paulataua's review
3.0
Nice little add on to the world of ‘Stormy Weather in Tokyo’ . If you have 8 dollars (the cost), 20 minutes free (the time it takes to read this very short piece which includes a lot of pictures), and the strength to get over the feeling of being totally cheated by the publisher, it's a pleasant, yet not astounding, read.
allblue13's review
4.0
I really don’t think I’m being pretentious when I say that I don’t think this story is as simple as people say it is.
I’m firmly of the belief that when and author says something, it means something, and Kawakami really seems to mean something with every word. Particularly the story within the story about the tengu; between the children whispering conspiratorially about their beings and when others “got theirs” and the mother and Tsukiko both saying that they won’t tell when they went away, I have to assume the tengu were a metaphor for something like growing up, or puberty.
Anyway, it’s good even if you haven’t read any of her other works (I haven’t).
I’m firmly of the belief that when and author says something, it means something, and Kawakami really seems to mean something with every word. Particularly the story within the story about the tengu; between the children whispering conspiratorially about their beings and when others “got theirs” and the mother and Tsukiko both saying that they won’t tell when they went away, I have to assume the tengu were a metaphor for something like growing up, or puberty.
Anyway, it’s good even if you haven’t read any of her other works (I haven’t).
catsonthewindowsill's review
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.25
Companion novel to strange weather in Tokyo which I loved. The tengu and the tenderness of the afternoon sensei and tsukiko spend with each other is just very lovely. a good fifteen minutes used well.
jademb's review
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
bradenchu's review
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
diyankilaco's review
funny
fast-paced
3.5
an easy short 3.5/5, the afterword brought in a rush of memories from Strange weather in Tokyo and followed were the emotions too.
orllyah's review
lighthearted
relaxing
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? Yes
4.5
kurenzhi's review
3.0
A charming, but ultimately insubstantial, folktale riff on the characters from THE BRIEFCASE. I enjoyed reading this, but unlike other works by Kawakami Hiromi, I think I am probably unlikely to revisit it.