A review by koreanlinda
Suzume by Makoto Shinkai

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.75

I ended up reading this book during my recovery from surgery, and it was a perfect pickup. The world where Suzume lives took me away from my reality for a much-needed mental respite. The storyline is quite YA; it's all about a teenage girl growing up and finding the truth about her childhood. However, the fantasy side of the story was fascinating, and knowing that this story also exists in animation, it was easy for me to visualize the whole way through the book. What moved me the most was the author's ingenious way of imagining the backstory of Japan's experiences of frequent and detrimental earthquakes. I look forward to watching the animation.

Review by Linda (Any Pronouns) in March 2024
Personal essays on DefinitelyNotOkay.com
Artwork on Instagram @KoreanLinda

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death and Violence

Minor: Death of parent