A review by killa_bunnies
Hit Parade of Tears by Izumi Suzuki

adventurous dark emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

This is the second book of short stories by Izumi Suzuki translated to English, the first being Terminal Boredom. Again, several stories, ranging from fantastical, to absurd, surreal modern-day narratives, that are either goofball crazy (The Walker), completely funny (Trial Witch), or dark, bringing the feeling of being another episode of Black Mirror (Hey, It’s a Love Psychedelic!). Compared to the first book of stories, Terminal Boredom, this feels a bit like the second class, or shorts that did not make it to the first batch. I am not saying they are bad, but not that stunning as those in Terminal Boredom (which left me mind-blown on several occasions by the on-point ideas articulated by some of these stories). Still, definitely a great book, but I highly recommend getting both of the books, including Terminal Boredom. 

Suzuki’s life ended abruptly, by her own hand. It is a great loss of such a talent. From what I had a chance to read, I was stunned by her prophetic vision and the way of thinking forward. Hopefully there will be more of her work translated from Japanese, especially the novels.