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chris_chu 's review for:
All the Lovers in the Night
by Mieko Kawakami
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Mieko Kawakami, what have you done to me...
I'm baffled. I really want to love this book, but I just feel unsatisfied after finishing it. I genuinely think that I'm too dumb and too young and too inexperienced to truly understand this novel.
First things first, that prologue, it's possibly the most beautiful thing I've ever read (and the reason why I bought the book in first place). It's just so beautiful and I don't know how to describe it. But, the story and the voice feel really flat to me throughout the majority of the book. It's smooth, nicely written but sometimes lacks that oomph for me. Maybe it's the narrator's problem? I don't know. Then from the end of the ninth chapter I finally feel the intensity of the story is growing and the last two or three chapters are really emotionally powerful. Also the flashback of Fuyuko's high school past in the middle of the story just feel odd and weirdly placed to me, but the whole read was definitely enjoyable, though I in some way expected more from it.
The translation is overall very good I think, but in some parts I feel that essence, that nuance in Japanese cannot be fully capture in English. Also the meaning behind the kanji of the names of the characters are all lost in translation, which for me is a shame.
Another thing is that the title, All the Lovers in the Night, remains a mystery. Why is it the title of this story? I can't really understand it. And the light, which is probably the most important character? through the novel, I think I don't fully grasp the meaning either.
The writing is truly masterful. I realized after finishing the book that there are so many foreshadowing inside, for example the boxes from Hijiri and the exact same sentence said by Mizuno and Hijiri. There are also many exquisite sentences throughout, describing light, music, emotions... , and the story offers so much to think about, about womanhood, feelings, relationship, connection, and so on. I just think I'm not mature enough to get everything out of the book, which really sucks.
I really like this novel, but I'm just not sure if I can say I love it.
Edit:
It has been a few days since I finished the book, and I’ve been thinking about it nonstop. I absolutely love the book now, it’s just so beautiful, so relatable… I know why Fuyuko feels painful seeing Mitsutsuka. I know that’s life slipping away from Fuyuko. I know the loneliness, the detachment, and living out other’s quotes… I just still can’t fully grasp the comparison of people and light, the way most of the light is absorbed. Easily a five star.
I'm baffled. I really want to love this book, but I just feel unsatisfied after finishing it. I genuinely think that I'm too dumb and too young and too inexperienced to truly understand this novel.
First things first, that prologue, it's possibly the most beautiful thing I've ever read (and the reason why I bought the book in first place). It's just so beautiful and I don't know how to describe it. But, the story and the voice feel really flat to me throughout the majority of the book. It's smooth, nicely written but sometimes lacks that oomph for me. Maybe it's the narrator's problem? I don't know. Then from the end of the ninth chapter I finally feel the intensity of the story is growing and the last two or three chapters are really emotionally powerful. Also the flashback of Fuyuko's high school past in the middle of the story just feel odd and weirdly placed to me, but the whole read was definitely enjoyable, though I in some way expected more from it.
The translation is overall very good I think, but in some parts I feel that essence, that nuance in Japanese cannot be fully capture in English. Also the meaning behind the kanji of the names of the characters are all lost in translation, which for me is a shame.
Another thing is that the title, All the Lovers in the Night, remains a mystery. Why is it the title of this story? I can't really understand it. And the light, which is probably the most important character? through the novel, I think I don't fully grasp the meaning either.
The writing is truly masterful. I realized after finishing the book that there are so many foreshadowing inside, for example the boxes from Hijiri and the exact same sentence said by Mizuno and Hijiri. There are also many exquisite sentences throughout, describing light, music, emotions... , and the story offers so much to think about, about womanhood, feelings, relationship, connection, and so on. I just think I'm not mature enough to get everything out of the book, which really sucks.
I really like this novel, but I'm just not sure if I can say I love it.
Edit:
It has been a few days since I finished the book, and I’ve been thinking about it nonstop. I absolutely love the book now, it’s just so beautiful, so relatable… I know why Fuyuko feels painful seeing Mitsutsuka. I know that’s life slipping away from Fuyuko. I know the loneliness, the detachment, and living out other’s quotes… I just still can’t fully grasp the comparison of people and light, the way most of the light is absorbed. Easily a five star.