Reviews

Strange Weather in Tokyo by Hiromi Kawakami

reli's review against another edition

5.0

The moment they started dating, I felt everything clicked in my head

veebee257's review

adventurous funny reflective relaxing fast-paced

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

3.75

gillthequill's review against another edition

emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

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

2.5

 2.5 Stars. A Reddit post recommended this book for me. I really enjoyed the first stretch of this book. I thought it was going to be a nice look through a series of vignettes of an intergenerational friendship. I enjoyed the loving descriptions of eating and drinking, the focus on environmental details and descriptions, and the moments between the two characters. But as the story went on (really from the chapter The Cherry Blossom Festival), I felt like the novel was losing me. Was it the sudden halting and uncertain romance? Was it the acknowledgement that whatever these two have, it will not last? Was it the sense of... smallness I felt towards the protagonist, childish and aimlessly drifting through her own life? I'm not sure. Either way, it was a well written book... just to me, fell flat towards the end. I don't know what I was expecting (digging deeper into the alcoholism between the two characters, maybe a more overt discussion of their loneliness, maybe even an expansion of the Beach chapter, dreamlike and symbolic to make the implied explicit, I don't know) but I'd recommend borrowing this one instead of buying if you have the chance. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol and Alcoholism

Minor: Death

8797999's review against another edition

3.0

A book I started this past summer but didn't really get into it until this week. It isn't my usual sort of read, a little feminine for my tastes but on the whole I enjoyed it. I dipped in and out until about 40/50 pages in when I properly sat down to read it.

Very enjoyable and I would give it 3.5/5 stars.

steve_urick's review against another edition

funny lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

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

4.25

frozenfrog's review against another edition

dark emotional sad fast-paced

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

3.0

nanamikento's review against another edition

3.25

it was alright. some say it explored loneliness well for an aging woman but having read all the lovers in the night before this, i liked thecl complexity and the characterization of the mc there rather than tsukiko. i like sensei more though.

i just cannot get behind the love story sorry... though i do get why people say that with their generation gap, the book showcases a clash in cultures. 

the tidal wave chapter is so.... whimsical. im suddenly confused because the scenes prior seem to be realistic and from others' description, the way kawakami writes is minimalist yes but is rich in description, especially with the food. the dream sequence can attest to that, it's like a stray chapter put in the middle. idk if i like it or not to spice things up but i can say that it's nice. 

lacarbajal1202's review against another edition

funny lighthearted mysterious reflective medium-paced

3.0

megashleyx's review against another edition

lighthearted reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.25

daylenz211's review against another edition

2.0

"Una historia de amor" un intento de historia de amor, si romance, sin ningún buen desarrollo de personajes. Una perdida de mi tiempo. Básicamente 2 borrachos que se enamoran por alguna razón, 2 borrachos viejos.