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jhbandcats's review
adventurous
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
4.0
This semi-fictionalized story tells the bizarre tale of Hiroo Odona, the WWII Japanese soldier who hid on an island in the Philippines, still fighting the locals, till he was found in 1974. Herzog’s telling is otherworldly, and indeed he describes how Odona was never sure if he was dreaming or not.
Herzog met and became friends with Odona in the late 1990s and this book is based on their many conversations over the years of their friendship. I imagine that the fictionalized part is Odona’s thoughts and indistinct memories as the overall story is true. It’s a short and beautiful book about a determined and loyal man who did what he thought was best for his country.
I’ve been familiar with Herzog’s movies for decades but this is the first book of his I’ve read (and his first novel). He had apparently wanted to write it for years and the pandemic lockdown gave him the perfect opportunity. While I wouldn’t wish a COVID pandemic on anyone, I’m pleased it produced this remarkable book.
Herzog met and became friends with Odona in the late 1990s and this book is based on their many conversations over the years of their friendship. I imagine that the fictionalized part is Odona’s thoughts and indistinct memories as the overall story is true. It’s a short and beautiful book about a determined and loyal man who did what he thought was best for his country.
I’ve been familiar with Herzog’s movies for decades but this is the first book of his I’ve read (and his first novel). He had apparently wanted to write it for years and the pandemic lockdown gave him the perfect opportunity. While I wouldn’t wish a COVID pandemic on anyone, I’m pleased it produced this remarkable book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Gun violence, Blood, Grief, Abandonment, and War