Reviews

In Ghostly Japan: Spooky Stories with the Folklore, Superstitions and Traditions of Old Japan by Lafcadio Hearn

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fortiora's review against another edition

dark informative mysterious reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? N/A
Strong character development? N/A
Loveable characters? N/A
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

3.0

This book was not at all what I expected. I expected a lot of folklore and ghost stories, but instead got a lot of informative essays with a big focus on Buddhism. Though this was unexpected, it was interesting to read about. I do want to say that the book could profit from adding more cultural context when referring to certain things. Also, I found a piece of displaced text in one of the information sections, which gives a sloppy impression. All with all this book is definitely very readable, given that it was written over one hundred years ago, but I definitely expected more from it.

j_wnklr's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense medium-paced

3.0

paul_cornelius's review against another edition

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4.0

Yet another intriguing work on Japanese folklore and traditions from Lafcadio Hearn. Not quite as engaging as his Kwaidan volume but still fascinating. Interspersed among the "ghost tales" are essays on the history of incense in Japan, Japanese poetry, and Buddhist proverbs. What makes him so interesting to me, however, is that Hearn was writing during the 1890s and turn of the century on ancient Japanese social practices and beliefs. As such, his commentary is sprinkled with observations from his own time in Japan as well. Thus we get a sort of twofer with his books. Not only does he bring the ancient and medieval world of Japan to English readers, but he also brings us observations of another era of Japanese culture now lost to time, the Meiji era in which Hearn lived and wrote.

sofiet2304's review against another edition

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dark inspiring mysterious reflective slow-paced

5.0

mercurialrush's review against another edition

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4.0

This was less of a collection of Japanese ghost stories and more a series of essays about ghostly things, or things that are hidden and beyond the understanding of humans. There's a good mix between actual ghost stories ("Furisode", "A Passional Karma"), stories and essays about Buddhism ("Story of a Tengu", "Footprints of the Buddha"), and even poetry ("Bits of Poetry").

My favorite piece was probably "Ululation", where Hearn remembers an old wolf that used to protect his home and who was adopted by the entire village. He speaks of the superstitions behind dogs (and canines) howling at night and connects it to life. Here's one of my favorite lines from this essay:

"[...] but there is nothing beautiful in the fact that life is fed by continual murder, — that the tenderest affection, the noblest enthusiasm, the purest idealism, must be nourished by the eating of flesh and and the drinking of blood. All life, to sustain itself, must devour life."

nnnaaattteeee's review against another edition

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3.0

Lovely tales from Japan with a central supernatural theme. Laced throughout the various tales are bits of history that sometimes explains the beliefs, superstitions, or practices. Absolutely beautiful