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ericderoulet's reviews
59 reviews
Remina by Junji Ito
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
I'm a fairly avid Junji Ito reader, and unfortunately this is one of his weaker works. The premise is interesting enough: A planet from another universe is rapidly approaching Earth, threatening humanity with total destruction, and naturally the collective response to this set of circumstances is batshit, irrational, and conspiratorial. I would've liked the book much better had it focused more on this element of mass hysteria-as-psychological horror.
However, the narrative loses focus on that element. The initial disaster unfolds so quickly as to weaken my suspension of disbelief, and the majority of the story is essentially an extended chase scene as Remina (the main character) and company try to evade fanatics who blame her for humanity's impending doom. (So yes, the violent mass hysteria is present, but merely as a hazard to be avoided.) This plot structure might've worked better with more sympathetic and dynamic characters, but since there isn't a whole lot of character development, I find it more difficult to be invested in either Remina's fate or the side plots that unfold.
An additional issue is that Remina leans more into soft sci-fi as it tries to explain the strange planet and the other astronomical phenomena involved, but the more these elements are explained, the less compelling and believable they are. (This also impacts suspension of disbelief quite a lot; I felt like I was pushing through the "scientific" bits to get to the rest of the story.) Stronger Junji Ito pieces frequently do include sci-fi-adjacent elements but allow these to remain mysterious for the story's benefit.
As for the story's strengths, I will say there's ample (if straightforward) social commentary; the privileged class's selfish response to Earth's impending doom remains quite believable in 2024. There are also a decent number of satisfying horror elements despite the plotting, and of course Ito's signature evocative imagery (though even this is a bit lacking in the drawn-out chase/survival scenes). Also, while a number of Ito's works include certain temptress tropes and other arguably misogynistic elements, Remina is comparatively forward-thinking in this regard, making clear that Remina's persecution is unfair and irrational. Overall, readers who make a point of reading/collecting Ito's work should check out Remina as well, but Ito has plenty of stronger cosmic/existential horror and body horror pieces.
However, the narrative loses focus on that element. The initial disaster unfolds so quickly as to weaken my suspension of disbelief, and the majority of the story is essentially an extended chase scene as Remina (the main character) and company try to evade fanatics who blame her for humanity's impending doom. (So yes, the violent mass hysteria is present, but merely as a hazard to be avoided.) This plot structure might've worked better with more sympathetic and dynamic characters, but since there isn't a whole lot of character development, I find it more difficult to be invested in either Remina's fate or the side plots that unfold.
An additional issue is that Remina leans more into soft sci-fi as it tries to explain the strange planet and the other astronomical phenomena involved, but the more these elements are explained, the less compelling and believable they are. (This also impacts suspension of disbelief quite a lot; I felt like I was pushing through the "scientific" bits to get to the rest of the story.) Stronger Junji Ito pieces frequently do include sci-fi-adjacent elements but allow these to remain mysterious for the story's benefit.
As for the story's strengths, I will say there's ample (if straightforward) social commentary; the privileged class's selfish response to Earth's impending doom remains quite believable in 2024. There are also a decent number of satisfying horror elements despite the plotting, and of course Ito's signature evocative imagery (though even this is a bit lacking in the drawn-out chase/survival scenes). Also, while a number of Ito's works include certain temptress tropes and other arguably misogynistic elements, Remina is comparatively forward-thinking in this regard, making clear that Remina's persecution is unfair and irrational. Overall, readers who make a point of reading/collecting Ito's work should check out Remina as well, but Ito has plenty of stronger cosmic/existential horror and body horror pieces.
Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies by Jared Diamond
informative
reflective
5.0
I know Guns, Germs, and Steel is not a favorite among anthropologists and other subject matter experts. Ambitions to devise a grand theory of history inevitably fall through, or at least prove to have lots of holes in them, simply because the structural factors and idiosyncrasies shaping history elude any single, sweeping explanation.
That being said, for general audiences, this is an important historical and scientific corrective that uses reasonably compelling evidence to push back against popular explanations for the course of history that are rooted in Western exceptionalism and scientific racism. It's important for one with even an amateur interest in history to understand just how drastically societies and their development are impacted by geography, natural history, and the like. Environmental factors do not by themselves explain the course of history, either, but Diamond's focus on these factors counterbalances narratives of history as a series of individual achievements or as one "civilization" asserting its superiority over others. Guns, Germs, and Steel is not a comprehensive work for an expert audience—that's hardly possible for a single book, given that scientific articles on niche topics can exceed 10,000 words in length—but Diamond has done important work in making the general public a little better informed about history and prehistory.
That being said, for general audiences, this is an important historical and scientific corrective that uses reasonably compelling evidence to push back against popular explanations for the course of history that are rooted in Western exceptionalism and scientific racism. It's important for one with even an amateur interest in history to understand just how drastically societies and their development are impacted by geography, natural history, and the like. Environmental factors do not by themselves explain the course of history, either, but Diamond's focus on these factors counterbalances narratives of history as a series of individual achievements or as one "civilization" asserting its superiority over others. Guns, Germs, and Steel is not a comprehensive work for an expert audience—that's hardly possible for a single book, given that scientific articles on niche topics can exceed 10,000 words in length—but Diamond has done important work in making the general public a little better informed about history and prehistory.
The Chile Pepper in China: A Cultural Biography by Brian R. Dott
informative
3.5
My review is probably similar to that of many others: There's a wealth of food history in here supported with plentiful source materials, but this book needed at least one more thorough round of editing. Issues with organization and repetition make The Chile Pepper in China somewhat tough to read cover-to-cover, but I highly recommend consulting this book for a detailed history of its subject matter, whether you're reading out of general interest, you're an enthusiast for culinary history, or you want to do some realistic world-building.