pickBased on my reading experience to date, I don‘t think Japanese Literature is 100% my jam. I enjoyed guessing who the Librarian character, Sayuri Komachi, was meant to represent, however. I got the impression that she was an incarnation of some goddess or deity: my best guess is White Tara. I liked the message about how important it is to feel like you belong, though as one character observes “belonging is an ambiguous state.” 👇🏻
monalyisha 1/3: Another character who serendipitously finds the library notes, with *obvious* relief, “It‘s okay for me to be in this place.” Working in the field, as I do, this warmed my heart. The library is a sanctuary; a free and welcoming place for outcasts. We‘ve got you. 💓 2w
monalyisha 2/3: It‘s difficult to pinpoint exactly what didn‘t work for me. I think it‘s that the characters all feel so *painfully* awkward. It‘s almost as if they‘re ALL neurodivergent — to the last. And maybe there‘s something intentional to that, e.g. no one is normal. Not a single one of us. That might be a relief. But it‘s uncomfortable to *always* be in that place, no matter the story… 2w
monalyisha 3/3:..even if it‘s concurrently heartwarming to witness the characters‘ first tentative steps toward the finding of self & community — & the reassurance that the “self” isn‘t fixed & is always evolving. The more I reflect, the more positive I feel. I think I just don‘t enjoy that constant state of cringe. Often, I read to escape. I cringe internally at my own interactions too often to openly extend that discomfort into my reading life! 🙈 (edited) 2w
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BarbaraBB I love Japanese literature and although this one very much is, I agree with your review. Books like this one and The Coffee gets Cold series didn‘t really work for me. Most other Japanese books I read I loved! 2w
monalyisha @BarbaraBB I think I probably just haven‘t read enough of it. I‘d happily investigate some personal recommendations! 2w
BarbaraBB That‘s hard. I‘ll recommend two: a novel and a thriller (of which there are so many and who have that typical Japanese atmosphere):![[tagged book]](https://image.librarything.com/pics/litsy_webpics/icon_taggedBook@3x.png)
Honeybees and Distant Thunder: The million copy award-winning Japanese bestseller 2w
Honeybees and Distant Thunder: The million copy award-winning Japanese bestsellerBarbaraBB The thriller:The Devotion of Suspect X: A Detective Galileo Novel 2w
The Devotion of Suspect X: A Detective Galileo NovelBarbaraBB Oh and I loved this one:Housekeeper and the Professor 2w
Housekeeper and the Professormonalyisha @BarbaraBB That‘s perfect! Thrillers are never my chosen genre but I‘ll definitely add the other two to my TBR. Thanks! 2w
monalyisha Oh, @BarbaraBB, I actually loved The Memory Police! I don‘t know how I forgot about that one! (As I know you know, it was also written by Yoko Ogawa.) 2w
BarbaraBB Yes! And this one is just as good as The Memory Police! 2w
vivastory Although I have yet to read “Housekeeper etc“ I def second @barbarabb rec of Ogawa. I think that you might like her collection of storiesRevenge: Eleven Dark Tales 2w
Revenge: Eleven Dark Talesvivastory I think you also might like “Breasts & Eggs“ by Kawakami. IMO it reads more as two linked novellas, rather than a cohesive novel but I thought it was interesting 2w
BarbaraBB @vivastory Yes! That one is so good too. And by Kawakami I also lovedHeaven 2w
Heavenvivastory @BarbaraBB Heaven sounds terrific. It's on my TBR 2w
batsy Adding to the Kawakami love and in addition to Breasts and Eggs and Heaven, I also recommendAll the Lovers in the Night 2w
All the Lovers in the Nightmonalyisha Thanks @vivastory @batsy @BarbaraBB - I‘ll try Kawakami. Sounds promising! 2w
so-so
