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A review by aqsa_ayman
Battle Royale by Koushun Takami
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
I've been meaning to read this for years, and it did not disappoint!
I was worried it'd feel exploitative, and in the beginning it did, in the first meeting with Sakamochi, where there is brutality before the students have had a chance to even try to absorb what game they have been thrown into. I can't tell if his light tone makes it even worse than if he'd treated this introduction more seriously, and I don't really understand the point of it, except to perhaps make it clear to the students that there'll be no mercy here.
As the game begins we shift perspectives from student to student, and insignificant or not, the author takes care to create unique personalities. It makes it easier than I thought it would be to remember so many names, and there are a lot of strangely pure, heartfelt moments in the stark horror of it all. In a few paragraphs of background the author makes more interesting characters than in entire books I've read in the past.
With the two most deadly competitors you have this stark contrast of someone who has become the way they are through intense trauma (quite exploitative again though), and one who seems to be a true psychopath in his apathy. Not maniacal, but methodical.
There is a showdown towards the end of the book that is thrilling but the actual ending of the book feels weakerShogo just going about his business for that long with a fatal wound...very confusing All in all, it really made me think about human nature, trust - the alliances are unpredictable and not easily made due to the stakes of the game - and how brave an everyday person would or could be in a dire situation.
I was worried it'd feel exploitative, and in the beginning it did, in the first meeting with Sakamochi, where there is brutality before the students have had a chance to even try to absorb what game they have been thrown into. I can't tell if his light tone makes it even worse than if he'd treated this introduction more seriously, and I don't really understand the point of it, except to perhaps make it clear to the students that there'll be no mercy here.
As the game begins we shift perspectives from student to student, and insignificant or not, the author takes care to create unique personalities. It makes it easier than I thought it would be to remember so many names, and there are a lot of strangely pure, heartfelt moments in the stark horror of it all. In a few paragraphs of background the author makes more interesting characters than in entire books I've read in the past.
With the two most deadly competitors you have this stark contrast of someone who has become the way they are through intense trauma (quite exploitative again though), and one who seems to be a true psychopath in his apathy. Not maniacal, but methodical.
There is a showdown towards the end of the book that is thrilling but the actual ending of the book feels weaker
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Gun violence, and Violence
Minor: Rape and Sexual violence