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livsliterarynook's review
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
belle_fiction's review
3.0
3.5 stars
This book started off incredibly strong - I loved the first three stories in this collection which were all 5 star reads for me, the fourth story was (imho) very slow and I really didn’t enjoy it, the fifth story was another strong entry but the last five stories all seemed to be conveying similar things and just merged into underwhelming and repetitive reads which is a great shame as I was certain this was going to be a new favourite.
These stories are subtle and discuss familial loss twinned with ghostly goings-on. Japan has an incredibly rich culture and it was wonderful to see the various rituals they undertake at certain festivals to remember their ancestors but ultimately I found that a lot of these stories were pretty samey and few really stood out or packed an emotional punch.
A nice read for those who enjoy subtle Japanese literature.
This book started off incredibly strong - I loved the first three stories in this collection which were all 5 star reads for me, the fourth story was (imho) very slow and I really didn’t enjoy it, the fifth story was another strong entry but the last five stories all seemed to be conveying similar things and just merged into underwhelming and repetitive reads which is a great shame as I was certain this was going to be a new favourite.
These stories are subtle and discuss familial loss twinned with ghostly goings-on. Japan has an incredibly rich culture and it was wonderful to see the various rituals they undertake at certain festivals to remember their ancestors but ultimately I found that a lot of these stories were pretty samey and few really stood out or packed an emotional punch.
A nice read for those who enjoy subtle Japanese literature.
cheli_gza's review
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
sundays7child's review
5.0
iedere story hierin had een volledige novel van mij mogen zijn i loved it so much. Het laatste verhaal was zo goed, kent iemand meer boeken die over Obon gaan?
echt een goeie gift thank you my friends!
echt een goeie gift thank you my friends!
apoorvasr's review
5.0
Things Remembered and things forgotten by kyoko nakajima, translated from the Japanese by Ian McCullough MacDonald and Ginny Tapley Takemori
An eclectic collection of short stories by the author of another beautiful book , the little house.
Her themes are the same - recreation of lost memories , reinterpretation of incidents and the strange and otherworldly stories with no explanation.
I thoroughly enjoyed this collection. The first story title and the title of the book being the same is bittersweet and the ending strange. The story of siblings and the story of a hometown and who take care of whom ?
The second being when my wife was a shiitake is about the part of his dead wife he didn’t know about discovered through her notebook ramblings about cooking and about her life. His love is rekindled back by putting together box sushi - with different components each tended to perfection - helped by his dead wife’s notes and musings.
The life story of a sewing machine - we all thought humans go through their trials and tribulations shaping and re shaping them like a potters wheel . It’s true for inanimate objects like a sewing machine too. One of my favourite stories from the collection .
Global Positioning System - the crux of navigation for youngsters and old generations . And a saving grace for the dad affected by memory loss. To be locked in a memory sometimes can feel like a warm cocoon and a child’s hand in your big weathering hands can forget time.
Kiraras special plane - a cutie / or a whore forgets to provide for her kid . An unlikely friendship between a ghost and a kid. It’s almost heartwarming and before you try to savor the comforting beginnings of a friendship, it ends.
A special day - An entry into nothingness. An entry into a void of a circus . Exhibits and creative space . One day present and the other day poof …
The pet civet- A story of a strange love between a workhand and an old neglected lady. The food descriptions and the jams and old cosy cottage . It felt like a dream.
Childhood friends - I understood the nature of the story only later. Re- imagining childhood friendships.
The last two stories are beautiful . They are one of a kind.
I’ve found that most Japanese stories believe in the existence of ghosts in their movies or books.
Not exactly sinister but lost beings as it is. Falling in love with a ghost. I couldn’t make sense of this story and I was okay with it .
The last Obon - the final festival before the families go their separate ways . The intricacies of the ritual , the steaming of udon , the clover dim sums . I’m blown by Nakajimas descriptions . It’s the food and the environment which holds the story together .
We are visited by ghosts now and then. All friendly all a whiff of days past and all just being there .
An eclectic collection of short stories by the author of another beautiful book , the little house.
Her themes are the same - recreation of lost memories , reinterpretation of incidents and the strange and otherworldly stories with no explanation.
I thoroughly enjoyed this collection. The first story title and the title of the book being the same is bittersweet and the ending strange. The story of siblings and the story of a hometown and who take care of whom ?
The second being when my wife was a shiitake is about the part of his dead wife he didn’t know about discovered through her notebook ramblings about cooking and about her life. His love is rekindled back by putting together box sushi - with different components each tended to perfection - helped by his dead wife’s notes and musings.
The life story of a sewing machine - we all thought humans go through their trials and tribulations shaping and re shaping them like a potters wheel . It’s true for inanimate objects like a sewing machine too. One of my favourite stories from the collection .
Global Positioning System - the crux of navigation for youngsters and old generations . And a saving grace for the dad affected by memory loss. To be locked in a memory sometimes can feel like a warm cocoon and a child’s hand in your big weathering hands can forget time.
Kiraras special plane - a cutie / or a whore forgets to provide for her kid . An unlikely friendship between a ghost and a kid. It’s almost heartwarming and before you try to savor the comforting beginnings of a friendship, it ends.
A special day - An entry into nothingness. An entry into a void of a circus . Exhibits and creative space . One day present and the other day poof …
The pet civet- A story of a strange love between a workhand and an old neglected lady. The food descriptions and the jams and old cosy cottage . It felt like a dream.
Childhood friends - I understood the nature of the story only later. Re- imagining childhood friendships.
The last two stories are beautiful . They are one of a kind.
I’ve found that most Japanese stories believe in the existence of ghosts in their movies or books.
Not exactly sinister but lost beings as it is. Falling in love with a ghost. I couldn’t make sense of this story and I was okay with it .
The last Obon - the final festival before the families go their separate ways . The intricacies of the ritual , the steaming of udon , the clover dim sums . I’m blown by Nakajimas descriptions . It’s the food and the environment which holds the story together .
We are visited by ghosts now and then. All friendly all a whiff of days past and all just being there .
ali_f's review
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
mariomenti's review
5.0
What a wonderful collection of short stories!
The 10 relatively stories are mostly understated and quiet, but paint a vivid picture of a modern Japan where the past and the dead are ever present. And many of the stories have rather satisfying plot twists right in the very last sentences.
The 10 relatively stories are mostly understated and quiet, but paint a vivid picture of a modern Japan where the past and the dead are ever present. And many of the stories have rather satisfying plot twists right in the very last sentences.
benrogerswpg's review
2.0
I did not enjoy this very much
It was very slow and very overtly "trying to be touching". However, to me, it just felt mushy instead.
Not my favorite.
2.4/5
It was very slow and very overtly "trying to be touching". However, to me, it just felt mushy instead.
Not my favorite.
2.4/5