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4.21 AVERAGE
4.21 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
tense
medium-paced
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
r/menwritingwomen will have a filled day with this one.
on a more serious note, this book was bad. In a way I did not expect at all. it’s hard to not draw a parallel to The Hunger Games but for me there is no question: THG is MILES ahead of this book.
on a more serious note, this book was bad. In a way I did not expect at all. it’s hard to not draw a parallel to The Hunger Games but for me there is no question: THG is MILES ahead of this book.
the good things: the idea and concept. of course the idea of kids stuck on an island forced to kill each other is brilliant. it’s a strong and violent allegory for real life. that is partially why this book inspired so many pieces of media. why it got so popular and controversial. i also enjoyed the last 100 pages. this was the only time in the book where i was at the edge of my seat. the rest of the time the book was really boring.
i do not mind violence at all. but for a book so gruesome it was not exciting at all. i did not feel scared for any of the characters because i did not care about them. out of 42 students dying maybe 6 deaths were actually impactful. the rest of the time it is more or less the same. and the characters are so naive in a way that is nonsensical. the main dude especially. « yes this experiment has been conducted for many years so many other classes had to kill each other, but MY class is different amd we will all band together to dismantle the government » meanwhile kiriyma is on his 10th kill. like be so for real. i would understand being like this at first but after 200 pages and he is still like this i wanted someone to kill him. « what?! people would kill others to survive! » uh… obviously?!! and so many characters were like this for SO. LONG. pack it up! i was rooting for the villains cause at least they got shit done.
it was impossible for me to get attached to 42 people so… i just didn’t. i liked 4 of them and the rest died before i could get attached. too many characters in my opinion. the author tried to make you like them in 5 pages by telling us about their personalities but it falls flat for all of them. classic telling and not showing.
the main flaw of the book however is that it is poorly written. Dear God. What was that? I’m going to be kind and assume it’s mainly the translation. maybe Japanese doesn’t translate well in english. the book is too long!!! 600 pages for what? at least 100 could’ve been cut off just because of the repetitions characters would say something in dialog and the narration would just repeat it! over and over again. character motivation just gets repetitive. yes we know you want to tear down the government because they killed you friend YOU ALREADY TOLD US 3 TIMES TWO PAGES AGO!!! Does this book think i’m stupid? the dialog is also just bad and cringeworthy they do not feel like 15 year olds (although this can be because of cultural differences as i am
not japanese)
the book is simultaneously gory and childish with surface level analysis of the human condition. some commentary was interesting and still relèvent today but most was the generic « bad government are bad » « government are pitting the people against each other to keep the power » which… yes… and? what more does this story bring?
i brought it up in the first sentence of my review and im repeating it here the writing for female characters is atrocious. biggest case of madonna-whore complex i’ve read. they are either kind, naive, wide eyed and sweet or sluts with no mercy. and too many of them had a crush on the unimpressive main guy. too many careless references to sexual assault for me to enjoy the book.
anyway… just read the Hunger Games. you can skip this one entirely and not miss out on anything.
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
one of the craziest books ive ever read… LOVED it and had a lot of fun!! (what does that say about me…?)
Context: I came at Battle Royale after devouring and loving The Hunger Games series within the past year, so a lot of this review will be comparing them. Predictably, I'm so bemused at the immense overlap between their premises, but I'm fully capable of loving both books in their own ways and I really appreciated the ways in which they're different.
The stand-out difference to me, which I absolutely freaking loved in Battle Royale, was the rotating cast of narrators: whereas like 90% of THG's tributes go without personalities/names/any detail whatsoever and Katniss never even encounters them in the arena, Battle Royale contains a complete sprawling cast of characters. The constant switch in POVs meant fleshing out each character so much more, understanding their reasons for thinking/feeling/doing what they did, understanding the students who actively chose to play the game, growing attached to most of them, and getting to see all the varying gruesome and inventive ways that they die -- Koushun Takami never really runs out of new ways to make someone snuff it. And it meant that I never really knew who was going to be safe or who was going to make it (although I knew was doomed, because he was too motherfucking great), and getting attached to someone right before they went. This is only a very vague spoiler, but 's scene was possibly my favourite moment in the entire book because it made me want to burst into tears in public. I was rooting for her and them so badly. :'((((((((
The other absolutely crucial element is getting chapters from the POV of Sakamochi, the heartless bureaucrat, the chipper proponent of the government machine. The Gamemakers fascinated me in THG and he's this book's equivalent; accordingly, I'm so happy that we got to see scenes from HQ and the government's side.
It's a huuuuge book despite the act that takes place in such a short span of time -- which I'm fine with, because it's that big for a reason: it covers every hour in exhaustive detail, from multiple perspectives. I really liked seeing everything, getting into everyone's heads, and witnessing their internal memories of each other (which was so much more heartbreaking than THG, because rather than being strangers to each other, many of these kids had intimate memories of growing up with each other). I can only imagine that losing that interiority makes for a much more shallow film experience (though I'm looking forward to watching the movie adaptation soon).
On the other hand, I did like THG's worldbuilding better (which I know was sparse, but still, it drops a lot of intriguing possibilities and sci-fi hints). Like, the worldbuilding in BR had a few weirdnesses, imo -- everyone seemed to go "how did the Capitol get away with the Games for so long without people rebelling????", but the tournament here seems to have gone by with even less of a hitch, with not even a whimper, and the kids don't even seem to be actively aware that it happens. Everyone harped on about the fact that Suzanne Collins' world loses 24 kids per year, but BATTLE ROYALE'S REPUBLIC LOST 5000 EVERY SINGLE YEAR. I really don't understand how they could sustain their population!!!
My unmitigated favourites: chainsmoking sentimental thug Shogo Kawada and intrepid hacker Shinji. UGH I LOVED THEMMMMM. And Takako.
There are some translation issues -- the language is very straight-forward and colloquial and yet a little stilted? But I feel like the simplistic tone of voice works for the material, considering the shallow, juvenile narrators with their drama & problems. The only ~literary technique~ I'm a little unsure on is how the characters sit around talking and correctly interpreting others' actions/behaviour; it makes sense since I often sit around dissecting my friends' behaviour, too, and having read the appendices, I know that it was a very conscious technique... but it still felt a little too on-the-nose, at times.
My favourite deaths (haha):
The twists at the end BLEW MY MIND ahhhh and are part of what make it a better-plotted book than THG, imo -- the end of THG is an utterly straightforward road in comparison.
Possibly the biggest 'flaw', as discussed with a friend, is simply that there isn't more -- I was sorta hoping that a Catching Fire-esque sequel existed for this book, for various reasons.
Anyway, thus ends what is likely my longest Goodreads review ever!
Favourite quotes beneath the cut, as per usual.
The stand-out difference to me, which I absolutely freaking loved in Battle Royale, was the rotating cast of narrators: whereas like 90% of THG's tributes go without personalities/names/any detail whatsoever and Katniss never even encounters them in the arena, Battle Royale contains a complete sprawling cast of characters. The constant switch in POVs meant fleshing out each character so much more, understanding their reasons for thinking/feeling/doing what they did, understanding the students who actively chose to play the game, growing attached to most of them, and getting to see all the varying gruesome and inventive ways that they die -- Koushun Takami never really runs out of new ways to make someone snuff it. And it meant that I never really knew who was going to be safe or who was going to make it (although I knew
Spoiler
ShogoSpoiler
Hiroki & TakakoThe other absolutely crucial element is getting chapters from the POV of Sakamochi, the heartless bureaucrat, the chipper proponent of the government machine. The Gamemakers fascinated me in THG and he's this book's equivalent; accordingly, I'm so happy that we got to see scenes from HQ and the government's side.
It's a huuuuge book despite the act that takes place in such a short span of time -- which I'm fine with, because it's that big for a reason: it covers every hour in exhaustive detail, from multiple perspectives. I really liked seeing everything, getting into everyone's heads, and witnessing their internal memories of each other (which was so much more heartbreaking than THG, because rather than being strangers to each other, many of these kids had intimate memories of growing up with each other). I can only imagine that losing that interiority makes for a much more shallow film experience (though I'm looking forward to watching the movie adaptation soon).
On the other hand, I did like THG's worldbuilding better (which I know was sparse, but still, it drops a lot of intriguing possibilities and sci-fi hints). Like, the worldbuilding in BR had a few weirdnesses, imo -- everyone seemed to go "how did the Capitol get away with the Games for so long without people rebelling????", but the tournament here seems to have gone by with even less of a hitch, with not even a whimper, and the kids don't even seem to be actively aware that it happens. Everyone harped on about the fact that Suzanne Collins' world loses 24 kids per year, but BATTLE ROYALE'S REPUBLIC LOST 5000 EVERY SINGLE YEAR. I really don't understand how they could sustain their population!!!
My unmitigated favourites: chainsmoking sentimental thug Shogo Kawada and intrepid hacker Shinji. UGH I LOVED THEMMMMM. And Takako.
There are some translation issues -- the language is very straight-forward and colloquial and yet a little stilted? But I feel like the simplistic tone of voice works for the material, considering the shallow, juvenile narrators with their drama & problems. The only ~literary technique~ I'm a little unsure on is how the characters sit around talking and correctly interpreting others' actions/behaviour; it makes sense since I often sit around dissecting my friends' behaviour, too, and having read the appendices, I know that it was a very conscious technique... but it still felt a little too on-the-nose, at times.
My favourite deaths (haha):
Spoiler
Kazuo slaughtering his crew; the couple that killed themselves together; the couple that turned on each other; Takako and her would-be rapist AND THEN THE SUBSEQUENT HEARTBREAK; Mitsuko tricking the two boys; the entire lighthouse sequence (with the poisoning, the Mexican standoff, and all); Shinji's explosive finish.The twists at the end BLEW MY MIND ahhhh and are part of what make it a better-plotted book than THG, imo -- the end of THG is an utterly straightforward road in comparison.
Spoiler
I totally bought Shogo's betrayal, because ugh, WHAT an amazing turnabout that would've been!!!! It only took me another page or two before I called it that it was a trick, though, but even with knowing... It still meant sitting on the edge of my seat because they didn't freaking get away with it! His tense, nail-biting scene with Sakamochi was utterly WONDERFUL, and is the perect example of one of my favourite techniques/tropes/scenes/whatever: when a hero sits down with the villain (often over food or a drink) and has a casual conversation with them. It was such a brilliant balance of both characters having hidden cards up their sleeve and trying to hide that OR communicate it to the other, and the author trying to walk that knife's edge of not telling the reaader too much. Again, having read the appendices, I know that Takami struggled a lot with this scene, but I think he totally pulled it off: the reader is left desperately piecing together the clues, trying to anticipate where the scene is going, figure out how much Sakamochi knows, and how much of it is accurate. Ugh, it was brilliant.Possibly the biggest 'flaw', as discussed with a friend, is simply that there isn't more -- I was sorta hoping that a Catching Fire-esque sequel existed for this book, for various reasons.
Anyway, thus ends what is likely my longest Goodreads review ever!
Favourite quotes beneath the cut, as per usual.
Spoiler
Mitsuru had been a bully ever since elementary school, but he was never needlessly cruel. Brought up in a typical, almost bland, family, he wasn't particularly bright, nor did he display any other gifts. Fighting was the best way he could prove himself. Strength was the only standard he had, and he never fell short of it.
...
He said, "If the coin came up tails, I decided I'd take part in the game."
...
They were probably still alive at that point. But Yutaka just could not bring himself to come out and rescue them. After all, he was a born jokester--fighting was just not his thing. And on top of that, his supplied weapon turned out to be a fork, the normal kind you would use to eat spaghetti.
...
How could this be happening? She wanted to see her mom. She wanted to see her dad. She wanted to see her sister and her kind grandma and grandpa. She wanted to take a bath, rub cream on her pimples, and then sit on the comfortable couch in the living room while sipping on a cup of cocoa and watching a video of Flip Side's TV show (although she'd seen the episode many, many times already).
...
Up until the end of elementary school, they often visited each other. Once, when she seemed preoccupied, Hiroki asked her, "What's wrong, Takako? Something wrong?"
Takako thought about it and then said what was on her mind. "Hey, Hiroki, what would you do if someone said they liked you?"
"Hmm. I don't know, since it's never happened to me."
"Don't you have a crush on someone?"
"Hmm. Nope. Not at this moment," he said.
Takako then thought, So I'm not even in the running?
Whatever. "Oh, really. Well you should find someone you can confess to."
"I'm too chicken. I don't think so."
The scene changed. Junior high school again. They became classmates in their second year. They were talking on the first day of class. At some point Hiroki said, "So I heard there's this supposedly hot guy on the track team." Although Hiroki didn't directly say it, he was implying she had a crush on the track star.
"Who told you?"
"Just heard. So how's it going?"
"No hope," she said. "He has a girlfriend. What about you? You still don't have a girlfriend?"
"Leave me alone."
We were always on the verge of being close. We both had a thing for each other but--or am I just imagining things? At least, I liked you. I mean, it was different from how I felt about my track teammate. You know what I mean?
Hiroki's face appeared. He was crying.
"Takako, don't die."
Come on guy, be a man. Boys don't cry. You might be bigger now, but you haven't made much progress.
Was it by the grace of God? Takako came to her senses once more. She opened her eyes.
Hiroki Sugimura was looking down at her in the soft afternoon light. Beyond Hiroki she saw the treetops, and in between them fragments of the blue sky formed complex patterns like those in a Rorschach test.
The first thing she realized was that Hiroki wasn't crying.
Then she started wondering, "How did you--"
As she tried to form words with her mouth, she felt as if she were forcing open a rusty door. She realized she didn't have too long to live.
"--get here?"
All Hiroki said was, "I managed."
...
Shinji nodded and tried to write out the name of the fertilizer compound, but he didn't know how to spell it. He was a casualty of spell-check.
...
Furthermore--though it was quite irrelevant now--he had no idea his killer, Kazuo Kiriyama, had, in his mansion that was much larger than Toshinori's home in Shiroiwa-cho, mastered the violin at a level far superior to Toshinori's a long time ago--and then thrown his violin into the trash.
...
Shuya also came out of his daze. With a grimace he threw the plank he'd been holding the way he'd pitch a perfect fastball in Little League. (He wasn't sure anymore whether such a game existed on earth. It seemed to take place on a distant planet in the remote Andromeda Galaxy where the inhabitants played this game using three arms out of five, although the use of one's tail was permitted in the final inning.)
Thoroughly enjoyed. Very Hunger Games-esque. The more you read the easier it gets to become familiar with the 50 different characters and their unique personalities. Loads of emotions felt throughout. And loved the vivid imagery and gory description details!!
dark
emotional
funny
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Emotional Impact: 5.0
Characters: 5.0
Plot: 5.0
Dialog: 4.5
World Building: 4.5
Gut Enjoyment: 5.0
Characters: 5.0
Plot: 5.0
Dialog: 4.5
World Building: 4.5
Gut Enjoyment: 5.0
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This is one of the most incredible dystopian novels written. While it doesn't shy away from violence of any kind and unflinchingly portrays the darkest parts of humanity, the unflinching optimism and belief in the best parts of humanity are a key component of why this book has lasted so long. If I had one critique it's the sheer disbelief of certain elements - one character is preternaturally good at everything possible, another is loved by literally every girl in the school, another has experienced a degree of sexual trauma that's frankly brutal - but ultimately this barely takes away from the book as a whole. For 600 pages, this book flies by. Maybe not life-changing, but such an incredible landmark for the genre, and one which has inspired an endless host of other novels (whether they admit it or not).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Gun violence, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated