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daphivn's review against another edition
2.0
Well, the good thing is it is dark and incredibly claustrophobic, there's this sense of helplessness permeating throughout the narratives but do I enjoy it? No. I sincerely wish the narrator would chug the potassium cyanide that he carries so badly. Bad just bad. I was bored the entire time. I was ready to drop it every single time but I'm not a quitter. (I think I should have quit)
chrysippus's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
emi_dilli's review against another edition
4.0
Fascinating and deeply troubling but the characters remained somewhat flat
rasmussimmermann's review
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
gemi1y's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
mobyskine's review against another edition
3.0
I think it all started when the guy said-- "I will expect to show my appreciation… I am particularly fond of staying in village houses."-- to the old man of the village for helping him finding a stay for the night (as the last bus already gone) that he suddenly been held captive and can't return home.
Honestly the narration seems a bit claustrophobic to me. It was all about sand and sand and sand; that small particles surrounding the house in the dunes trapping the guy physically and emotionally. Descriptive stories of his survival and plan to escape, observations on the work the villagers need to do to survive, all the hardship of changing environment and way of his living. The woman in the house was kind of mysterious too (I wonder how she could stay in the dunes all by herself).
Can't help to feel a bit mundane with classic japanese storytelling but this book still fairly gripping and intriguing to me. Unusually surreal that it left me hanging and wondering about life.
"There are all kinds of life, and sometimes the other side of the hill looks greener. What's hardest for me is not knowing what living like this will ever come to. But obviously you can never know, no matter what sort of life you live."
Honestly the narration seems a bit claustrophobic to me. It was all about sand and sand and sand; that small particles surrounding the house in the dunes trapping the guy physically and emotionally. Descriptive stories of his survival and plan to escape, observations on the work the villagers need to do to survive, all the hardship of changing environment and way of his living. The woman in the house was kind of mysterious too (I wonder how she could stay in the dunes all by herself).
Can't help to feel a bit mundane with classic japanese storytelling but this book still fairly gripping and intriguing to me. Unusually surreal that it left me hanging and wondering about life.
"There are all kinds of life, and sometimes the other side of the hill looks greener. What's hardest for me is not knowing what living like this will ever come to. But obviously you can never know, no matter what sort of life you live."
carly_jean's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75