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3.55 AVERAGE
3.55 AVERAGE
Nothing all that intriguing about this other than an interesting description of Japan in the 1920’s.
This was quite a surprise. Has similar vibe to Venus In Furs by Leopold von Sacher-Masoch and would also serve as an interesting present for anyone's friend who is clearly on a downwards spiral of losing their dignity (and giving up on their core principles) due to blind obsession/love/passion towards someone.
emotional
funny
informative
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
informative
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
funny
tense
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
i fw this book
it's interesting
longer review later maybe
edit: sensuous prose, very fast read (-3h with close-ish reading); very interesting characters and symbolism. interesting details and a lot to do research with about meiji/modern era japan. bc if this is a realistic portrayal of their people's obsession with the west id be freaked tf out
tiny bit supernatural at the end. i like novels that depict depravity and degeneracy esp in the narrator. will not reread anytime soon
it's interesting
longer review later maybe
edit: sensuous prose, very fast read (-3h with close-ish reading); very interesting characters and symbolism. interesting details and a lot to do research with about meiji/modern era japan. bc if this is a realistic portrayal of their people's obsession with the west id be freaked tf out
tiny bit supernatural at the end. i like novels that depict depravity and degeneracy esp in the narrator. will not reread anytime soon
funny
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
YES, I am here because of Bungo Stray Dogs, leave me alone.
Salaryman Jōjo is a man obsessed with the West and Western culture. He longs to be stylish and handsome, but fears his “too Japanese,” masculine looks will never fit his inner ideal. One day he stops by his favorite café, and a new waitress, Naomi, serves his coffee. Jōjo sees traditional white features in her face and envisions a life in which they indulge in modern pleasures of movies, fashion, and theaters. He makes his dream a reality, taking Naomi in as his bride and purchasing a house where they can play out their exoticized racial fantasies. Under Jōjo’s dubious tutelage, Naomi matures into an educated woman who turns the tables on her husband.
Naomi is exactly as advertised. A twenty-eight year old idiotic, pretentious man takes in a fifteen year old girl, so he can treat her as a pet and dress-up doll. I’m not sure what the Japanese word for this is, but he’s like a reverse weeaboo? He, and later Naomi, are obsessed with the West, with whiteness. Tanizaki lambasts Jōjo ruthlessly, and the man more than deserves it. I was greatly reminded of a version of My Fair Lady wherein Eliza puts Higgins’ head on a pike. While the novel is from Jōjo’s point of view, you can peek through his blind spots to witness Naomi come into her own. She marvels at the quixotic mix of new freedom and restraint Jōjo’s middle class life grants her. It was immensely rewarding to watch her build her Charisma/Manipulation stat and get what she wants.
While reading, I kept returning to a certain passage of Jōjo’s narration. Jōjo says that men enjoy being deceived by women. According to him, men are always, actually in control, and they only let women think they’re manipulating them. This type of misogynistic thinking (in the novel and irl) has no basis in reality, obviously, but served an interesting function in the novel. One example would be Naomi and Jōjo’s chess matches. In the beginning, Naomi is unfamiliar with chess, and Jōjo wins every match. She protests, and Jōjo makes mistakes so she can win the subsequent matches. As the games continue, Naomi wins even when Jōjo makes no mistakes. Jōjo thinks magic has occurred, or that he’s become senile with age. What has actually happened is Naomi became good at chess. Naomi takes advantage of Jōjo’s sexist thinking to build her skills.
Naomi is a great novel and a great character. It was fascinating to watch a guy fail to be a father, teacher, romantic partner, hobbyist, and compassionate human being. It was even more fascinating to watch a young woman rise in social power and prominence in a society set against her.
challenging
dark
reflective
slow-paced
medium-paced