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emanon_reads's reviews
117 reviews
Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney
5.0
I absolutely ate this book up.
Idk why exactly but I read a big chunk of it in one sitting. Maybe it was the idea of forbidden love or just the idea of polyamory.
To be completely frank, something about reading a love story between two completely emotionally unavailable people made the story so real and so good. It hit the right spots.
Idk why exactly but I read a big chunk of it in one sitting. Maybe it was the idea of forbidden love or just the idea of polyamory.
To be completely frank, something about reading a love story between two completely emotionally unavailable people made the story so real and so good. It hit the right spots.
Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage by Haruki Murakami
4.0
I was told to start with Colourless so I can get eased into Murakami’s way of writing and oh my, oh my. After the last couple of books I’ve read this one was like a walk in the park. I love good writing so much😩😩.
About the story - it was good. From the start I wanted to know why our main character was deeply disturbed and it kept me going throughout the book. I wanted to find answers as much as he did.
I did notice that Murakami diverged from the main plot a couple of times here and there… especially in the last chapter, I reeeeally wanted to see what the outcome would be and he kept on writing about stations and people and all the stuff that would’ve been great as a character build up in the start but not the end.
Anyways, I have questions - What about his unresolved issues from Haifa’s ‘abandonment’? Why leave us handing on his situation with Sara? I need to know😤
Social impressions I got from simply reading a Murakami book. People notice and acknowledged me as a reader. People came up to me and started conversations about books. People did not hesitate to come up and read the title… something about this is as much deeply impressive as deeply disturbing. If you like reading your ears should perk up at the sight of any book, right??? or am I wrong.
You know what? It doesn’t matter. Solid book. Loved reading it!!
About the story
I did notice that Murakami diverged from the main plot a couple of times here and there… especially in the last chapter, I reeeeally wanted to see what the outcome would be and he kept on writing about stations and people and all the stuff that would’ve been great as a character build up in the start but not the end.
Anyways, I have questions - What about his unresolved issues from Haifa’s ‘abandonment’? Why leave us handing on his situation with Sara? I need to know😤
Social impressions I got from simply reading a Murakami book. People notice and acknowledged me as a reader. People came up to me and started conversations about books. People did not hesitate to come up and read the title… something about this is as much deeply impressive as deeply disturbing. If you like reading your ears should perk up at the sight of any book, right??? or am I wrong.
You know what? It doesn’t matter. Solid book. Loved reading it!!
Life Ceremony by Sayaka Murata
4.0
So, I think I loved the first half of the book way more than the second. It’s because short stories with outstanding narratives can be delivered way better in short forms.. in my opinion. The shorter and anspiee the stories were the more I seemed to enjoy them because I didn’t have time to sit and judge what was happening. It was, BOOM these are the characters and then BAM! this is why your jaw should drop now.
I liked overall. I think Sayaka’s book should definitely be read, with a bit of disclaimer, yes. She knows really well how to portray current ethical dilemmas and issues in an extreme way so we can notice them and have a good think. I like that about her stories.
What I find very fascinating is how almost nothing in her stories is impossible. It’s twisted, yes, but most scenarios can become reality at some point and this is kind of scary.
I loved how in Life Ceremony she talks about how the norm constantly changes and what is weird now can become very acceptable later. It’s something we witness constantly and it was refreshing to be reminded of that.
Individually the stories don’t make sense but as a whole they portrays Murata’s views in society which I really like.
Carla approved with a warning of potential confusion and anger lol
I liked overall. I think Sayaka’s book should definitely be read, with a bit of disclaimer, yes. She knows really well how to portray current ethical dilemmas and issues in an extreme way so we can notice them and have a good think. I like that about her stories.
What I find very fascinating is how almost nothing in her stories is impossible. It’s twisted, yes, but most scenarios can become reality at some point and this is kind of scary.
I loved how in Life Ceremony she talks about how the norm constantly changes and what is weird now can become very acceptable later. It’s something we witness constantly and it was refreshing to be reminded of that.
Individually the stories don’t make sense but as a whole they portrays Murata’s views in society which I really like.
Carla approved with a warning of potential confusion and anger lol
Purple Cow: Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable by Seth Godin
The book was quite good. It’s a good if you’re trying to get into marketing literature and not looking for suggestions into how to do things. It’s not a guid book but more of a history one. I loved how informative it was with loads of real time examples and no hypotheticals.
It is an old book (2002) and some of the language and ideas are now (2023) a bit outdated but the core of it can still be relevant.
So far we’ve noticed brands use and overuse sneezers (influencers) and ideaviruses (trends). We have come a long way from having influencers do their job just for the money to having them promote brands because they genuinely believe in them. Trends on the other hands have come from being “the cool new thing” to “the cool new thing that will definitely be forgotten in 2 weeks” and that’s problematic. Brands currently need to start practicing finding their Purple Cow all over again because otherwise they fern to bend with the herd of sheep that’s been attacking us, the consumers.
The current drivers for a successful business seem to be the following:
- engagement
- personalisation
- authenticity
- sustainability
- ethics
If your bands doesn’t have these 5 components as a given your Purple Cow, however good will probably fail. People now research even if something is not exactly ‘otaku’ for them. Seth was right when saying that a brands is remarkable when it’s drivers are obsessed with the product but it’s also difficult to find people who’re obsessed and still willing to be a part of something bigger than them.
I feel like I can go on and on with this review but I’ll stop here and let whoever read this continue with their thoughts.
It is an old book (2002) and some of the language and ideas are now (2023) a bit outdated but the core of it can still be relevant.
So far we’ve noticed brands use and overuse sneezers (influencers) and ideaviruses (trends). We have come a long way from having influencers do their job just for the money to having them promote brands because they genuinely believe in them. Trends on the other hands have come from being “the cool new thing” to “the cool new thing that will definitely be forgotten in 2 weeks” and that’s problematic. Brands currently need to start practicing finding their Purple Cow all over again because otherwise they fern to bend with the herd of sheep that’s been attacking us, the consumers.
The current drivers for a successful business seem to be the following:
- engagement
- personalisation
- authenticity
- sustainability
- ethics
If your bands doesn’t have these 5 components as a given your Purple Cow, however good will probably fail. People now research even if something is not exactly ‘otaku’ for them. Seth was right when saying that a brands is remarkable when it’s drivers are obsessed with the product but it’s also difficult to find people who’re obsessed and still willing to be a part of something bigger than them.
I feel like I can go on and on with this review but I’ll stop here and let whoever read this continue with their thoughts.
Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto
5.0
Grieving is such a difficult emotion to portray and Yoshimoto somehow was able to do it just right. It might as well be because she had gone through it, something she mentions in her preface.
People tend to forget that grief can be dealt with in many different ways and it’s not always by crying. I laughed a lot while reading and it was because the character knew how to pass by with humour rather than acknowledging the elephant in the room.
Yoshimoto paints a deeply sad scenario but also showcases some very human reactions which had made her piece so much more valuable to me.
Love reading it from start to finish!
People tend to forget that grief can be dealt with in many different ways and it’s not always by crying. I laughed a lot while reading and it was because the character knew how to pass by with humour rather than acknowledging the elephant in the room.
Yoshimoto paints a deeply sad scenario but also showcases some very human reactions which had made her piece so much more valuable to me.
Love reading it from start to finish!
Goodbye Tsugumi by Banana Yoshimoto
4.0
It was a lovely book to read. Yoshimoto really knows how to write about simple everyday life. So far I’ve read Kitchen, Moonshine Shadow & Goodbye Tsugumi and all of them capture normal life that has been touched by death in one way or another and I seems as if this is her specialty.
I love how her writing does focus on death, rather is tiptoes around it letting it linger there which creates a really good sensation of suspense that keeps the reader going and wanting to read more and know more.
I love how her writing does focus on death, rather is tiptoes around it letting it linger there which creates a really good sensation of suspense that keeps the reader going and wanting to read more and know more.
Lizard by Banana Yoshimoto
4.0
I think my tried review of this book is 3.8 stars. I’m definitely a bigger fan of Kitchen and Goodbye Tsugumi but nonetheless Lizard has its good quirks. It focuses on a different set of emotions. I noticed a lot of rediscovery and the reoccurring theme of starting over while still acknowledging the past
Asleep by Banana Yoshimoto
4.0
I definitely liked “Asleep” more than “Lizard”. It could be because it followed the themes of death, grief. Themes that Yoshimoto seems to know well and know how to portray well.
Asleep was by far my favourite short story out of the three even though I cannot deny that Love Story and Night and Night’s Travelers were also good
Asleep was by far my favourite short story out of the three even though I cannot deny that Love Story and Night and Night’s Travelers were also good
East Side Voices by Helena Lee
5.0
I love this book. I’m not East Asian but I’m Middle Eastern, north in Eastern Europe and currently in the UK. My situation is similar enough to relate and and it’s reassuring to know that there are people from very different backgrounds that feel the way I do in certain aspects. Makes the world feel less lonely.
I’d love to read something simmer form a Middle East viewpoint because believe me, it’s be very different but also very similar.
I also think white ppl simply need to read it to see how minorities feel and get an understanding of their lives. No so much so they become more work but simply to be informed and awake for themselves.
I’d love to read something simmer form a Middle East viewpoint because believe me, it’s be very different but also very similar.
I also think white ppl simply need to read it to see how minorities feel and get an understanding of their lives. No so much so they become more work but simply to be informed and awake for themselves.