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claudiadcd's reviews
159 reviews
Wabi Sabi: Japanese Wisdom for a Perfectly Imperfect Life by Beth Kempton
4.0
Follow this beautiful writer as she travels through the season of Japan, into tea rooms and craftsmen workshops with monks and local tourists, as she finds symbolism and meaning on simple traditions that Japan has kept alive for centuries for deep reasons. There’s something deeper to wabi sabi than just the interior design aesthetic.
Ikigai Journey: A Practical Guide to Finding Happiness and Purpose the Japanese Way by Héctor García
3.0
Travel from Tokyo to Kyoto on a bullet train and then sit at the Ise Shrine, the ever present, regularly destroyed and recreated Shinto shrine with our two authors to exercise your reflection and inner discovery. Fun exercises and stories that we can try to apply to our own lives to connect to our inner fire.
Future Home of the Living God by Louise Erdrich
5.0
My heart was ripped out so it honestly took me weeks before I could acknowledge to the world I had finished this novel and my final thoughts. I honestly dont think I could be completely open about the thoughts it left in my mind without giving up spoilers which I would never ruin another's reading experience with. I have a suspicion that the ending was finished and wrapped quickly, but that might just be a broken heart talking.
The first lines of the book grabbed me, as I was coping with my first trip out in a bookstore after a long time hunkering in the safety of my own home in the midst of a pandemic, locking myself down. And so the lines, the thoughts, the reflections, the inciting incident of global, ecosystem shifts and breakdowns and fears, it rang loudly for me. And the lines seemed comforting and yet validating. I go to books to at once escape and process and this was the book to help me.
Let's just say, my denial is too strong and my survival mode is too present to get to the grief stage, and hence I avoid, as probably the main character had in her hide out time period in her own self-isolating lockdown. The most I can say is this is a great exploration into what human fear can fuck up given enough impetus and political and systemic power, without ever giving that fear an excuse, as we never follow any character without the courage to get thru their plight.
To whoever has already read this book, you too are strong, stronger than your fear. All the love.
The first lines of the book grabbed me, as I was coping with my first trip out in a bookstore after a long time hunkering in the safety of my own home in the midst of a pandemic, locking myself down. And so the lines, the thoughts, the reflections, the inciting incident of global, ecosystem shifts and breakdowns and fears, it rang loudly for me. And the lines seemed comforting and yet validating. I go to books to at once escape and process and this was the book to help me.
Let's just say, my denial is too strong and my survival mode is too present to get to the grief stage, and hence I avoid, as probably the main character had in her hide out time period in her own self-isolating lockdown. The most I can say is this is a great exploration into what human fear can fuck up given enough impetus and political and systemic power, without ever giving that fear an excuse, as we never follow any character without the courage to get thru their plight.
To whoever has already read this book, you too are strong, stronger than your fear. All the love.
Sonic Peace by Kiriu Minashita
4.0
Is it the high reading level, the vagueness of this minimalist style of poetry or is something lost in translation? It was beautiful and lines here and there speak deeply to me when they do make a connection, but I'm not sure if I got all of it. If not for the back blurb, wouldn't have known it was a post-apocalyptic tale, would have just thought it a bit of hyperbole from the narrator character. But with the added info, is the main character a robot or just has so many implants, it feels that way sometimes?
This is the style of poetry I love, hints and insinuations, but now I'm starting to realize how that comes across when you're describing a new world. I wonder how many westerners will understand the symbolic comfort of a Japanesr vending machine with everything you could possibly need, hot and cold drinks. But I mean, how many people can truly visualize and relate to acidic rain. At a certain point it doesn't matter cause the feelings are still real, translatable, connecting.
This is the style of poetry I love, hints and insinuations, but now I'm starting to realize how that comes across when you're describing a new world. I wonder how many westerners will understand the symbolic comfort of a Japanesr vending machine with everything you could possibly need, hot and cold drinks. But I mean, how many people can truly visualize and relate to acidic rain. At a certain point it doesn't matter cause the feelings are still real, translatable, connecting.
Outsider by Lianne Simon
5.0
Like a beautiful fairy tale. This novella has such new magic and leaves me with such intense questions on gender and the transformations we can go through. I wish I could experience the multitudes of life like the magical changelings in the story live, but sometimes circumstances fit you in a bubble that's hard to pop. If you want some new magic in your life, definitely give this one a try. I'm so excited for this series and can't wait to see where else this world goes.
Utsubora: The Story of a Novelist by Asumiko Nakamura
5.0
Makes me fall in love with writing and life. Sometimes depressing books are validating but its hope either doesn't exist or falls flat. But I liked the complicated hope it left the reader with.
Tarot del Toro: A Tarot Deck and Guidebook Inspired by the World of Guillermo del Toro by
4.0
I mean it's still just a tarot guide, reference material only. But I actually loved what I learned about tarot history, well referenced. Not your average vanity deck with heart eyes for a film. I mean, the heart eyes are clear but the symbolism is layered, pulling from old roots while overlaying new ones on top and the artist is truly taking all factors involved seriously, the folklore, the tarot and the films.
Spoilers: Personally love the art style and thick black lines that mimic carvings, and the story that he actually carved them for his blind mentor to see them afterward, amazing. There is deep heart in this.
Spoilers: Personally love the art style and thick black lines that mimic carvings, and the story that he actually carved them for his blind mentor to see them afterward, amazing. There is deep heart in this.
Night of the Milky Way Railway by Kenji Miyazawa
5.0
Like a dream and a fairytale but real enough to conjure images of forgotten childhood. Found it by accident at the airport but once I learned it was a Japanese classic, I knew I had to have it. Lots to learn about the styling but I love the particular type of fantasy. More magical realism than epic fantasy, metaphor or a childhood trip thru dreams.
As vague as it was in the translated English, I really liked the places it went and dream symbolism. I wonder what I missed not knowing the culture it was born from enough. The symbols seemed vague and nonsensical, but maybe there are one to one meanings to the images that I missed. It feels like there's tons of metaphors here so I'll have to reread it with some more reference material.
As vague as it was in the translated English, I really liked the places it went and dream symbolism. I wonder what I missed not knowing the culture it was born from enough. The symbols seemed vague and nonsensical, but maybe there are one to one meanings to the images that I missed. It feels like there's tons of metaphors here so I'll have to reread it with some more reference material.
Neuromancer by William Gibson
3.0
Let's be honest, this one was just outside a comfortable reading level for me, but I like pushing myself sometimes. There are obviously some great ideas in here, as can be seen by the whole genre that grew out of this novel. My fav one was the actual neuromancer but I only met him more than halfway in and saw his magic in full display once.
I feel like I wanted more visual, but for a computer hacker heist, it was pretty visual, but it was a heist, decorated with aspects we've now seen in films and video games and other books. It's a guide, but I think it birthed bigger ideas. But I'd love for the cyberpunk creators to take a bit more of his science so advanced it seems like magic. Would love a bit more of that in my scifi instead of just the grit.
I feel like I wanted more visual, but for a computer hacker heist, it was pretty visual, but it was a heist, decorated with aspects we've now seen in films and video games and other books. It's a guide, but I think it birthed bigger ideas. But I'd love for the cyberpunk creators to take a bit more of his science so advanced it seems like magic. Would love a bit more of that in my scifi instead of just the grit.