A review by everie
The Hole by Hiroko Oyamada

dark mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.0

A meditative trek, a little surreal. Not much sticking power for me, but I loved some at-length monologues and conversations about the crushing day-to-day disregard of temporary employees at a nameless company and the off-kilter atmosphere.

Two characters who together take up a fair amount of the short novella,

the brother-in-law

and the strange animal Asa sees, fall way more flat. The first, especially, is described in ways that both play up and disregard a sense of menace. It leaves you feeling off-center, but feels like there's not much deeper thought put into it.