booksrecorded 's review for:

The Ten Loves of Mr Nishino by Hiromi Kawakami

4.0

dark emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

Strong character development: N/A

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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I'd previously read 'Strange Weather in Tokyo' and really enjoyed it, so decided to read more from the same author. This collection of short stories (or is it a novel told from multiple perspectives?), all intertwined by their discussion of 'Mr Nishino', has a similarly gentle and reflective pace. Don't let the title put you off, as I'm also not dying to read about the adventures of a (male) womanizer, but the short stories are actually told from the perspectives of his lovers (all women although not all straight) and ultimately we learn a lot more about these women than we do about Mr Nishino. I really enjoyed how the author manages to get into the psyche of these narrators, who are from various ages and at different points of their own life when they meet Nishino. A lot of these women are troubled by the way they feel about this strange man who is generally pictured in a pretty pathetic light. It's refreshing to see how although each story has the same general set up (woman meets Nishino, the relationship then falls apart), this set up can lead to such a range of experiences. The differences are subtle and the stories leave the reader with a lot of unanswered questions - but if you're the kind of reader who likes unexplained phenomena and subtle observations on human interaction as well as brief but quirky snapshots into character's lives, then you'll mostly likely enjoy this set of stories. I read the book quickly (it's really short) but you could definitely put it down and pick it back up at a much later date, although I'd like to re-read it and consider the connections between the short stories more carefully. Overall, it was refreshing to read a book that focused on the briefer connections we experience in life - rather than reading about the main character's major relationship, this book is almost written from the perspective of a "side" character describing a "side relationship" in their life, and it's remarkable how much wonder and melancholy there is to be found in those relationships.