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annakaren97's review against another edition
3.0
Hefði ekki gefið henni svona hátt ef hún væri ekki upp úr ævi höfundarins. Ekki minn stíll, en áhugaverð.
mions's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Perfect on-the-go read, loved pulling this out here and there whenever I had some time to kill. Overall masterfully written.
It took me a moment to get an understanding of what was going on in In a Bamboo Grove, but once I did, I got very invested in the story. Utilised the concept of multiple perspectives in a meaningful way that left me thinking about the case a while after I had finished reading.
Death Register has a very somber feel. The described events from Akuatagawa’s childhood help with not only understanding The Life of a Stupid Man but also with seeing all its influence in Akutagawa’s other writing.
The titular story’s sections are short and sweet, though often of the bitter-variety. The writing paints an elegant yet raw portrayal of regrets and grief, with an adequate glimpses into the happier moments sprinkled in.
Felt like a good introduction to Akutagawa as an author.
It took me a moment to get an understanding of what was going on in In a Bamboo Grove, but once I did, I got very invested in the story. Utilised the concept of multiple perspectives in a meaningful way that left me thinking about the case a while after I had finished reading.
Death Register has a very somber feel. The described events from Akuatagawa’s childhood help with not only understanding The Life of a Stupid Man but also with seeing all its influence in Akutagawa’s other writing.
The titular story’s sections are short and sweet, though often of the bitter-variety. The writing paints an elegant yet raw portrayal of regrets and grief, with an adequate glimpses into the happier moments sprinkled in.
Felt like a good introduction to Akutagawa as an author.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent
Moderate: Rape, Death, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Blood, Child abuse, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Violence, Chronic illness, Medical content, and Murder
mi_mi_long's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
2.5
jademgreen's review against another edition
4.5
I loved this so much more than I expected to and now I am keen to read more by Akutagawa. Considering the time it was written, it seems like such modern thinking.
Small but mighty!
Small but mighty!
leonor_santoss's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-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
3.0
versmonesprit's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
What a book! “Small but mighty” has possibly never been more apt. This had me rushing to buy a full-sized Akutagawa story collection. Read it, and you too will immediately see why he’s such a lauded writer — you might even, like me, feel he’s not given enough credit.
There are three titles in this tiny book, short but no less impactful for it. They’re all imbued with incredible, lyrical beauty.
The first of these is “In a Bamboo Grove”, a series of wildly differing witness statements about a dead man, a missing woman, and a captured man. The truth of what happened is elusive, but it’s violent through and through. Akutagawa’s description of such a beautiful setting for such horrible events is the sort of contrast that really strikes you. There is a supernatural element to this that establishes a connection to folktales, but rest assured, this is a darkly funny and truly original story.
The other two included in this mini volume are autobiographical pieces, and take a sudden, much more somber turn after the previous story. As I read them, I couldn’t help but think back to Bashō’s haikus, in the way there’s so little text but somehow so much contained within, and just how beautiful the writing is.
“Death Register” is exactly what it says it is. Written with incredible precision and clarity, it’s highly emotional, but in a strangely tranquil way. The sobriety of tone when dealing with such an emotionally tumultuous matter as the losses of family members is once again deeply striking.
“The Life of a Stupid Man” is a collection of quietly powerful fragments, of snippets from his life, of brilliant observations of the moments we often overlook. It reminded me heavily of Pessoa’s The Book of Disquiet in not just form but even more so in tone. What differs in these two is that “The Life of a Stupid Man” is woven with the inheritance from a great literary tradition: that quality I previously referred to in the precision of haikus. While reading these fragments, time seems to be arrested, leaving you alone with your heartbeat, with your breath cut short in a gasp of admiration; only you and Akutagawa’s words exist. I did cry a few times — that’s what great beauty does to you!
There are three titles in this tiny book, short but no less impactful for it. They’re all imbued with incredible, lyrical beauty.
The first of these is “In a Bamboo Grove”, a series of wildly differing witness statements about a dead man, a missing woman, and a captured man. The truth of what happened is elusive, but it’s violent through and through. Akutagawa’s description of such a beautiful setting for such horrible events is the sort of contrast that really strikes you. There is a supernatural element to this that establishes a connection to folktales, but rest assured, this is a darkly funny and truly original story.
The other two included in this mini volume are autobiographical pieces, and take a sudden, much more somber turn after the previous story. As I read them, I couldn’t help but think back to Bashō’s haikus, in the way there’s so little text but somehow so much contained within, and just how beautiful the writing is.
“Death Register” is exactly what it says it is. Written with incredible precision and clarity, it’s highly emotional, but in a strangely tranquil way. The sobriety of tone when dealing with such an emotionally tumultuous matter as the losses of family members is once again deeply striking.
“The Life of a Stupid Man” is a collection of quietly powerful fragments, of snippets from his life, of brilliant observations of the moments we often overlook. It reminded me heavily of Pessoa’s The Book of Disquiet in not just form but even more so in tone. What differs in these two is that “The Life of a Stupid Man” is woven with the inheritance from a great literary tradition: that quality I previously referred to in the precision of haikus. While reading these fragments, time seems to be arrested, leaving you alone with your heartbeat, with your breath cut short in a gasp of admiration; only you and Akutagawa’s words exist. I did cry a few times — that’s what great beauty does to you!
noway218's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5