Scan barcode
A review by eleven_hummingbird
A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A story of crossing the boundaries of time to connect past with present, and encouraging the reader to reformulate their conceptions of the future and possibility.
The novel is split between two perspectives. Roughly half the narrative follows Ruth (author's stand-in?) and her husband in a rural, westcoast village, reading the washed-up diary of Nao, a Tokyo teenager. Although seemingly distant in both space and time, the stories of these two women progressively entangle about each other.
I found Ruth's narrative less interesting as it largely consists of her reflecting on Nao's diary with her husband. Unfortunately, Ruth is a bit slow witted and misses obvious points, while her husband is often reduced to mansplaining.
In contrast, Nao's narrative is dark and gritty, but also full of humor. From depression, suicide, bullying, loneliness, and sexual violence, Nao's diary entries recount her daily struggles, alongside her attempts to find peace and happiness despite her crummy life.
The stories of these two characters gradually converge until a sudden, down-the-rabbit-hole spiral that thrusts them together. The magical realism is alluded to throughout the novel prior, but this moment felt rather sudden, even jarring.
A slow-burn, and well worth the read.
That said, I listened to the audiobook, read by the author. Hearing an author read their work can really help it to shine, and Ozeki's reading is delightful. Apparently, the printed text has illustrations and footnotes that cannot translate to audio format, so I may revisit this book later.
The novel is split between two perspectives. Roughly half the narrative follows Ruth (author's stand-in?) and her husband in a rural, westcoast village, reading the washed-up diary of Nao, a Tokyo teenager. Although seemingly distant in both space and time, the stories of these two women progressively entangle about each other.
I found Ruth's narrative less interesting as it largely consists of her reflecting on Nao's diary with her husband. Unfortunately, Ruth is a bit slow witted and misses obvious points, while her husband is often reduced to mansplaining.
In contrast, Nao's narrative is dark and gritty, but also full of humor. From depression, suicide, bullying, loneliness, and sexual violence, Nao's diary entries recount her daily struggles, alongside her attempts to find peace and happiness despite her crummy life.
The stories of these two characters gradually converge until a sudden, down-the-rabbit-hole spiral that thrusts them together. The magical realism is alluded to throughout the novel prior, but this moment felt rather sudden, even jarring.
A slow-burn, and well worth the read.
That said, I listened to the audiobook, read by the author. Hearing an author read their work can really help it to shine, and Ozeki's reading is delightful. Apparently, the printed text has illustrations and footnotes that cannot translate to audio format, so I may revisit this book later.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Death, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, and Suicide attempt