chig_flicks's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
belle_fiction's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars
Well this was certainly an interesting short story collection! I must say as with all short story collections there were some real gems in here but there were also a few which I didn't really like or get much from :(
The highlights for me included the following:
- The Peony Lanterns
- The Jealous Type
- Silently Burning
- A New Recruit
- Having a Blast
- The Missing One
All of these stories were singularly unique and fascinating, and I am definitely going to re-read these in the future. These were definitely the strongest ones and there was something very beautiful about 'Silently Burning' which is probably my favourite of the collection.
Some of the other stories in this book felt incomplete to me and ended rather abruptly which often left me wondering what the point of these stories were - two which come to mind are 'Loved One' and 'A Day Off'. They weren't very engaging nor did they make me 'feel' anything and so I was left somewhat disappointed especially when there are some incredibly good stories throughout.
I will say that Polly Burton has done a fantastic job in translating these stories and really made them come to life especially because these were originally written in Japanese. I definitely want to check out more of her translated fiction and will also keep an eye out for future books by Matsuda.
All in all this short story collection is well-worth a read - just don't expect them all to be gems and leave a profound impression on you.
Well this was certainly an interesting short story collection! I must say as with all short story collections there were some real gems in here but there were also a few which I didn't really like or get much from :(
The highlights for me included the following:
- The Peony Lanterns
- The Jealous Type
- Silently Burning
- A New Recruit
- Having a Blast
- The Missing One
All of these stories were singularly unique and fascinating, and I am definitely going to re-read these in the future. These were definitely the strongest ones and there was something very beautiful about 'Silently Burning' which is probably my favourite of the collection.
Some of the other stories in this book felt incomplete to me and ended rather abruptly which often left me wondering what the point of these stories were - two which come to mind are 'Loved One' and 'A Day Off'. They weren't very engaging nor did they make me 'feel' anything and so I was left somewhat disappointed especially when there are some incredibly good stories throughout.
I will say that Polly Burton has done a fantastic job in translating these stories and really made them come to life especially because these were originally written in Japanese. I definitely want to check out more of her translated fiction and will also keep an eye out for future books by Matsuda.
All in all this short story collection is well-worth a read - just don't expect them all to be gems and leave a profound impression on you.
dustin_o's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
mayaperkins's review against another edition
2.0
I’m not a big fan of unrelated short stories jammed pack together, but I appreciate how some of the characters observed/ran into/hear a rumor about characters from other stories, giving us well deserved additional contexts.
katelynelizabeth's review against another edition
2.0
Ahh I couldn’t finish this one. It’s sold as a modern day telling of Japanese folklores and maybe if I would have been familiar with the folklores, I would have found them more interesting. As it was, I found them slightly entertaining but also random. I stopped after a couple of chapters.
youdontsendme's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
imogenrose97's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
4.5
misssusan's review against another edition
3.0
i really enjoyed this! it's a collection of modern retellings of several rakugo stories and it has this lackadaisical approach to integrating the supernatural that i like. ghosts are simply here and Vibing, there's no need for a fuss. at the very end the author includes summaries of all the original stories being retold and i would recommend reading that first -- i would have if i'd realized as i wasn't familiar with any of them and i think the context would have been nice to have
3.5 stars
3.5 stars