A review by mavpion
The Woman in the Dunes by Kōbō Abe

challenging dark emotional reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

In this book, a schoolteacher on an insect collecting trip ends up trapped in a village where people live at the bottom holes in the sand and must constantly clean out the sand to avoid the sand filling in. The village feels (and is described) almost like an insect colony. But mainly it's a metaphor for the drudgery of every day life and life being a lot more boring than imagined when young. People can react by drinking, violence, hobbies, acceptance, or joy. This book is about the main character gradually accepting his role and becoming more human to his fellow prisoners/jailers, which again is a metaphor for life.

Despite the transparent symbolism, this was very well done, and actually had. alot of insight into life. Clearly it was a reaction to and synthesis of Kafka and reminded me of the allegorical surrealism of Saramago and Ballard.