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A review by katiecatbooks
Flowers of Grass by Takehiko Fukunaga
5.0
Japan. 1954. Sanitorium.
Story: The story begins with our narrator in a sanitorium in Japan having a conversation with another patient, Shiomi, who is about to have surgery. What follows is the story of Shiomi and the effect it has on our narrator.
Language: Translated from Japanese, this is considered a classic in Japanese literature. Told in four parts, introduction from our narrator, Shiomi's first book, then second book, and ending with our narrator. The action and dialogues read almost as a play, with few settings, but people near each other conversing. The text is rather philosophical yet allows the reader to come to their own conclusions and opinions.
Characters: The narrator, unnamed, is an aspiring author in a sanitorium, sharing a room with others. Shiomi is one of those others and the two get on due to their shared interest in writing. Shiomi is a thinker and dreamer and wishes others could see the world as he does, while our narrator is a dreamer and seeks to understand those around him.
While I feel the book was a bit frustrating (a lot of unhappiness and dissatisfaction and hopelessness), it was presented and written very well and I was glad to read it.
Story: The story begins with our narrator in a sanitorium in Japan having a conversation with another patient, Shiomi, who is about to have surgery. What follows is the story of Shiomi and the effect it has on our narrator.
Language: Translated from Japanese, this is considered a classic in Japanese literature. Told in four parts, introduction from our narrator, Shiomi's first book, then second book, and ending with our narrator. The action and dialogues read almost as a play, with few settings, but people near each other conversing. The text is rather philosophical yet allows the reader to come to their own conclusions and opinions.
Characters: The narrator, unnamed, is an aspiring author in a sanitorium, sharing a room with others. Shiomi is one of those others and the two get on due to their shared interest in writing. Shiomi is a thinker and dreamer and wishes others could see the world as he does, while our narrator is a dreamer and seeks to understand those around him.
While I feel the book was a bit frustrating (a lot of unhappiness and dissatisfaction and hopelessness), it was presented and written very well and I was glad to read it.