A review by robertrivasplata
My Wandering Warrior Existence by Nagata Kabi

dark emotional funny hopeful tense fast-paced

4.0

Sequel to My Alcoholic Escape From Reality. Much more off the wall, & somehow even more emo, which I suppose is to be expected in a book about the author's romantic/gender/sexual angst, & her forays into the terrifying dating scene, & which also includes the disturbing account of the sexual assault she suffered as a young child. The part where her efforts to maximize the red flags in her dating profile elicit greater & greater (& creepier) interest is disturbing, if sort of predictable (maybe that's why it's disturbing). Gives her perspective on Japanese conceptions of gender. I like how the term “Hotel” seems to be used for the American term “third date”. Does not give much update on Nagata-san's drinking problem. I wonder if there is an Alcoholics Anonymous scene in Japan. Whatever AA's faults, they do have an interesting terminology for alcohol abuse. Finally, is the use of “Senpai” for someone at work talking about their dating experience meant to be a little humorous? I guess I'm not familiar enough with the term; would you consider the proverbial 90s friend's older brother who lived in the basement & smoked a lot of weed, & was really into ancient aliens (before they got big on cable) a sort of senpai? Or is the term just being used to indicate that this guy was an older classmate she worked with?