book might be difficult for someone to LIKE, because it explores some really dark parts of the personality though … ‘Cause there is a lot of sadistic relations between the characters in the book.
The protagonist, Yurika, is fascinating to follow. Her original thoughts, deep and complicated, makes her likeable, but also unlikeable. She seems so detached from the world around her. She is obsessed with understanding desire and the ways it correlates with destruction.
Yurika works as a freelancer in Tokyo’s underworld. She seems like just another prostitute who targets powerful men. But in Yurika’s case, that is for a reason. Instead of having sex with them, Yurika drugs the men and takes risqué photographs in order to blackmail them. The images are turned into the men she works for, a shady organization. It’s a lot of money and she can keep her identity intact, so Yurika is satisfied with this working arrangement, and has learned to do her job quickly and efficiently. Unfortunately, a figure from Yurika’s past suddently makes her job difficult, and that makes her realize that her secret agenda may not remain secret much longer. Yurika is caught in a deadly game of secrets, desire, and bad intentions where her past, her present, and her future seem to collide and fall into the hands of some of the most powerful and sadistic men from Tokyo’s criminal underworld.
In this noir crime thriller set in modern-day Tokyo, Nakamura writes about the psyche of a woman who understands pain on a personal level; it’s a fine line between the grotesque and the beauty. His writing style is sharp. Still, you can easily read this book in a single sitting.
‘The Kingdom’ is dark and perpetually seductive. The atmosphere is nerve-wrecking, thrilling - some kind of a dark, twisted «fairy tale» - with destructive, huge cracks beneath the surface. The plot explores the lives of ousiders in a dark underworld in Tokyo.
saltycorpse's review against another edition
3.0
A quick read that is a "sister novel" to The Thief. I enjoyed it, though it wasn't a stand-out in terms of Nakamura's work.
moonbites's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 ⭐️
"Night makes people's desires take on physical form. Night forgives people for letting loose the desires they keep buried inside."
I just really love Nakamura's writing style. I love the depressing undertones and the way it tackles humanity & what it means to be alive. This was really great. I probably would have given it a five stars if it wasn't for chapter 16. That chapter skeeved me out, and I felt that it was unnecessary. I know it was trying to show a deeper darkness in Yurika, but it just didn't work for me. I also felt that the second to last chapter was a bit jumbled in terms of purpose.
Yurika is quite a complex character. She has a pessimistic outlook and also seems to be drifting along life, finding joy in what she does in moments of pain or humiliation. Yet, you see a tenderness about her and this unbending will to live and you feel almost connected to her in spirit. I enjoyed reading through her point of view even more than the POV from [b:The Boy in the Earth|31415690|The Boy in the Earth|Fuminori Nakamura|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1490641505l/31415690._SY75_.jpg|52107917].
I also really loved the reoccurring theme of the night and the moon. It made me want to go and take a midnight walk in a park. It reminds me how thoughts come undone in the night before bed. It was very surreal and I could really connect to the writing itself, which isn't a usual occurrence for me.
I really enjoyed Kizaki, he was my second favorite character from this. I especially liked when he talked philosophically. Here is an example:
"Why me? People have been asking that since long ago. The one who enjoyed this world the most is God. That is, if God exists. God writhes, feasting on the chains of good and evil that each human life creates unendingly."
Though his monologues were often long winded, I was enraptured by them.
I am looking forward to checking out the companion, [b:The Thief|12296546|The Thief|Fuminori Nakamura|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1333581052l/12296546._SX50_.jpg|17273435]. With such a low average rating this book serves as proof to read a book regardless of the rating because you still might like it!
"Night makes people's desires take on physical form. Night forgives people for letting loose the desires they keep buried inside."
I just really love Nakamura's writing style. I love the depressing undertones and the way it tackles humanity & what it means to be alive. This was really great. I probably would have given it a five stars if it wasn't for chapter 16. That chapter skeeved me out, and I felt that it was unnecessary. I know it was trying to show a deeper darkness in Yurika, but it just didn't work for me. I also felt that the second to last chapter was a bit jumbled in terms of purpose.
Yurika is quite a complex character. She has a pessimistic outlook and also seems to be drifting along life, finding joy in what she does in moments of pain or humiliation. Yet, you see a tenderness about her and this unbending will to live and you feel almost connected to her in spirit. I enjoyed reading through her point of view even more than the POV from [b:The Boy in the Earth|31415690|The Boy in the Earth|Fuminori Nakamura|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1490641505l/31415690._SY75_.jpg|52107917].
I also really loved the reoccurring theme of the night and the moon. It made me want to go and take a midnight walk in a park. It reminds me how thoughts come undone in the night before bed. It was very surreal and I could really connect to the writing itself, which isn't a usual occurrence for me.
I really enjoyed Kizaki, he was my second favorite character from this. I especially liked when he talked philosophically. Here is an example:
"Why me? People have been asking that since long ago. The one who enjoyed this world the most is God. That is, if God exists. God writhes, feasting on the chains of good and evil that each human life creates unendingly."
Though his monologues were often long winded, I was enraptured by them.
I am looking forward to checking out the companion, [b:The Thief|12296546|The Thief|Fuminori Nakamura|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1333581052l/12296546._SX50_.jpg|17273435]. With such a low average rating this book serves as proof to read a book regardless of the rating because you still might like it!
mimi_means_secret's review against another edition
dark
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? Yes
1.0
menniemenace's review against another edition
2.0
2.5/5
I should make an "Odd Japanaese Stuff" shelf and put this in it. It's not structured at all, and it's weird, yet it's different from the English weird. It's distinctive.
I like how it transported me to an odd place for a while, and had some genuinely cool observations.
I should make an "Odd Japanaese Stuff" shelf and put this in it. It's not structured at all, and it's weird, yet it's different from the English weird. It's distinctive.
I like how it transported me to an odd place for a while, and had some genuinely cool observations.
bookworm_42's review
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0